Samantha Stein, Psy.D. (PSY19074), Co-Founder, Director
Awaken through Recovery
Sex and love addiction is characterized by compulsive patterns in romance, sexuality and relationships that have harmful consequences for the addict and others in their life.
While sex and romance are a natural and healthy part of relationships, the sex and love addict uses love or sexual experiences to escape from depression, anxiety, vulnerability, trauma and other life stressors.
For most people seeking help, your compulsive patterns are secretive, shameful, and destructive. In spite of this, you find yourself returning to the behavior again and again, even if it goes against your values and/or harms others.
For some people seeking help, your sexual or romantic behavior may not be an addictive pattern but is still not in accordance with your values or causes harm in your life, such as an affair. If this is the case, you could still benefit from my services.
I strive to understand the driving force behind sex and love addiction. Of course, we will start with your immediate need to address these patterns and behaviors and the often devastating impact they have on your life. But this is only the first step. Our ultimate goal will be to help you be more fully present in your life. To help you connect you to your deeper purpose in life, live in accordance with your values, and develop truly intimate relationships with yourself and others. The ultimate goal is personal, relational, and spiritual transformation, helping you to connect with the real creative intelligence of life.
Whatever the extent of your problem behaviors with sex and/or “love,” and regardless of your gender, sexual orientation, or lifestyle choices, I work to create a non-judgmental and safe environment so you can grow to trust yourself and fully accept your problems. I offer practical tools and new pathways based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Psychodynamic psychotherapy, CBT, the Gottman Method, meditation, and the 12-steps program.
Impulse disorders do not occur in a vacuum; partners and families suffer the painful and often traumatic impact of their loved one’s addiction. Partners and family members are denied intimacy, communication, security and the ability to experience healthy dependency. All too often unhealthy relating patterns occur as partners and family members attempt to manage and try to control their loved ones addiction out of fear and anxiety. These attempts rarely help and leave the partners and family members resentful, depressed and anxious.
I specialize in helping couples to create a new life, free to move beyond old familiar patterns to create a life of choice, meaning, connection, commitment, and fulfillment. I help them to repair, rebuild, and create something new and better than what they had before, or can help them to separate under the best terms possible.
Samantha Stein, Psy.D. has worked with sex addicts and their partners and families for many years. She also works with individuals with a variety of other impulsive and addictive disorders including alcohol and chemical dependency, as well as both adjudicated and non-adjudicated sexual offenders and people with paraphilias. She has extensive training and clinical experience with trauma and it’s relationship to sexual addiction and other addictive disorders. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals, couples, children and families. She is experienced in working with culturally LGBTQ+ diverse populations.
All inquiries are strictly confidential.
Insurance reimbursement may be available.
Samantha Stein, PsyD
stein.insight@gmail.com
415-225-5028