Disclosing secrets: Guidelines for therapists working with sex-addicts and co-addicts

Therapists who treat clients with addictive or compulsive behaviors often are faced with the dilemma of whether a person should dis-close secrets about the sexual behaviors to others. If a disclosure is determined, then when, what, and how to disclose are issues cli-ents must face. This article discusses issues related to the therapist, including transference and countertransference, disclosure of the therapist’s personal history, and the therapist’s values regarding keeping secrets from one member of a couple. Practice guidelines outlined for clinicians include obtaining and gathering history, the importance of establishing goals with clients, timing of disclo-sure, how much to disclose, and how to disclose. Other ethical situ-ations and steps to rebuild relationships are discussed. Psychologists, addiction counselors, and other mental health workers who treat individuals diagnosed with addictive sexual disorders frequently are told of sexual behaviors that the patient has not disclosed to the spouse o