Has anyone had an experience with a CSAT therapist

Hi All,
After a string of really bad experiences with therapists, I have some good news! I have found one who specializes in Betrayal Trauma. I met with her today and, thus far, she seems to be a really good match for me. (I'm cautiously optimistic - seems to be the phrase of the month for me. )

If you are looking for the book by Stefanie Carnes, it is available on Amazon. She has several books, one is a workbook called Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts and a book called Mending a Shattered Heart: A guide for partners of sex addicts. Both of these books include the pornography aspect and I think if you buy them together it's a bit cheaper than each one separately.

I believe that there is SOMEONE out there who is a CSAT that I could work well with, unfortunately it wasn't the one I tried. Where I live there are only three in the whole state so it's a bit difficult to shop for the right one. Hopefully the one you are working with will be a good fit.

Thanks Maria,

I really appreciate you sharing your experience! I'm sorry you only have 3 to choose from in your state so you don't have the option to shop around. 

Stephanie and Patrick are related, so I think either author would be good. The books are helpful in describing how the porn/sex addiction process occurs and does a fairly good job of explaining that it is not your fault that your SO is addicted (regardless of what he/she may have said about your figure or your sex drive) but where all these books fall short is in instilling hope that the pain will fade. That your sexual identity can be restored. But I think these books are maximally helpful if you are in a place where you can "hear" and absorb the message I liken it to going to church and listening to a sermon. I've heard sermons on basic topics many times but I tend to learn most from them when I'm going through the scenario they are describing and I'm REALLY READY to hear another point of view besides my own.

So maybe if you can find these used on Amazon or in the cheaper Kindle versions, you won't have spent full price if you find they don't speak to you. I certainly don't regret reading them, I just wish I could have gotten more from them than I had already learned through sites like RN and YBOP.

Good luck to you, I wish you all the best.

I think Stephanie and Patrick follow the codependent model, so I would be wary of that

Maria,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the books.  I know what you mean - reading is one thing and putting it into practice is another thing.  And some of the recommendations only apply in the moment. 

AppleJack,
Thanks for the heads-up that they may focus on the codependent model.