Sex Addiction and Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior Therapy in Boston
Sexual behavior can become distressing or destabilizing when it begins to feel out of control, secretive, or misaligned with your values. At Kinsey & Associates, we offer therapy for sex addiction and out-of-control sexual behavior (OCSB) that is thoughtful, relational, and non-shaming.
We work with individuals and couples who are struggling with compulsive or risky sexual behavior, secrecy, shame, and the relational consequences that often follow. Our approach is grounded in contemporary sex therapy and sexual health models, not moral judgment or punishment.
To learn more about how we approach porn addiction specifically, click here.
Understanding Sex Addiction and Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB)
People use different language to describe struggles with sexual behavior. Some identify with the term sex addiction. Others resonate more with out-of-control sexual behavior, which refers to patterns of sexual behavior that feel overwhelming, distressing, or difficult to manage despite efforts to change.
Regardless of language, many people seek help when sexual behavior begins to interfere with relationships, work, emotional wellbeing, or personal integrity. These struggles are not a sign of moral failure. They often reflect unmet emotional needs, coping strategies developed under stress, and patterns shaped by earlier relational and sexual experiences.
Schedule a free, 15-minute, phone consultation to see if we’re the right fit for you.
What Brings People to This Work
People seek therapy for sex addiction or OCSB for many reasons, often after recognizing that their sexual behavior no longer feels chosen or contained.
Common concerns include:
Compulsive or escalating sexual behavior
Secrecy, lying, or double lives
Infidelity or repeated boundary violations
Shame, guilt, or confusion about desire
Using sex to manage stress, loneliness, anxiety, or emotional pain
Difficulty aligning sexual behavior with personal or relational values
Relationship distress, loss of trust, or fear of intimacy
Many people who come to therapy are thoughtful, motivated, and deeply invested in doing better, even if they feel discouraged by repeated attempts to stop or control behavior on their own.
Our Clinical Approach
Our work is relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in contemporary sex therapy and the sexual health model for out-of-control sexual behavior. We do not treat compulsive sexual behavior as a moral failing or assume that abstinence is the goal.
Instead, we help clients:
Understand the emotional and relational function of sexual behavior
Identify patterns that contribute to compulsivity or secrecy
Develop greater emotional awareness and self-regulation
Reduce shame and harsh self-criticism
Clarify values and build healthier boundaries
Develop a more integrated and sustainable relationship with sexuality
Sex therapy in this context is not about eliminating desire. It is about restoring choice, honesty, and agency.
Developmental Trauma and Sexual Behavior
Many people struggling with sex addiction or OCSB grew up without consistent emotional safety, validation, or support for their identity and needs. Developmental trauma can shape how people relate to desire, secrecy, attachment, and emotional regulation.
In therapy, we help clients understand how earlier relational experiences influence present patterns without pathologizing them. This work supports greater flexibility, self-understanding, and the capacity to respond to urges and emotions with intention rather than compulsion.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sex Addiction and Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior
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People use different terms to describe struggles with sexual behavior. Some identify with the term sex addiction. Others prefer out-of-control sexual behavior, which focuses on how sexual behavior feels distressing, overwhelming, or difficult to manage rather than framing it as a disease or moral failure. In therapy, we focus less on labels and more on understanding what is happening and how to create meaningful change.
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There is ongoing debate within the mental health field about how best to understand compulsive sexual behavior. Rather than relying on a single diagnostic label, we use contemporary sex therapy and sexual health models that focus on behavior, values, emotional regulation, and relational impact. This allows for more individualized and effective treatment.
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Out-of-control sexual behavior often develops as a way of coping with stress, emotional pain, loneliness, anxiety, or unmet relational needs. For many people, early relational experiences and developmental trauma shape how they relate to desire, secrecy, and emotional regulation. These patterns are learned responses, not personal failures.
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No. Therapy is not about eliminating desire or enforcing abstinence. Our goal is to help clients develop a healthier, more intentional relationship with sexuality that aligns with their values and supports honesty, agency, and emotional wellbeing.
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Yes. We work with individuals and couples. When sexual behavior has affected a relationship, we can support both partners in understanding what has happened, addressing emotional injuries, and rebuilding trust at a pace that feels respectful and realistic.
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Pornography use can be part of out-of-control sexual behavior for some people, but it is not always the central issue. This page focuses on compulsive sexual behavior more broadly. If pornography use is your primary concern, we also offer therapy for porn addiction.
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Yes. We offer both in-person sessions in Boston and telehealth sessions across Massachusetts, depending on availability.
Sex Addiction, OCSB, and Relationships
Compulsive sexual behavior rarely affects only one person. Partners may experience betrayal, anger, confusion, or grief, while the person struggling may feel overwhelmed by shame or fear of being fully known.
When appropriate, we work with couples to support honest communication, repair relational injuries, and rebuild trust over time. This process moves at a pace that respects both partners and does not rush forgiveness or resolution.
Sex Addiction and OCSB Therapy in Boston
Kinsey & Associates is a group counseling practice in Boston specializing in relationship therapy and sex therapy. Clients may work with Garrett Beaman who specializes in addiction or another member of our team, all of whom practice from a shared relational framework shaped by extensive work with sexuality, attachment, and trauma.
We offer in-person sessions in Boston and telehealth across Massachusetts, depending on availability, individually, with couples, and in groups.
Get Started
If sexual behavior has begun to feel out of control, secretive, or misaligned with your values, therapy can help.
Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation and learn more about sex addiction and out-of-control sexual behavior therapy at Kinsey & Associates.