protocols. indeed, some practitioners regard sex addiction as a potentially harmful diagnosis and draw parallels with gay conversion therapy. as a result, treatment for sex addiction is more often provided by addiction professionals in the counseling field than psychosexual specialists. these counseling professionals typically hold advanced degrees of education including master's degrees or doctorates in counseling or a related field like psychology. these counselors can also hold certifications like licensed professional counselors (lpc-s) who are required to hold a master's degree or higher level of education. therapists and psychologists usually also hold a master's in a related field of study. cognitive behavioral therapy is a common form of behavioral treatment for addictions and maladaptive behaviors in general. dialectical behavior therapy has been shown to improve treatment outcomes as well. certified sex addiction therapists (csat) – a group of sexual addiction therapists certified by the international institute for trauma and addiction professionals – offer specialized behavioral therapy designed specifically for sexual addiction. their treatments have yet to be subject to peer-review, so it is unclear if they help or harm patients. in-person support groups in-person support groups are available in most of the developed world. none yet have any scientific evidence to show whether or not they are helpful, so attendees do so at their own risk. the groups include: sex addicts anonymous: for those who want to reduce or eliminate their use of pornography, masturbation, and/or unwanted sexual activity. sex and love addicts anonymous: similar to the above. sexaholics anonymous: for those who want to eliminate their use of pornography, masturbation, unwanted sexual activity, and/or sex outside of marriage. has a stricter definition of sexual sobriety than its competitors. smart recovery. in places where none of the above are available, open meetings of alcoholics anonymous or narcotics anonymous may be a second-best option. at open aa and na meetings, non-alcoholics/non-addicts are welcome to observe but not participate. support groups may be useful for uninsured or under-insured individuals. (