SEX / PORN ADDICTION THERAPY
Monica Chiorascu MBACP - Integrative Psychotherapist | Psychosexual & Relationship Therapy | Sex & Porn Addiction
What is sex/porn therapy?
Sex/porn therapy is talking therapy focused specifically on sex, sexuality, porn use, and intimacy — whether that's a difficulty you're experiencing, a pattern that's become compulsive, or simply wanting a more honest relationship with this part of your life. It can be about your own experience, or about how sex or porn use is affecting a relationship.
I work from a biopsychosocial approach — meaning I look at the whole picture: body, mind, relationships, and the wider context you live in, rather than treating a sexual concern as one isolated thing. Where compulsive sexual behaviour is part of what's going on, I also hold a sex-positive stance: the aim is never to pathologise your sexuality, your desire, or the kind of sex you enjoy. The focus is on whether your relationship to your own sexual behaviour is causing you distress or harm — not on judging what that behaviour is.
Terms you might see used:
This area of therapy goes by several names, often used interchangeably:
Sex/porn therapy — the general term for therapy focused on sexual concerns, including compulsive porn use specifically
Psychosexual therapy — the term more commonly used within UK clinical and professional bodies
Sex addiction — a widely used, everyday term for compulsive sexual behaviour
Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder (CSBD) — the clinical term, recognised by the World Health Organization
Out-of-control sexual behaviour — sometimes used as a less loaded alternative to "addiction"
None of these terms are more "correct" than the others — this remains a genuinely debated area within the profession, and I use whichever language feels most useful and least shaming to you.
How the process works
1. Initial appointment A first conversation to explore what's brought you here — whatever stage you're at, including if you're simply unsure whether what you're experiencing is a problem at all. There's no assumption made in advance about what you need.
2. Assessment A fuller session (or sessions) looking at your history, current circumstances, and the specific concern in more depth — including any relevant physical, emotional, relational, or life-stage factors. This isn't a test to pass; it's how we build an accurate, shared picture together.
3. Formulation Together, we make sense of what the assessment has shown — what seems to be driving or maintaining the difficulty, and how the different pieces (body, mind, relationships, life history) connect. This becomes the shared understanding the rest of our work is built on, rather than a diagnosis handed down to you.
4. Ongoing work From here, we agree a way of working that fits what the formulation has shown — at a pace that's right for you, reviewed together as we go. This might focus on understanding and change, rebuilding intimacy, or supporting a partner or relationship through the impact, depending on what's needed.
Who this is for
Individuals wanting to understand a sexual difficulty, porn use, or a compulsive pattern
Couples where sex or compulsive behaviour is affecting the relationship
Partners affected by someone else's compulsive sexual behaviour
Anyone unsure whether what they're experiencing counts as "a problem" — that uncertainty is a completely normal place to start from
Monica Chiorascu MBACP
Integrative Psychotherapist | Psychosexual & Relationship Therapy | Sex & Porn Addiction
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