Ethical Tensions in Sex Addiction Counseling

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this research, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore how counselors experience and manage ethical tensions in sex addiction counseling. Four certified sex addiction therapists (CSATs) were selected as participants and interviewed about their experiences. Analysis of interview transcripts produced three superordinate themes: preventative strategies, nuanced emotions during ethical tensions, and resolving tensions. Preventative strategies describe the counselors’ efforts to implement practices that prevented negative experiences with ethical tensions. The theme of nuanced emotions refers to the intricate emotional experience the counselors often had when they encountered ethical tensions. Resolving tensions relates how counselors constructed ethical and personally meaningful decision-making processes to resolve their tensions. Findings are discussed in relation to extant literature about sex addiction counseling, including this study’s contributions, implications for practice and future research, and strengths and limitations.