Relief from Pain for Both of You

It is incredibly painful for people to feel alone and misunderstood while in partnership. Therapy can provide the tools partners need to express complex feelings and get relief from the heavy burden of fear, depression, and anxiety. At The SAT Project, we strive to create a comfortable, safe atmosphere for couples where each of you feels free to explore the challenges you face. We do not judge, label, or stigmatize. We work with most couples using “Conjoint Therapy,” where the two of you along with your individual therapists' all meet together in order to stimulate growth and enhance treatment outcomes.

While each couple faces their own unique challenges some signs that compulsive sexual behavior (OCSB) is effecting your relationship might include: 
​

• Healthy intimacy feels like a mystery to you
• You rarely know how you feel about anything
• Thoughts of making your partner happy dominate your life
• You feel constantly angry and betrayed but don't know how to talk about it
• You're terrified of rejection and fear you cannot live without each other​
• You feel you both speak different languages of love and keep disappointing one another
• Although in a relationship, you often feel alone
• You are afraid to let your partner know what you feel, think and/or need
• You are afraid to reveal your inner self
• ​You feel you do not know your partner

For the Partner of Someone Struggling with OCSB 

There are often more services available for people struggling with these issues than for their partners. But confusion, shock, anxiety and depression are all common responses you may have when faced with your loved ones addictive or compulsive behavior. Addiction effects everyone in a relationship. It's important for you to get help as well. The Sexuality, Attachment, and Trauma Project provides a vast array of services to partners so they may also get the support they need.  We treat partners through individual, couples, and/or group treatment.

What is Codependency?

The word codependent is often used casually as pop psychology jargon. It is, however, a complex psychological issue. Codependency is real and treatable. You may experience the pain of codependency if you tend to focus on meeting other people’s needs instead of your own.

This type of behavior typically develops in people who care deeply about someone who suffers from an addiction, illness, or mental illness. Both people in these relationships can create a pattern of interacting which focuses primarily on the addiction or illness. The partner, caretaker, relative, or child’s needs get sidelined and they may begin to believe that their needs are less important.  This can lower their self-esteem. They may be resentful but feel intense fear or guilt about standing up for themselves.  It can become extremely difficult for such people to regain their sense of self.

We believe recovering from the pain of codependency requires treatment.  It is not something that will go away if the other person gets better. It is not something that will go away by itself. It is not something most people can handle alone.