Sexual Addiction Treatment Programme

The Marylebone Centre has organised and put in place a treatment programme for men with addictive compulsive patterns of sexual behaviour. The programme was developed by Dr Thaddeus Birchard and has been running for over 10 years. We've found that individual psychotherapy, while helpful, was not effective in changing or ending the behaviours.

We use the following 4 steps to develop a successful treatment plan for each individual:

Step 1: Assessment and clarification of needs
We first see people for an assessment to clarify their clinical needs.This usually includes an appointment with our medical doctor to check for medical problems. People are offered information about our full range of the free programmes that operate in the London area and are often referred to these programmes

Step 2: Individual sessions
Some patients are advised to begin or continue in individual psychotherapy alongside the Treatment Programme.

Step 3: Group treatment programmes
The Treatment Programme meets once a week for approximately 16 weeks and includes one non-residential weekend. Each group is limited to 10 people. The early stages are psycho-educational. This is followed by more group interaction. It includes such topics as harmful consequences, making a sex plan, family of origin work, the cycle of addiction and addiction interaction. Towards the end of the programme we focus on healthy sexuality and relapse prevention plans. Alongside this, there are exercises that are based on neuroscience to help promote healthy behaviours. New treatment programmes start every eight weeks.

Step 4: Ongoing support and treatments

Intensive Programme:  We offer an intensive programme over one-week or two-week time frames. This can be organised for those who are in severe distress or otherwise need time out to pursue recovery in a safe place outside of the home and work environment. It is also a useful option for those whose work does not allow them to commit to a weekly programme.

Couples and Partners:  This is a programme of specialised individual psychotherapy designed for the partner that is specifically aimed at understanding and dealing with the impact of sexual addiction on the partner. There is also a Partner’s Group that runs weekly.

Couples & Marital Therapy:  We offer therapy to help people understand in the marriage or partnership ‘what is going on behind what is going on’ and to work on achieving agreed and sought for changes.

Aftercare Programmes:  The Marylebone Centre also provides an aftercare programmes for both men and women who have completed our treatment courses or partner's groups. The women's after care programme meets monthly. For men there is an Intermediate and Advanced Treatment Programme. Each is twelve weeks in duration.

Programmes for Women: The Centre has a specialist who works with female partners of male sex addicts and is available to see people individually for advice and support. She also runs a 12 week programme for female partners. This is an important part of the work as women are profoundly distressed by this pattern of male behaviour and it is important that women get the information and support that they need.