Sexual Addiction: Case

Keywords

Claire; Negative religious coping; Paired-associate learning; Self-injury; Sexual addiction; Shame; Spirituality; Thom; Trauma theory

Abstract

This chapter presents the case of Thom, initially sought counseling in an attempt to help his wife, Claire, break an addiction to food (restrictive type). Later, Claire stated that it was her husband who required therapy because of his controlling nature. The counselor worked with Thom unraveling the connections that had been formed among sex, pain, shame, and religiosity. According to the expert practioner Thom's struggles can be examined through the respective lenses paired-associate learning, trauma theory, negative religious coping, and sex addiction. The practioner also feels that the issue of self-injury, engaged by Thom out of shame, also needs to be addressed. The pairing of deviant sexual behavior with shame and religion creates a complex scenario that involves multiple layers, including a resurfacing of significant trauma and profound confusion regarding the roles of religion and God.

Publication Date

9-19-2015

Publication Title

Critical Incidents in Integrating Spirituality into Counseling

Number of Pages

139-142

Document Type

Article; Book Chapter

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119221661.ch15

Socpus ID

84987692222 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84987692222

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