What is a CSAT Therapist? What You Need To Know

There are no physical bruises, scars, or blood, but the pain is real. Anne talks about hidden abuses and the 6 Stages to Heal From Hidden Abuse.

What is a CSAT therapist? Here’s the dark truth CSATs are fighting to keep hidden.

If you just found out that your husband has been using pornography or has been unfaithful, you might think about meeting with a CSAT therapist. CSAT stands for Certified Sex Addiction Therapist.

Best CSAT Therapist Utah
Best CSAT Therapist Utah

First, though, it’s really important to learn how these therapists help both the person struggling with addiction and their partner. This way, you can decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Here’s what you need to know about CSAT therapists, their methods, and why their approach is dangerous.

What is a CSAT Therapist?

A CSAT therapist helps people who call themselves “sex addicts.” Patrick Carnes created the CSAT model. It treats behaviors like watching pornography or cheating often as an addiction, like being addicted to drugs or alcohol.

What is CSAT Counseling?
What is CSAT Counseling

CSAT therapists don’t learn how to spot or help victims of emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, or sexual abuse. So they miss the point.

This model uses names like “co-addicts” or “codependents” to label women. It also says that when a woman is betrayed, she somehow makes her husband do it.

Best CSAT Therapist in Sacramento
Best CSAT Therapist in Sacramento

But that doesn’t make sense, and it’s important to understand why. First, calling someone names like that isn’t fair. Then, blaming someone for the way they are treated is wrong. Finally, we need to focus on helping people, not blaming them.

What is CSAT Therapy?
What is CSAT Therapy

If you’re researching CSATS, it’s important to learn about emotional abuse because abuse is actually the most likely explanation for his behavior. To find out if your husband is using any one of the 19 types of emotional abuse, take our free emotional abuse quiz.

Why the CSAT Model Is Be Harmful to Women

For a woman who discovers her husband’s lies, betrayal, or emotional harm, labeling her as “codependent” or “co-addicted” or asking her to play a role in his treatment is dangerous. CSAT therapists…

  • Victim-Blame: The term codependent implies that women are partially responsible for their situation, often shaming her for natural, appropriate responses to betrayal and emotional harm.
  • Minimize Trauma: All women experience trauma when they’ve been emotionally & psychologically abused and sexually coerced. CSAT therapists minimize the trauma by assuming her injuries come from discovering her husband’s infidelity, not all the abuse she’s suffered for years and years.
  • Are Misogynistic: These ideas stem from addiction theories that don’t take abuse and systemic societal and institutional misogyny into account.
What is CSAT in Therapy?
What is CSAT in Therapy

When The CSAT Stops Her From Protecting Herself

Some counselors tell women not to rush into divorce. Others even make wives of “sex addicts” sign contracts to have sex with their husbands once a week. Forcing someone to do this is wrong and counts as sexual abuse.

Some therapists ask wives to sign a contract before their husbands share secrets or take a lie detector test. The contract says the wife can’t use what she learns in court during a divorce.

What is a CSAT Therapist?
What is a CSAT Therapist

But think about this—if the husband did something illegal or harmful, shouldn’t the judge know that when deciding who gets the kids? For example, if the kids wouldn’t be safe, isn’t that really important? So, why would a therapist protect someone who caused harm instead of helping the people who got hurt? It just doesn’t seem fair, does it?

At Betrayal Trauma Recovery, we believe it’s crucial to recognize what’s really happening.

What Does a CSAT Therapist Do?
What Does a CSAT Therapist Do

When a husband betrays his wife, he hurts her emotionally and mentally. She isn’t “sick” or “too dependent” for wanting to feel safe. Anyone in her shoes would feel upset and angry if they were lied to, tricked, or treated unfairly for years. And he’s probably still doing it.

Finding the Right Help

If you just found out your husband cheated, finding help can feel overwhelming. But you deserve support that understands your experience. Focus on your safety first. Then, take steps to heal. With the right help, you will feel better and move forward.

  1. Seek Trauma-Informed Support: Look for professionals or groups that label abusive behavior as abuse. Learn more about this type of abuse by listening to The FREE Betrayal Trauma Recovery Podcast.
  2. Recognize Gaslighting and Manipulation: Understand that your emotions are valid, and seeking safety and clarity is not “controlling” behavior. If anyone is telling you that your desire for safety and true is “controlling” just know it’s more lies and manipulation.
  3. Find a Supportive Community: Connecting with other women who have faced this challenge will make all the difference. Daily Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group Sessions offer a safe and compassionate space for healing.
Best CSAT Therapist in St Louis
Best CSAT Therapist in St Louis

Avoid CSATs If You Want Someone On YOUR Side

A CSAT therapist works mainly for your husband, helping him create a story to explain his choices and get sympathy. This won’t help you heal from the hurt your husband caused.

Your husband doesn’t need compassion right now, YOU DO.

At Betrayal Trauma Recovery, we help victims of betrayal and abuse. We understand your pain and support you every step of the way. You deserve care from people who put you first.

Best CSAT Therapist in San Diego
Best CSAT Therapist in San Diego
Best CSAT Therapist Charlotte NC
Best CSAT Therapist Charlotte NC
Best CSAT Therapist Ohio
Best CSAT Therapist Ohio
Best CSAT Therapist Portland Oregon
Best CSAT Therapist Portland Oregon
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