Phillip Sharp (he/him/his)

In the mid-1990s, I began to frequently meet men and women who were struggling with an obsession and compulsion about sex. As the internet grew and expanded, more people were coming to me complaining that they could not control their online sexual behaviors whether using pornography, risky chat rooms and/or social media. I joined the National Counsel on Sex Addiction and Compulsivity and began taking workshops offered by them, Masters and Johnson and others to learn to treat this problem.

Historically, men have been as reluctant to seek counseling as they have been to go to the doctor, because they don't like to feel vulnerable, or admit that they need help. Often it's a partner or spouse that gives them an ultimatum that persuades them to seek counseling. There are so many gender oriented messages that men hear growing up that leads them to believe that they should be able to solve their own problems. I attempt to create a safe space for men that's free of judgement.

So many of the people that I work with have encountered unexpected life circumstances, either from the past or the present that throw them off balance and leave them feeling out of sorts and like their world is off kilter. In some cases it may be work related, other times relationship related and sometimes related to an addiction like alcohol, pornography or other unhealthy coping mechanism. With each person, I work to get to the root of the problem and find effective change strategies.

Eighty percent of all individuals who seek counseling have a relationship component that effects their lives. We don't exist in isolation. Consequently, I believe it is important to invite the partner or significant other into the therapy at some point to share their point of view. Additionally, couple's therapy is one of the top reasons that people seek counseling. We live in a world of such diversity of culture, thought and emotion that many will find their unity/happiness challenged.

My initial therapy training focused on Cognitive Behavioral Techniques which are to date the most effective cognitive retraining for individuals with depression, anxiety and social anxiety. I continue to find that so many clients make cognitive mistakes that lead to misery and unhappiness. If we can learn to discipline our minds and challenge cognitive distortions, we can change our behaviors and change our lives.

In my early years of training, my first practical experience placed me in a 30 day Substance Abuse treatment program learning to counsel people who struggle with addictions. I've continued this focus throughout my career and over the last 20 years added training and the development of expertise in counseling those who struggle with pornography addiction and sexual addiction. At any time, my case load contains about 70% of people struggling with these two problems.

So many of the people that I work with have encountered unexpected life circumstances, either from the past or the present that throw them off balance and leave them feeling out of sorts and like their world is off kilter. In some cases it may be work related, other times relationship related and sometimes related to an addiction like alcohol, pornography or other unhealthy coping mechanism. With each person, I work to get to the root of the problem and find effective change strategies.