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Vol. 20 no. 4
practicing genuine intimacy free from objecti-
fication or lust. Psychoeducational, process and
experiential groups are beneficial in different
ways. The “nuts and bolts” of effective group
therapy—composition and number of partici-
pants, time limited or open ended, screening
and contract, and so on—set the table for the
relational benefits of interaction. The clinical
skill and personal health of the facilitating
clinician is uniquely important as this person
imparts the boundaries crucial to safe interac-
tion (Ferree, 2012). [For specific instruction on
conducting groups with sex addicts, especially
female addicts, see the clinical book,
Making
Advances
, shown in the references.]
When men and women stay present with
each other as they share their life stories and the
narrative of their struggles with sexual addiction,
something profound happens—they partake
in the healing process of authentic relational inti-
macy. Those who once struggled at the deepest
level of brokenness are transformed into valiant
victors over sexual addiction.
✠
Jim Cress, M.A., LPC, CSAT
(Certified Sex Addiction Therapist), is a
broadcaster of 33 years and a conference
speaker. He has a private practice in
Charlotte, North Carolina, where he
leads several men’s therapy groups, and is
a group leader at Onsite Workshops.
Marnie C. Ferree, M.A.,
LMFT, CSAT,
is the author of three
books, including
No Stones: Women
Redeemed from Sexual Addiction
and a clinical treatment manual for
working with female sex addicts. She is
the founder and director of Bethesda Workshops, a national
intensive treatment program for recovery from sexual
addiction (BethesdaWorkshops.org).
References
Carnes, P. & Adams, K. (2002).
Clinical Management of
Sexual Addiction
. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
Ferree, M.C. (Ed.) (2012).
Making Advances: A
Comprehensive Guide for Treating Female Sex and
Love Addicts
. Royston, GA: SASH.
Fisher, H. (2000).
Addictions and Trauma Recovery
. Paper
presented at the International Society for the Study of
Dissociation, Nov. 13, 2000, San Antonio, TX.
Laaser, M. (2004).
Healing the Wounds of Sexual
Addiction
(3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
