בס"ד
If you are suffering after the recent discovery of your husband's infidelity or online sexual behavior, you don't need to suffer anymore. Call 917-512-3490 for a strictly confidential, free consultation with a frum, licensed professional psychotherapist specially trained in treating sex addicts and their spouses.
“I doubt that at any time in our history has their been as grave a threat to the morality of our people and to the morality of the Jewish family as the plague of addiction to Internet pornography.”
-Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, MD
Sex Addiction is a family disease. It affects not only the addict but the rest of the family as well. Wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, and other family members are often traumatized by the terrible discovery that the person whom they had trusted has been engaged in unthinkable behavior and deception.
Sadly, frum families are not immune to the devastation that sex addiction has caused for countless addicts and their family members. Frum men from all walks of life, whether businessmen, professionals, kollel yungerleit, mechanchim, and even rabbanim, have been affected and thereby affect their families.
Discovering the Horrible Secret
Many times, the wives were completely unaware that their husband was involved in this behavior. In other cases, some wives suspected that something was wrong but were unable to put their finger on the source of the problem. For many frum women, they would not dare even to consider the possibility that their husbands, whom they trusted and looked up to, could commit such terrible crimes of infidelity.
Many frum women upon discovering the sordid truth are too shocked to take action. Not knowing where to turn or who to tell, many are too embarrassed to seek out help. Many are too embarrassed to even confront their husbands and instead decide to pretend as if they never discovered anything.
The Trauma of Discovery and Betrayal
These frum women often become literally traumatized by the discovery of their husband's offensive sexual behavior. Scientific studies have shown that the wives of sex addicts often display the same signs of post-traumatic stress as survivors of rape and other sexual abuse. Some of these symptoms may include the following:
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
- Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
- Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
Symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing may include:
- Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and increased emotional arousal may include:
- Irritability or anger
- Overwhelming guilt or shame
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
- Trouble sleeping
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Hearing or seeing things that aren't there
(Source: Mayo Clinic)
Breaking the Silence: Getting the Help You Need to Recover
If you are suffering from the recent shock of your husband's sexual acting out, you don't need to suffer any more. You can get help from a qualified professional therapist who is trained in helping the wives of sex addicts recover from the trauma and hurt of their husband's infidelities. Before you can make any decisions on what to do next in your marriage, you need to get help for yourself to deal with the emotional aftermath of your husband's behavior. Then after you have taken the time to help yourself you can start to decide what to do about your marriage and your family.
Brad Salzman, LCSW, MSSW
New York State Licensed Psychotherapist and Sex Addiction Therapist
When selecting a therapist, it is important to find a therapist who can understand your culture and background.
In addition, you should find a therapist -- whether a psychologist, psychiatrist, addiction specialist, marriage and family therapist, or social worker -- who shares your values and outlook -- your hashkafa. This is especially true for members of the Orthodox Jewish community, whose culture and values may be quite different from those of the secular world around us.
For many frum people, the already difficult process of going for therapy will be easier when working with a frum therapist.
The frum community has special needs and special concerns when selecting a therapist. As a frum person myself, I understand these special considerations and provide a safe and supportive environment for frum people looking for help. I have worked with clients from across the Orthodox Jewish spectrum, as well as non-frum Jews and gentiles.
I strive to provide a positive, nurturing, and nonjudgmental atmosphere for all my clients, wherever they are in their personal religious observance.
My offices in Midtown Manhattan and Monsey are conveniently located and easily reachable from many Jewish neighborhoods in the Greater New York area, such as: Brooklyn (including Crown Heights, Flatbush, Boro Park, Kensington, and Williamsburg), Queens (including Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest, and Flushing), Teaneck, Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Manhattan, Monsey (including Wesley Hills, Spring Valley, Forshay, Pomona, and New Hempstead), Monroe, Staten Island, Washington Heights, Riverdale, Englewood, Far Rockaway, the Five Towns (including Woodmere, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, and Hewlett), Long Island, and New Jersey.
If you are suffering from the recent shock of your husband's sexual acting out, you don't need to suffer any more. You can get help from a qualified professional therapist who is trained in helping the wives of sex addicts recover from the trauma and hurt of their husband's infidelities. Before you can make any decisions on what to do next in your marriage, you need to get help for yourself to deal with the emotional aftermath of your husband's behavior. Then after you have taken the time to help yourself you can start to decide what to do about your marriage and your family.
Brad Salzman, LCSW, MSSW
New York State Licensed Psychotherapist and Sex Addiction Therapist
Recommended by Rabbanim
Graduate of Yale University & Columbia University
Trained by Dr. Patrick Carnes, the world's leading authority in sexual addiction treatment
The Importance of Finding a Frum Therapist
In addition, you should find a therapist -- whether a psychologist, psychiatrist, addiction specialist, marriage and family therapist, or social worker -- who shares your values and outlook -- your hashkafa. This is especially true for members of the Orthodox Jewish community, whose culture and values may be quite different from those of the secular world around us.
For many frum people, the already difficult process of going for therapy will be easier when working with a frum therapist.
The frum community has special needs and special concerns when selecting a therapist. As a frum person myself, I understand these special considerations and provide a safe and supportive environment for frum people looking for help. I have worked with clients from across the Orthodox Jewish spectrum, as well as non-frum Jews and gentiles.
I strive to provide a positive, nurturing, and nonjudgmental atmosphere for all my clients, wherever they are in their personal religious observance.
My offices in Midtown Manhattan and Monsey are conveniently located and easily reachable from many Jewish neighborhoods in the Greater New York area, such as: Brooklyn (including Crown Heights, Flatbush, Boro Park, Kensington, and Williamsburg), Queens (including Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest, and Flushing), Teaneck, Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Manhattan, Monsey (including Wesley Hills, Spring Valley, Forshay, Pomona, and New Hempstead), Monroe, Staten Island, Washington Heights, Riverdale, Englewood, Far Rockaway, the Five Towns (including Woodmere, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, and Hewlett), Long Island, and New Jersey.
Brad Salzman, LCSW
917-512-3490
Free Consultation
