What is Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder? Dr. Stephanie Carnes Interview

Dr. Stephanie Carnes is the President of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals, more commonly called ITAP, which is a training institute and professional organization for addiction professionals. Dr. Carnes is a Senior fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare where she works with sexually addicted clients and their families. Her father, Dr. Patrick Carnes, is the founder of ITAP and is an internationally recognized expert in the field. He also created the assessment tool and the 30-task model treatment modality which is used by clinicians all over the world to help their patients recover from sexual addiction. Dr. Carnes’ credentials include being a certified sex addiction therapist, a clinical sexologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a supervisor specializing in therapy for couples and families struggling with sexual addiction. Dr. Carnes is the clinical architect for Willow House at The Meadows, a 45-day inpatient program designed specifically for women who are struggling love addiction, relationship issues, and intimacy disorders.  Dr. Carnes currently co-facilitates Module 2 in the Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Training as well as the Certified Partner Trauma Therapist Training.  She is the author of numerous publications including her books Mending a Shattered Heart: A Guide for Partners of Sex Addicts and Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts.
Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder was added as a new mental diagnosis by the World Health Organization in the ICD-11. Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder is characterized by a repetitive and intense preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges, and behaviors, leading to negative consequences and impairment in a person’s functioning on many levels including family, work and social life. A defining feature of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder is when a person makes unsuccessful efforts to stop or control the time they participate in sexual fantasies, urges or behavior in an attempt to cope with stress or mood states.