Two-Day Clinical Training for Counsellors, Psychotherapists and Other Practitioners
Working therapeutically with sex and porn addiction can feel complex. Clients may present with compulsive sexual behaviour, escalating pornography use, secrecy, shame, relationship difficulties or repeated attempts to stop behaviours that they feel increasingly unable to control.
For therapists, it can be difficult to know where to begin, particularly when different models offer different ways of understanding the behaviour.
This two-day clinical training from Cherry Tree Therapy Centre is designed to help practitioners develop a clearer framework for understanding, assessing and working therapeutically with sex and porn addiction and out-of-control sexual behaviour.
Rather than teaching one rigid model, the training explores both addiction-based and sexual-health approaches, helping practitioners think critically about what may be most useful for the individual client.
Across the two days, we will move from understanding and assessment through to practical therapeutic interventions, recovery and the development of healthy sexuality.
Professional CPD Training
This two-day CPD training is designed to develop practitioners’ knowledge, confidence and clinical skills when working with sex and porn addiction and out-of-control sexual behaviour. A certificate of attendance will be provided.
Who is this training for?
This workshop is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists and other therapeutic practitioners who would like to develop their confidence and competence in working with clients affected by problematic or compulsive sexual behaviour.
You do not need to be a specialist in sex or porn addiction to attend.
It may be particularly useful if you are already encountering clients who talk about pornography use, compulsive masturbation, sexual acting out, affairs, online sexual behaviour or difficulties controlling sexual behaviour, but feel unsure how best to assess or formulate what is happening.
What will we explore?
The training is divided into four connected parts across two days.
Part 1 — Understanding Sex & Porn Addiction and Sexually Compulsive Behaviour
We begin by looking at what we actually mean when we describe sexual behaviour as addictive, compulsive or out of control.
We will explore different ways of understanding the behaviour, including the addiction model. We will also consider the biological, psychological and social factors that can contribute to problematic sexual behaviour, including attachment, trauma, emotional regulation, shame, opportunity, pornography and the rapidly changing impact of online and AI-generated sexual content.
How do we distinguish between sexual behaviour that is recreational, problematic or compulsive?
This part of the training focuses on assessment and formulation, including taking a sexual history, recognising patterns of escalation and loss of control, using screening tools appropriately and understanding the cycle that can maintain compulsive behaviour.
We will explore stages of change and motivation before bringing the different strands together into an individual biopsychosocial formulation.
Part 3 — Working Therapeutically: From Acting Out to Recovery
Day two moves into the therapeutic work itself.
We will explore practical ways of helping clients understand and interrupt compulsive patterns, identify triggers and urges, recognise cognitive distortions and develop strategies for managing behaviour.
Particular attention will be given to the relationship between shame, responsibility and recovery. The aim is not to remove accountability for harmful behaviour, but to help clients move away from shame and secrecy towards responsibility, honesty and sustainable change.
We will also consider relapse and lapse, accountability, support networks and how to develop an individual recovery plan.
Part 4 — Maintaining Recovery & Developing Healthy Sexuality
Stopping a behaviour is only part of recovery.
The final part of the training explores what comes afterwards: identity, values, intimacy, sexual self-esteem, fantasy and developing a healthier relationship with sexuality.
We will introduce approaches including mindful sexuality, mindful masturbation and sensate focus, while considering how these interventions can be introduced safely and appropriately.
We will also look at the impact on intimate partners, including betrayal trauma, honesty and accountability, the risks of poorly managed disclosure and when specialist partner or therapeutic disclosure support may be needed.
Practical, experiential training
This is not designed to be two days of sitting and listening to theory.
Throughout the workshop, participants will work with case studies and have opportunities to practise applying what they are learning in pairs and small groups.
The aim is for you to leave not simply knowing more about sex and porn addiction, but feeling more confident about what you might actually do when a client brings these issues into the therapy room.
A biopsychosocial approach
A biological, psychological and social framework runs throughout both days.
We will consider the interaction between areas such as reward and reinforcement, nervous-system regulation, attachment, shame, emotional regulation, opportunity and access, relationships, culture and support networks.
This helps us move away from asking simply “How do we stop this behaviour?” and towards understanding:
What function has this behaviour been serving for this particular client, what is maintaining it now, and what might need to change for recovery to become sustainable?
By the end of the training
Participants should have a stronger understanding of how to:
- recognise and assess problematic and compulsive sexual behaviour
- understand both addiction and OCSB/sexual-health approaches
- take a sexual history sensitively and without judgement
- develop an individual biopsychosocial formulation
- understand the addiction/compulsion cycle and stages of change
- work therapeutically with triggers, urges and cognitive distortions
- address shame while maintaining responsibility and accountability
- support clients in developing realistic recovery and relapse-prevention plans
- introduce work around values, identity and healthy sexuality
- understand the impact of compulsive sexual behaviour on intimate partners
- recognise when specialist partner or therapeutic disclosure support may be appropriate
