ABSTRACT
Therapists working in mental health clinics, drug and alcohol treatment programs, forensic settings, community hospitals, and private practice are frequently confronted with clients whose problematic sexual behavior fits the parameters of addictive/compulsive illness. When these cases present themselves, professionals need to know how to take the necessary steps to make an appropriate assessment in order to determine whether an addictive process is present. An accurate assessment will help with decisions about appropriate interventions, clinical approaches, and the level of care necessary for each client. These scenarios represent typical cases that you may encounter:
• A 45-year-old postal employee, with 6 years of recovery from drugs and alcohol, spends hours every night on the Internet, checking out pornography websites and chat rooms. He frequently loses track of time and arrives at work late, disheveled, and exhausted. His supervisor suspects that he is drinking again and sends him to the Employee Assistant Program at the post office, where you work as a counselor.
