Out of Control Sexual Behavior (OCSB) refers to sexual thoughts and/or behaviors that are intrusive and difficult to control.  Individuals who struggle with OSCB feel compelled to submit to these overwhelming sexual impulses despite negative life consequences.  OCSB is more than simply a different label for “sex addiction.”

The OCSB model, developed by renowned sex therapists, Doug Braun-Harvey and Michael Vigorito, is a holistic, strength-based and compassionate approach for intervening with sexual thoughts, urges and/or behaviors that have, in some way, become problematic in an individual’s life or relationships.  It comes from a non-addiction based model of support and aims to deconstruct the shame loop(s) and inner conflict(s) that tend to keep people imprisoned in feeling “out of control” with their sexual behaviors.

The intention of working from an OCSB framework is to help individuals assess and identify the deeper, underlying factors that led to the problematic thoughts and/or behaviors and then support clients in finding an individualized path to healthy sexuality and sexual integrity in order to improve their lives and relationships.

Recently, this model has been endorsed by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) for its sexological framework and its gentle and non-shaming (sex positive) approach to working with problematic sexual behaviors.