ABSTRACT
Female sex and love addiction, often known as FSLA, shares many commonalities with other forms of sex and porn addiction, but this chapter explores the differences and how they can be worked with and overcome. Love addiction is not a purely female problem and hence this chapter is important for any male addict who struggles with this. Attachment wounds are at the root of most love addictions and issues of enmeshment and abuse are explored here building on the work of Adams, Feree, Katehakis and Pia Mellody. The chapter also looks at critical gender differences that can arise in treatment and recovery when working with women, including socialisation, sexuality and shame. Clinicians are also encouraged to use a relational therapy model rather than a task-based recovery programme to build the therapeutic alliance and help women find recovery.
