Mamori / Guides

How to Find a Therapist for Porn Use (and What to Expect)

Updated

On this page
  1. A note on labels
  2. Types of help
  3. What therapies have early evidence
  4. How to find someone, step by step
  5. Questions to ask
  6. What a first session may involve
  7. Cost and access
  8. If you are in crisis
  9. FAQ
  10. Where Mamori fits

Short answer: Start with a GP or family doctor, or with your health service's talking therapy route, and ask for someone with experience in compulsive sexual behaviour. Research on therapy for problematic porn use is early but points mostly to cognitive behavioural approaches. A first appointment is usually an assessment. You do not need a formal label to ask for help.

This guide covers where to look, what the evidence does and does not show, what a first session may involve, and what to ask. It does not diagnose anyone; only a professional who has met you can.

Version note: The NHS pages cited here were read on 27 Oct 2026. They describe England; other countries have their own routes.

A note on labels

"Porn addiction" is a popular phrase, not a formal diagnosis. The WHO's ICD-11 has a diagnosis called compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (CSBD). A systematic review describes it as "a persistent pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges resulting in repetitive sexual behavior", which must last at least 6 months and cause "marked distress or impairment in important areas of functioning". It adds: "Distress that is entirely related to moral judgments and disapproval about sexual impulses, urges, or behaviors is not sufficient to meet this requirement."

The US manual, DSM-5-TR, has no such diagnosis. A review from the International Society for Sexual Medicine says the American Psychiatric Association's Board of Trustees "decided in the end not to include the diagnostic category in the DSM-5 or its 2022 text revision" (the proposal was called hypersexual disorder).

A therapist can help with distress or a habit you want to change without putting a label on it. For signs to look for, see Porn Addiction Signs: What Clinicians Look For.

Types of help

  • A GP or family doctor. In England the NHS says to speak to a GP if you are "not sure about referring yourself for talking therapies", because they "can offer advice and help you find out what's available in your area".
  • NHS talking therapies (England). For "many mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression", you can refer yourself without a GP, if you are registered with a GP and aged 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). The NHS page lists the conditions it names, and porn use is not among them. So ask a GP, or the service itself, whether it can help with your situation rather than assuming.
  • Free routes outside the NHS. Talking therapies are "sometimes available for free through your employer, university or local charities."
  • A private therapist. Before choosing one, the NHS advises making sure the person is registered with a professional organisation accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). For CBT specifically, it points to the UK CBT register.
  • Outside England. Your own country's health service, insurer or employer will have its own route. Asking a doctor is a common first step.

Job titles vary (counsellor, psychotherapist, psychologist, sex therapist). In our view, registration or licence matters more than the title, so check it.

What therapies have early evidence

  • A preregistered systematic review of treatments for CSBD, with a focus on problematic pornography use, identified 24 studies and found that "Four of these studies were randomized controlled trials." It concluded: "There is first evidence for the effectiveness of treatment approaches such as cognitive behavior therapy. However, strong conclusions on the specificity of treatments should be drawn with caution."
  • One randomised trial (Crosby and Twohig, 2016) compared 12 sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with a waitlist in 28 adult men, all but one from the same religious community. It reported "93% reduction ACT vs. 21% waitlist" in self-reported viewing. It is small and the group narrow, so it may not apply to you.
  • A pilot study of an eight-week mindfulness-based relapse prevention programme in 13 men diagnosed with CSBD found they "spent significantly less time engaging in problematic pornography use". It had no control group and no follow-up, and its authors call for larger randomised trials.

Promise, not guarantee. For wider options see How to Stop Porn Addiction: What Helps and When to Get Support and for slips and setbacks Relapsed After a Porn-Free Streak? What to Do Next.

How to find someone, step by step

These steps are our suggestion, built on the NHS pages above.

  1. Decide the route. If you are in England, ask a GP or check whether you can self-refer to NHS talking therapies. Elsewhere, ask a doctor or your insurer.
  2. Check registration. For a private therapist, look the person up on their professional body's register. The NHS names the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) as an example for counsellors.
  3. Search by the problem, not only the label. Terms like "compulsive sexual behaviour" or "problematic pornography use" may find different people than "porn addiction".
  4. Judge the fit after a session or two. If it does not feel right, trying someone else is reasonable.

Questions to ask

The sexual medicine review says that treating CSBD with a transtheoretical and multimodal approach "needs specific training since it is not automatically taught in medical or psychological education". That is why it is fair to ask:

  • What is your experience with compulsive sexual behaviour or problematic porn use?
  • Which approach do you use (for example CBT or ACT)?
  • How will we agree the goal? Some people aim to stop completely; others want to cut down. The goal is yours to set.
  • What are your fees, cancellation rules and session length?
  • What stays confidential, and what are the limits?
  • How will we know whether it is helping?

If a therapist shames you or pushes a goal you did not choose, that is information about fit, not about you.

What a first session may involve

This section relies on NHS pages.

  • An assessment. For CBT, the NHS says that once referred you will have "an assessment with a therapist" to decide on treatment, in person, online or on the phone. "The therapist will ask about your symptoms and what you hope to get from treatment."
  • Length. NHS counselling sessions "usually last 50 to 60 minutes", and on the NHS you will "usually have between 8 and 16 sessions". For CBT, "You'll usually have between 5 and 15 sessions of CBT, depending on what you're having it for." Private therapy may differ, so ask.
  • Style. In counselling, the counsellor will "listen to you without judgement" and counsellors "do not usually give advice or tell you what to do".
  • Homework. In CBT you will "usually be asked to practise what you've learned between sessions".
  • Waiting. "Waiting times vary depending on where you live."

Cost and access

We will not quote prices, because they vary by country, city and therapist. If you pay privately, ask for the fee and cancellation policy in advance. In our view, online or phone sessions can widen your options if nobody suitable is nearby; the NHS notes CBT "can be done in person, online, or on the phone".

If you are in crisis

If you are thinking of harming yourself, do not wait for an appointment. In the UK, call 999 if someone's life is at risk, or use 111 and select the mental health option. Samaritans (116 123) offers confidential listening. In the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline says it is available 24/7/365, and conversations are free and confidential. Elsewhere, contact your local emergency number or crisis line.

FAQ

Do I need a diagnosis to see a therapist?

No. The NHS says you "do not need to have a diagnosed mental health condition" to get CBT, and the talking therapies page says the same about talking therapies in general. You can start with what is troubling you.

Should I mention anxiety, low mood or drinking?

Yes. The sexual medicine review reports that compulsive sexual behaviour commonly co-occurs with anxiety disorders (46%-96%), mood disorders (39%-81%) and substance use disorders (46%-71%), and that a differential diagnosis "leads to different therapeutic approaches". These ranges are from a review, not a forecast for you.

Can a therapist make me stop?

No. A therapist works with you on your goal, and your own setup and support still matter between sessions: see How to Stop Porn Urges: What to Do in the Moment and How to Find a Porn Accountability Partner (and Make It Work).

Where Mamori fits

Mamori is a newer app for iPhone, iPad and Android, and it is not therapy. No blocker replaces support from people or a professional. It can make the phone harder to use for the habit while you work on the reasons: it blocks 2.5M+ adult sites across the whole phone, and it locks before you can switch it off with a cooldown timer, a random phrase, or a PIN or passphrase that a trusted person can hold.

Honest limits: protection off means off, so Mamori can be uninstalled normally once switched off. Android allows only one VPN at a time, so another VPN or blocker that takes the slot can switch Mamori's filter off. Mamori has no accountability reports, so it will not send anything to a therapist or partner.

There is a 7-day free trial on the monthly and annual plans, plus a one-time lifetime option. No account, no tracking.

Related guides

How Long Does Porn Withdrawal Last? What Research SaysHow long does porn withdrawal last? No reliable timeline exists. See what surveys and short studies report, why results differ, and how to cope. Porn Triggers: Stress, Boredom, Loneliness and How to Plan for ThemStress, boredom and loneliness are common porn triggers in research. See what studies show, how to map your own triggers and plan if-then responses. How to Quit Porn: Getting Ready and the First Two WeeksHow to quit porn: write your reasons, pick a start date, set up blocks before day one, tell someone, and plan the first two weeks. Calm and practical.

Sources

Last checked 27 Oct 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice.