ABSTRACT
Therapists treating sexual addicts have long advocated the use of group psychotherapy as a treatment modality in both inpatient and outpatient settings (Carnes, 1991; Goodman, 1998; Turner, 1990). In fact, group psychotherapy is the most commonly used treatment modality in many residential inpatient treatment programs for sexual compulsivity. Although the use of group psychotherapy is prevalent in treatment for this population, very little research has examined the value of utilizing psychotherapy groups for sex addicts. This chapter attempts to examine what about the group therapy experience helps clients recover. It also discusses some of the benefits of group psychotherapy with sex addicts and some of the obstacles to overcome when facilitating these groups. Furthermore, it describes each of the therapeutic factors, first depicted by Irvin Yalom (1975, 1985; Yalom & Yalom, 1990), and provides clinical examples to illustrate how the therapeutic factors impact sex addicts in groups. Finally, it describes the results of a survey in which 40 sex addicts who had completed group therapy rated which therapeutic factors they found the most valuable. Also included are some practical recommendations for therapists who are interested in facilitating group psychotherapy with sexual addicts.
