A sneak peek into SHA’s upcoming event: “Rethinking Sex Addiction: Treatment and Techniques for OCSB”
What is sex addiction therapy?
Sex addiction therapy traditionally treats compulsive sexual behavior using an addiction-based framework, often including abstinence and 12-step models. However, experts like Dr. David Ley challenge this model for increasing shame and avoiding accountability. New approaches, such as the Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) model, offer science-based, harm-reduction alternatives that empower clients without moral judgment.
For decades, the term “sex addiction” has carried weight in therapeutic, legal, and even pop culture spheres. But what if that weight has been misdirected? In a provocative and enlightening interview, clinical psychologist Dr. David Ley takes a critical stance on the concept of sex addiction, calling into question its clinical validity and exposing the damage it can do when misapplied.
As one of the keynote speakers for the Sexual Health Alliance’s upcoming online event—“Rethinking Sex Addiction: Treatment and Techniques for Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB)”—Dr. Ley offers a compelling argument for moving beyond the addiction model toward more compassionate, science-based frameworks for addressing problematic sexual behaviors.
What Is Sex Addiction Therapy—And What’s the Problem?
Sex addiction therapy, as traditionally practiced, treats compulsive or excessive sexual behavior in a framework similar to substance use disorders. This often includes 12-step programs, abstinence-based approaches, and pathologizing labels like “addict” or “relapse.”
But as Dr. Ley argues, there’s a fundamental flaw in this model: there’s no empirical consensus that sex addiction is a valid medical diagnosis.
In fact, labeling sexual behavior as an addiction may:
Increase feelings of shame and self-hatred
Enable denial of responsibility
Be used manipulatively in legal or professional settings
Pathologize normative but non-traditional sexual expression
Key Takeaway: The Addiction Label Often Obscures Accountability
According to Dr. Ley, one of the most troubling outcomes of applying the sex addiction label is how often it’s used to avoid accountability. From doctors to police officers to therapists, some professionals have invoked sex addiction as a defense mechanism to explain away unethical or even criminal actions.
These claims don’t just stretch the limits of medical science—they have real-world consequences. They can undermine trust, harm victims, and distort the legal process. In many cases, as Dr. Ley notes, such defenses are being increasingly rejected by courts and licensing boards—but the misuse continues.
Why Shame-Based Treatment Doesn’t Work
Sex addiction therapy that relies on guilt, moral condemnation, or rigid abstinence may unintentionally backfire.
As Dr. Ley explains, “When people feel shame, they often retreat further into the very behaviors they’re trying to change.” Instead of resolving the problem, these interventions can intensify the emotional dysregulation that drives compulsive behavior in the first place.
A more effective approach? Harm reduction, emotional literacy, and fostering a sense of agency.
Sex Addiction Therapy and Marginalized Identities
One of the most troubling aspects of the sex addiction model is its historical misuse to pathologize LGBTQ+ individuals, kink communities, and non-monogamous relationships.
Dr. Ley emphasizes that treatment should not shame or “correct” someone’s sexual identity or consensual lifestyle choices. Instead, therapists must be trained to differentiate between genuine harm and culturally constructed judgments.
The upcoming SHA event will spotlight how to provide affirming, ethical care in these contexts.
A Science-Based Alternative: Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB)
Rather than relying on the addiction model, clinicians like Dr. Ley support the OCSB framework, which:
Focuses on behavioral patterns and emotional regulation
Prioritizes personal responsibility
Uses language that doesn’t pathologize desire or identity
Encourages practical interventions (e.g., tracking behavior, identifying triggers)
Supports clients in building healthy, sustainable relationships to sex
This model does not excuse harmful actions, but it does reduce stigma and increase effectiveness—a dual goal often missing from traditional sex addiction therapy.
Why Clinician Training Matters
Many therapists feel unprepared to treat clients struggling with sexual behavior issues. According to Dr. Ley, the lack of comprehensive sexual health education in graduate programs is a major barrier to effective care.
That’s where the Sexual Health Alliance comes in. SHA offers world-class certifications and events to help clinicians fill that gap—grounding their work in ethics, compassion, and evidence-based practice.
The “Rethinking Sex Addiction” event is designed to do just that: challenge outdated models and equip therapists with tools that actually work.
What Makes “Rethinking Sex Addiction” Different?
Unlike traditional trainings that reinforce the addiction narrative, this SHA event focuses on:
Emerging research on OCSB
Case studies where addiction labels did more harm than good
Tools for helping clients reclaim agency over their sexual lives
Cultural critiques of how sex addiction is used to shame or control
Practice-based alternatives grounded in compassion, not fear
Speakers like Dr. Ley bring decades of experience and a firm commitment to transforming the field of sex therapy.
Q&A: What Does Dr. David Ley Say About Sex Addiction Therapy?
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A: It lacks diagnostic clarity, is often used to avoid accountability, and increases shame. Dr. Ley believes the term does more harm than good—both clinically and culturally.
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A: Yes. The Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) model provides a non-pathologizing, evidence-based way to address problematic behavior while preserving clients' dignity and agency.
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A: Get trained in modern sexual health frameworks, like those offered by SHA. Move away from shame-based treatment and toward collaborative, harm-reduction strategies that empower clients.
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A: Because the sex addiction narrative is still influencing therapy, courts, and public opinion. Without change, we risk continuing a cycle of stigma and ineffective treatment.
Learn More: Join the Conversation with Dr. David Ley
If you’re a clinician, educator, or simply someone curious about the evolving landscape of sexual health, the SHA event “Rethinking Sex Addiction: Treatment and Techniques for Out of Control Sexual Behavior” is a must-attend.
You’ll gain insight into:
Why the addiction model is flawed
How to apply more compassionate treatment techniques
What the latest research says about problematic sexual behavior
How to support clients with nuance and respect
Sex Addiction Therapy: It’s Time for a Paradigm Shift
The conversation around sex addiction is changing—and it needs to. Thanks to thought leaders like Dr. David Ley and organizations like the Sexual Health Alliance, we now have the opportunity to evolve our thinking, training, and treatment strategies.
Let’s replace shame with science, and fear with understanding. The future of sex addiction therapy isn’t addiction—it’s compassion, accountability, and evidence-based care.
Want to become an in-demand sexual health professional? Learn more about becoming certified with SHA!
