Counseling can help those that are trying to cope with a sexual addiction or compulsion. When dealing with such an issue, one may feel as though he/she is living a secret life in which they don't want anyone else to find out about. It can bring about shame, embarrassment, and despair. Denying the problem only leads to escalation of the problem. Some of these issues may include compulsive use of pornography, repeated infidelity, or compulsive sexual release.

Sexual compulsivity causes a person to adopt various harmful or self-destructive sexual habits, not only hurting oneself but all those involved in a person's life. Additionally, sexual compulsivity can be a sign of a more deep-rooted problem such as depression, trauma, sexual abuse, anxiety or other issues. Therefore, the problem is not just controlling the sexual behavior, but finding out what is driving that behavior. It is important for clients to remain committed to resolving their problems since long-term change takes time.