Therapy for Sex, Love & Relationship Patterns
Do you find yourself repeating relationship patterns that leave you anxious, disconnected, or unsure of yourself? Maybe being alone feels difficult, or reassurance, sex, or a new relationship has become a way to manage painful feelings.
I offer online therapy for adults in Los Angeles and throughout California who want to understand these patterns and build relationships that feel more grounded and aligned with their values.
When Relationship Patterns Feel Hard to Change
You may recognize some of these experiences:
- Compulsive relationships (serial dating) or quickly becoming consumed by a new relationship
- Difficulty being alone or feeling pulled to stay in relationships that don’t feel right for you
- Codependency and putting someone else’s needs ahead of your own
- People pleasing or struggling to say what you really think and need
- Relationship obsession (limerence), including repeatedly analyzing a partner or the relationship
- Reassurance seeking about whether someone loves you, will leave, or is “the one”
- Attachment concerns, including fear of abandonment or difficulty trusting
- Boundary struggles or feeling guilty when you set limits
- Compulsive sexual behavior that feels difficult to control or is causing distress
- Repeating unhealthy relationship dynamics, even when you recognize the pattern
- Using sex or relationships to regulate emotions like loneliness, anxiety, shame, or emptiness
- Engaging in sex work or OnlyFans as a content creator or consumer
These experiences can overlap with anxiety, OCD, trauma, or other concerns. We can explore what’s happening without jumping to a label.
What Is Love Addiction?
“Love addiction” is a term some people use to describe feeling consumed by romantic relationships or repeatedly engaging in relationship patterns that cause distress. People may use the phrase in different ways.
In therapy, I don’t assume that one label explains your experience. We’ll focus on what you’re going through, how these patterns affect your life, and what you want to change.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you better understand the patterns beneath your choices and practice new ways of responding. Depending on your goals, we may work on:
- Exploring attachment experiences and relationship patterns
- Using CBT and ACT to notice unhelpful cycles and make values-based choices
- Building emotional regulation skills for loneliness, anxiety, or shame
- Strengthening boundaries and practicing direct communication
- Reducing shame and approaching your experience with curiosity rather than judgment
- Developing a healthy dating plan to approach the dating world with more confidence and direction
The goal isn’t to make you want less connection. It’s to help you build a relationship with yourself and others that feels more intentional and sustainable.
Common Questions
Is love addiction a diagnosis?
People use "love addiction" to describe certain relationship experiences, but I don't use the phrase as a diagnosis or assume it applies to everyone. We can focus on the specific patterns and concerns that brought you to therapy.
Can therapy help if I keep repeating the same relationship patterns?
Therapy can help you identify what tends to happen before, during, and after these patterns, and explore ways to respond differently. We'll work at a pace that feels manageable and connected to your goals.
Can I work on compulsive sexual behavior in therapy?
Yes. We can talk about sexual behavior that feels difficult to control or is causing distress, and explore its impact on your well-being, relationships, and values in a nonjudgmental space.
Online Relationship Therapy in Los Angeles and Across California
If you're ready to understand your relationship patterns and begin making changes, I offer online therapy for adults located in California, including Los Angeles.