Shari Cohn Chat Rooms…… Online Affairs… MSSW, LCSW, SC Cyber … How many people CSAT-Certified Sex Sex… have problems with Therapist Cybersex? Online … Helping Individuals, Estimates are that about 15% of people in the Couples and Families Recover United States - men and women - using the Harmless Fun? Or A Internet for sexual purposes have problems From Internet Serious Problem For You with their cybersex activities. Sex Addiction Or Someone You Know? About 9 million of these users are sexually • addicted and another 15 million use cybersex in Therapy for Internet Sex risky ways and show signs of compulsivity. Addiction/Cybersex Addiction • Therapy for Partners/Spouses and Some of these cybersex users were already Families of Sex Addicts having preexisting problems with sex addiction Shari Cohn before they went on the Internet for sexual Research based, focused therapy helps purposes, but for others their Internet sexual people who are struggling with sexual activity was the first time they showed any addiction and compulsivity to develop the life signs of . competencies to be successful in recovery. MSSW, LCSW, SC, CSAT Seventy percent of all Internet adult content Support and services for spouses/partners Certified Sex Addiction Therapist sites are visited during the 9-5 workday. and families of sex addicts are critical to assist healing from the negative Internet sex is very powerful and potentially consequences of sex addiction. very destructive. The comparison has been made that cybersex is like the crack cocaine of In my Certified Sex Addiction Therapist the Internet. training, I was taught by Dr. Patrick Carnes, therapist, researcher and author of the classic The danger lies in how easily available and books on sex addiction: Out of the Shadows quickly addictive it is even for people with no and Don’t Call It Love. sexual or addictive problems prior to their cybersex involvement. I have provided specialized psychotherapy and services to the Madison, Wisconsin There is hope and help available for all area for over twenty years. people who are struggling with the destructive effects of sex addiction. • Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Reclaiming Sexuality… • Licensed Clinical Social Worker Reclaiming Your Life I offer professional, ethical, • Wisconsin Accredited Outpatient Clinic compassionate, research based • Insurance Accepted-Most Standard plans. One Step at a Time therapy services to help sex addicts Some HMO’s and PPO’s. and their families recover from the • Society for the Advancement of destructive and potentially devastating Sexual Health 608-237-8000 x 109 • effects of sex addiction. American Association of Sex Educators, www.ShariCohn.com Counselors And Therapists ______• Academy of Certified Social Workers Please visit my website. I include • EMDR Level 2 Certified Midwest Center For Internet resources and a reading list to Psychotherapy and Sex Therapy help you learn more about these topics. 608-237-8000 x 109 6300 University Avenue www.ShariCohn.com www.ShariCohn.com Middleton, Wisconsin 53562

Examples of Cybersex Addiction/ What makes Cybersex so powerful? The Internet can be a great resource • You get aroused as you hear the computer for accurate sexual information, a Signs That Sexual boot up and you anticipate the hours of worldwide network for people to Curiosity On The Internet sexual activity to come. explore and learn about their sexuality, Has Become Internet and a marketplace for individuals and • Your repeated online romances seem more Sexual Addiction couples to confidentially access exciting to you than your spouse or partner and you spend increasingly more of your material to enhance their sexuality. • Continuing internet sexual activities in spite of time in your online sexual affairs. serious destructive consequences to your life For all the reasons that the Internet i.e. risking your health, family and job, isolating • You feel irritable when you are not on the can be positive and useful, it can also yourself from people who care about you, Internet involved in sexual activities and be dangerous for people who either compromising your values and spiritual beliefs. focus your attention on when and how you already have problems with sexual

• Out of control Internet sexual behavior with can go back online. compulsivity/addiction or people who are vulnerable to developing repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut down or • stop the behavior. Your child is researching a topic for school problematic sexual behaviors. and stumbles upon your stash of online sex

• Obsessive thinking about and compulsively sites including the fetish sites you have been acting out Internet sexual behaviors. into to increase your arousal. Your child is The “Triple A Engine” of the Internet- traumatized by the images. Your child is affordability, anonymity and • Increased tolerance. More intense and varied excited by the images and starts to use them accessibility - makes cybersex risky. is needed for the same as you do. • Affordability eliminates financial arousal effect. restrictions. What Are Negative Effects of Internet Sex • You lie about and hide the extent of your • Anonymity reinforces acting Addiction on Partners and Families? online sexual or romantic involvement. sexually without intimacy.

• With 24/7 accessibility, real time On Partner/Spouse: • Your online sexual activity leads to sexual and real life limitations lose their • Loss of love and attention. contact off line in spite of your or committed monogamous relationship. meaning. • Fear of or reality of spouse being fired from Internet sex addicts live in fantasy job, arrested or jailed due to inappropriate • You download illegal pictures for your sexual separated from the reality of their lives. online sexual activity. arousal such as those of children being sexually abused. • Financial instability.

• Possible breakup of marriage/relationship. • You try to stop or decrease your use of the Internet for sexual activities but you just can’t Shari Cohn, MSSW, LCSW, SC, CSAT On Children: stop. Certified Sex Addiction Therapist • Loss of parental affection and attention. Midwest Center For • You are supposed to be caring for your Psychotherapy And Sex Therapy • Accidentally finding parents’ inappropriate baby. instead, you are so caught up with 6300 University Avenue sexual material on computer. Children may your online sexual activities that you don’t Middleton, Wisconsin 53562 start a pattern of using this material sexually. realize your child has been crying for you. Fax: 608-237-8005 • Witnessing parent masturbating at computer. • You risk your job by repeatedly viewing, Phone: 608-237-8000 ext 109 • Loss of parent if parent is arrested/imprisoned downloading and even masturbating to due to inappropriate sexual activities. pornography at work. www.ShariCohn.com • Loss of financial support if parent loses job or is jailed due to problematic sexual activities.