Sexual behavior is a deeply personal part of who we are. For many, it brings connection and pleasure. However, when that behavior feels out of control or begins to harm your relationships, emotional well-being, or sense of self, it may signal a deeper concern. Struggles with sex or pornography use can feel isolating and overwhelming, especially when attempts to stop have not worked.
Struggling with Sex or Porn Addiction?
Whether you’re navigating this experience alone or within a relationship, help is available. Pacific Behavioral Healthcare offers expert sex and porn addiction counseling in Seattle, Bellevue, and virtually across Washington State. Our goal is to help you gain clarity, reduce shame, and take meaningful steps toward healing.
When Sexual Behavior Becomes a Problem
Sex and porn addiction are terms often used to describe overwhelming sexual urges, compulsive behavior, or out-of-control patterns that persist despite efforts to stop. Some people spend hours watching porn each day. Others engage in repeated affairs, compulsive hookups, or high-risk sexual activity that conflicts with their personal values or relationship agreements. The common thread is distress — emotional, relational, or both.
This struggle can feel like a double life. Shame builds. Secrecy grows. Many individuals report feeling lost in the cycle, desperate for change but unsure how to break free.
For couples, the impact can be just as painful. Partners often feel confused, betrayed, and hurt by behaviors they did not consent to. The erosion of trust may leave both individuals feeling stuck and disconnected from one another. It’s not uncommon for relationships to hang in the balance as both partners try to make sense of what has happened.
Why Labels Like “Sex Addiction” Don’t Always Help
Many people searching for answers come across the terms sex addiction or porn addiction. While these labels can validate that something is wrong, they often lack the nuance necessary to understand what’s truly happening. In some cases, they even create more shame or reinforce black-and-white thinking that doesn’t reflect the complexity of human behavior, desire, and trauma.
Sexual behavior struggles are rarely about sex alone. There are often layers of emotional wounds, attachment patterns, unresolved trauma, relational stress, or learned coping mechanisms. What is needed is a model that goes deeper, offering a more complete and personalized understanding.
Compassionate and Effective Approach to Sex Addiction Therapy
Pacific Behavioral Healthcare is leading the way with the most progressive clinical model for sexual behavior problems to date: the Integrative Problematic Sexual Behavior Model (IPSB). This model recognizes that problematic sexual behavior is complex and that healing requires more than behavior control.
Rather than pathologizing sexual desire, the IPSB model looks at the whole context of emotional regulation, attachment needs, personal values, past experiences, and relationship dynamics. It enables a deeper and more accurate understanding of why someone may feel out of control and what it will take to support meaningful change.
Therapists using this model work collaboratively with clients. The process is not about shame or punishment, but rather about developing emotional insight, taking accountability, fostering healthy intimacy, and promoting long-term growth.
Learn more about the IPSB model.
Sex Therapy for Individuals and Couples
Healing from problematic sexual behavior often requires support on multiple levels. Whether you are the person struggling or the partner who feels hurt and betrayed, you deserve support that meets you where you are.
Individual Therapy
Individual sessions focus on understanding your story, building emotional tools, and exploring how your sexual behavior may be linked to unmet needs or emotional pain. You’ll work with a therapist who respects your values and helps you move toward a life that feels more aligned and grounded.
Couples Therapy
When sexual behavior has impacted a relationship, trust and safety need to be rebuilt. Couples counseling provides a space for open dialogue, guided by a therapist who helps both partners feel heard. Whether you’re seeking repair, clarity, or support navigating next steps, the work is done with care and clinical precision.
Flexible Options for Sex Therapy Across Washington State
Our offices in Seattle and Bellevue provide a welcoming space for in-person sessions. For those located outside the area or who prefer online appointments, virtual therapy is available across Washington State. Many clients appreciate the convenience and privacy that virtual care offers, while still receiving high-quality, specialized support.
No matter how you meet with us, the process remains consistent: we begin with a thoughtful and thorough assessment to understand your unique situation, and then work together to set goals that support your healing and well-being.
Is This the Right Time for Help and Therapy?
If you’ve tried to change your behavior on your own and haven’t succeeded, if you feel overwhelmed by guilt or secrecy, or if your relationship is suffering, these are signs that it may be time to talk with a professional. There is no shame in needing help, and no need to wait for things to get worse before reaching out.
Many people find that beginning therapy brings relief in itself. Being able to say what has been hidden and to speak honestly with someone who understands can be the first step toward real change.
Book An Appointment with Pacific Behavioral Healthcare
You are not defined by your worst day or your most difficult struggle. Healing is possible, and it begins with the courage to ask for help. Pacific Behavioral Healthcare is here to walk beside you through the work of repair, growth, and reconnection with yourself and with those you care about.
Our team brings the most advanced clinical approach to this complex issue, grounded in compassion and clarity. Whether you’re ready to begin therapy today or are simply exploring your options, we invite you to take the next step.
Reach out to schedule an appointment with a therapist in Seattle or Bellevue, or meet with us online from anywhere in Washington State. You don’t have to figure this out alone. Contact Pacific Behavioral Healthcare today and begin your path forward.
