605 | Interrupting the Cycle of Addiction: Building Emotion Regulation Strategies for Compulsive Sexual Behaviors

Recent research on compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD) and problematic porn use (PPU) shows that difficulties in emotional regulation are strongly correlated with both the development and severity of these behaviors (Wizla & Lewcsuk, 2024; Lew-Starowicz et al., 2020). As a result, therapeutic interventions that increase emotional awareness and develop emotional regulation skills are crucial in helping clients interrupt reactive cycles and extinguish compulsive behaviors. Psychologists, licensed mental health professionals who treat clients with compulsive and problematic behaviors often face the challenge of helping clients interrupt automatic reactions to distressing emotional states. In this workshop, participants will discuss the correlation between emotional regulation deficits and problematic sexual behavior and examine and compare therapeutic interventions that target emotional awareness. In addition, participants will evaluate a demonstration of an emotionally focused intervention and discuss meaningful insights that can be applied to clinical practice. These approaches enable clients to gain greater control over their emotional responses, improving emotional well-being and reducing compulsive behaviors.