The Porn Trap

The Porn Trap Plot Summary

Introduction

Pornography has evolved from a relatively scarce and stigmatized product into a pervasive force in contemporary society, fundamentally changing how individuals interact with sexual content. This transformation raises critical questions about the hidden mechanisms through which pornography influences users' psychology, relationships, and sexuality. The neurobiological dimension provides crucial insight into why casual use can evolve into compulsive behavior despite a person's conscious intentions or values. Understanding these dynamics illuminates how early patterns of use can evolve into problematic adult relationships with pornographic content, particularly when pornography becomes a primary coping mechanism for emotional regulation. The journey from casual pornography viewing to addiction follows a predictable pattern that mirrors other addictive behaviors, yet remains widely misunderstood. By examining the neurological, psychological, and relational aspects of pornography use, we gain insight into both its allure and its potential for harm. This comprehensive analysis challenges simplistic moral judgments while providing practical frameworks for those seeking to understand or overcome problematic use. The exploration of recovery strategies offers hope that even deeply entrenched patterns can be transformed, leading not just to freedom from addiction but to the development of healthier sexuality and more authentic intimate relationships.

Chapter 1: The Neurobiological Mechanisms Behind Pornography's Addictive Power

The power of pornography lies in its ability to trigger neurochemical responses similar to those produced by addictive substances. When individuals engage with pornographic content, their brains release dopamine, endorphins, and other pleasure chemicals that create powerful associations between the visual stimuli and feelings of reward. This neurochemical response is particularly intense because pornography activates primitive brain circuits designed to respond to sexual opportunity, creating a surge of pleasure chemicals stronger than many natural rewards. The brain's reward system cannot distinguish between real sexual encounters and the artificial stimulation of pornography, responding to both with the same fundamental neurochemical patterns. With repeated exposure, the brain undergoes adaptations that parallel those seen in substance addiction. Neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to form new neural connections—works against the user as pathways linking sexual arousal to pornographic imagery strengthen with each viewing session. Simultaneously, dopamine receptors may downregulate, requiring more stimulation to achieve the same pleasurable effect. This tolerance phenomenon explains why many users report needing increasingly explicit or novel content over time to maintain satisfaction. The neurological changes occur gradually and invisibly, altering brain function long before the user recognizes any problem. The neurobiological impact extends beyond the reward system to affect executive function in the prefrontal cortex. This brain region, responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and future planning, shows decreased activity in individuals with pornography addiction. Functional MRI studies reveal patterns of brain activation in compulsive pornography users that mirror those seen in individuals with substance addictions. This diminished prefrontal function helps explain why many users continue pornography consumption despite sincere intentions to stop and awareness of negative consequences—their brain's "braking system" has been compromised by the very behavior they're trying to control. Stress circuits play a crucial role in maintaining pornography addiction through negative reinforcement. When regular users attempt to abstain, they often experience withdrawal symptoms including irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and intense cravings. These uncomfortable states drive users back to pornography not primarily for pleasure but for relief from distress. This cycle creates a dual-reinforcement system where pornography is used both to experience pleasure and to escape discomfort, making it particularly resistant to change. The stress response becomes conditioned to trigger cravings, explaining why emotional distress so frequently precedes relapse. The neurobiological understanding of pornography addiction explains why willpower alone is rarely sufficient for recovery. Just as we wouldn't expect someone with diabetes to regulate their insulin through sheer determination, the neurological adaptations in pornography addiction require specific interventions that address altered brain function. Recovery approaches that incorporate this understanding focus on neural pathway rewiring through abstinence, development of alternative rewards, stress management techniques, and sometimes medication to address underlying conditions like anxiety or depression that may drive pornography use. Perhaps most hopefully, the neurobiological perspective also confirms the brain's capacity for positive change. The same neuroplasticity that established addiction pathways can be harnessed for recovery as new, healthier neural connections form with consistent practice. Brain imaging studies show that with sustained abstinence and appropriate recovery activities, the prefrontal cortex can regain functionality and dopamine systems can rebalance. This healing process takes time—typically months rather than weeks—but offers scientific validation that recovery is physiologically possible, not just a matter of moral determination.

Chapter 2: How Early Exposure Shapes Sexual Development and Relationship Patterns

Most individuals have their first exposure to pornography during childhood or adolescence, typically around age eleven—far earlier than society generally acknowledges. These formative experiences occur during critical developmental periods when young people are establishing their understanding of sexuality, relationships, and gender dynamics. The adolescent brain, with its heightened neuroplasticity and still-developing prefrontal cortex, is particularly vulnerable to forming lasting associations between sexual arousal and the specific content encountered during these early exposures. These neural pathways, once established, can influence sexual preferences and relationship expectations for decades to come. Early pornography exposure serves as a powerful but problematic sex educator. Unlike comprehensive sexuality education that contextualizes physical acts within emotional relationships and ethical frameworks, pornography presents sex as primarily physical, often aggressive, and divorced from emotional connection. Young people lacking alternative sources of sexual information may internalize these portrayals as representative of normal sexuality. Research indicates that adolescents who regularly consume pornography report more permissive sexual attitudes, greater acceptance of casual sex, diminished relationship commitment, and increased sexual uncertainty compared to non-users. These effects appear particularly pronounced when pornography serves as the primary source of sexual information. Gender socialization becomes significantly distorted through early pornography exposure. Young males often incorporate pornographic imagery into their developing masculine identity, associating manhood with sexual performance, dominance, and emotional detachment. This integration can create lasting difficulties with emotional intimacy and vulnerability in relationships. Young females, conversely, often internalize expectations of sexual availability, physical perfection, and performance focused on male pleasure rather than mutual satisfaction. These gendered expectations create complementary distortions that can perpetuate relationship dysfunction when these individuals become adults seeking intimate partnerships. The psychological functions pornography serves during development help explain its lasting impact. For many adolescents, pornography provides a means of managing normal developmental challenges: satisfying sexual curiosity in privacy, establishing autonomy from parents, bonding with peers through shared experiences, and coping with the emotional turbulence of adolescence. When pornography successfully fulfills these functions, it becomes integrated into the individual's emotional regulation system and sexual identity. This integration explains why patterns established during adolescence often persist into adulthood, even when they conflict with the individual's mature values and relationship goals. Family dynamics significantly influence how pornography affects development. Young people from families characterized by emotional neglect, poor communication about sexuality, or high religious shame around sexual topics appear particularly vulnerable to problematic pornography use. Without safe spaces to process natural sexual curiosity and development, these adolescents turn to pornography not just for information but for emotional regulation and validation. Conversely, families that maintain open communication about sexuality, emphasize healthy relationships, and provide appropriate monitoring of media consumption create resilience against pornography's potential developmental impacts. The developmental impact of early exposure creates distinct challenges for adult recovery. Individuals whose sexual arousal patterns were shaped by pornography during formative years often struggle to develop arousal to real partners who cannot match the variety, perfection, or specific scenarios depicted in pornography. Recovery requires not just abstaining from pornography but actively rewiring sexual responses through new experiences that integrate emotional connection with physical pleasure. This rewiring process takes considerable time and often benefits from professional guidance, but research on neuroplasticity confirms that even deeply ingrained sexual conditioning can be modified through consistent practice of healthier patterns.

Chapter 3: The Progressive Stages from Casual Use to Dependency

The progression from casual pornography viewing to addiction follows a predictable pattern that mirrors other addictive behaviors. Initial exposure typically occurs during adolescence, often accidentally or through peer influence. At this stage, curiosity drives exploration without significant negative consequences. The novelty and taboo nature of pornography creates a powerful neurological response—a dopamine surge that feels rewarding and memorable. Viewing occurs infrequently, causes minimal disruption to daily functioning, and generally remains within mainstream content parameters. This recreational stage may continue indefinitely for some individuals without progression to problematic use. As viewing continues, patterns emerge that signal the transition to problematic use. Individuals develop specific preferences and begin seeking particular types of content rather than viewing randomly. Viewing sessions become more frequent and last longer, with users often losing track of time while engaged with pornography. Most significantly, pornography begins serving as emotional regulation—a way to escape stress, boredom, loneliness, or uncomfortable emotions. This self-medication function represents a critical shift from recreational use to psychological dependence. Users at this stage still maintain control over when and how much they view, but pornography has become integrated into their coping repertoire. The escalation stage marks a significant progression toward addiction. Users find that content that once provided satisfaction no longer produces the same effect, leading them to seek more extreme, novel, or taboo material. This tolerance effect mirrors the process seen in substance addictions, where increasing amounts are needed to achieve the same high. Simultaneously, viewing becomes ritualized, with specific patterns of time, place, and circumstance becoming associated with pornography use. These rituals strengthen the behavioral pattern and make it more resistant to change. Users at this stage may begin experiencing mild consequences such as sleep disruption or decreased interest in real sexual partners but typically minimize these effects. True dependency emerges when pornography use continues despite negative consequences. These consequences may include relationship conflict, decreased productivity, financial problems from purchasing content, or distress about being unable to stop. At this stage, individuals often make repeated unsuccessful attempts to quit or control their use. They may establish rules for themselves (only viewing on weekends, never at work) but consistently break these self-imposed boundaries. The inability to maintain control despite genuine desire to do so signals the transition from habit to addiction. Secrecy typically intensifies as users work harder to hide both their viewing and its effects from others. The final stage involves significant life impairment across multiple domains. Professional performance suffers as individuals spend working hours viewing pornography or recovering from late-night sessions. Intimate relationships deteriorate due to emotional disconnection and sexual difficulties directly related to pornography use. Financial stability may be compromised by spending on content or dealing with consequences like job loss. Physical health often declines due to sleep disruption, reduced physical activity, and stress. Perhaps most significantly, the individual's self-concept becomes damaged as their behavior increasingly conflicts with their personal values, creating profound shame and isolation. Throughout this progression, denial serves as a powerful force maintaining the addictive pattern. Users minimize the amount of time spent viewing, rationalize their behavior as normal or deserved, blame external circumstances for their inability to stop, and compartmentalize their pornography use as separate from their "real life." This denial prevents them from accurately assessing the situation and seeking help, allowing the addiction to strengthen its hold. Breaking through denial typically requires a significant negative event—relationship ultimatum, job loss, legal trouble—that makes the consequences impossible to ignore and creates the motivation necessary for sustained recovery efforts.

Chapter 4: Psychological and Relational Consequences of Problematic Pornography Use

Regular pornography use generates numerous consequences that affect users' psychological well-being, relationships, sexuality, and daily functioning. Users frequently experience emotional disturbances including irritability, anxiety, and depression stemming from the internal conflict between their behavior and their values. This cognitive dissonance creates psychological distress that further drives the cycle of pornography use as a coping mechanism. Many users report a pervasive sense of shame that extends beyond specific viewing incidents to contaminate their overall self-image. This shame leads to increased isolation, as users withdraw from authentic connections that might expose their perceived inadequacy or unworthiness. Pornography fundamentally alters how users perceive and interact with others sexually. Regular exposure trains the brain to respond to specific visual stimuli and scenarios that often bear little resemblance to real-world sexuality. This conditioning can lead to sexual functioning problems including difficulty becoming aroused by real partners, maintaining erections, reaching orgasm, and experiencing satisfaction during actual sexual encounters. Many users report needing to mentally replay pornographic imagery during sex to maintain arousal, creating emotional distance during intimate moments. These sexual difficulties create a self-perpetuating cycle where disappointment with real sexual encounters drives increased pornography use, which further diminishes capacity for satisfying intimate connections. The impact on intimate relationships extends beyond sexual difficulties. Partners of pornography users frequently experience profound emotional wounds including betrayal, rejection, and sexual inadequacy. The discovery of a partner's pornography use often triggers relationship crises comparable to discovering an affair. The secrecy surrounding pornography use erodes trust, while the sexual and emotional energy directed toward pornography leaves partners feeling abandoned and undesired. These relationship dynamics create cycles of conflict, withdrawal, and further pornography use. Even when partners attempt to accommodate pornography use, research indicates that relationship satisfaction and stability typically decline over time. Perhaps most insidiously, pornography gradually reshapes users' sexual interests and boundaries. Regular users often report needing increasingly explicit or extreme content to achieve the same level of arousal—a phenomenon similar to tolerance in substance addiction. This escalation can lead to interests in content that conflicts with the user's own values or involves degrading, violent, or illegal activities. This progression represents one of the most concerning consequences, as it can eventually lead to harmful behaviors that users would never have considered before their pornography use escalated. The disconnect between escalating pornographic interests and personal values creates profound psychological distress for many users. Cognitive functioning often suffers as pornography use increases. Many users report difficulties with concentration, memory, and motivation that extend beyond viewing sessions. Neuroimaging research suggests that compulsive pornography use may affect the same brain regions involved in executive function that are impacted by other addictions. These cognitive effects can impair academic and professional performance, creating real-world consequences that further damage self-esteem and life satisfaction. The mental energy devoted to obtaining, viewing, and hiding pornography use represents a significant opportunity cost, diverting cognitive resources from productive and meaningful pursuits. The spiritual and existential impact of problematic pornography use, while less measurable than other consequences, emerges as a significant concern for many users. Individuals often report a sense of living inauthentically, with their external presentation dramatically different from their private behavior. This divided existence creates existential distress as users struggle to maintain a coherent sense of identity and purpose. For those with religious or spiritual beliefs, pornography use often creates a painful separation from their faith community and spiritual practices, removing an important source of meaning and support precisely when they most need connection. This spiritual disconnection can deepen depression and complicate recovery by removing traditional sources of hope and resilience.

Chapter 5: Breaking Through Denial: Recognizing When Pornography Becomes Unmanageable

Many pornography users experience a pivotal moment when the consequences of their behavior become impossible to ignore or rationalize away—a phenomenon often described as "hitting bottom." These moments of crisis typically occur when the accumulated negative effects of pornography use suddenly converge, forcing users to confront the reality of their situation. For some, hitting bottom involves external events like job loss after viewing pornography at work, relationship breakdown following discovery, or legal consequences from accessing illegal content. For others, the crisis emerges internally through psychological breakdown, spiritual crisis, or recognition of their inability to control their behavior despite repeated attempts. These moments, while painful, create essential openings for change. The experience of hitting bottom shatters denial systems that have allowed pornography use to continue despite mounting problems. Users who have maintained elaborate justifications for their behavior suddenly find these rationalizations inadequate when confronted with undeniable evidence of harm. Common denial patterns include minimizing the amount of time spent viewing, comparing oneself favorably to "worse" users, blaming external circumstances for continued use, and compartmentalizing pornography as separate from one's "real life." When these denial mechanisms collapse, users face the full reality of how pornography has affected them and their loved ones. This clarity, though distressing, provides the foundation for genuine recovery. Recognizing that pornography has rendered one's life unmanageable represents a crucial turning point. This unmanageability manifests in various ways: inability to stop despite sincere intentions, escalating use despite negative consequences, and continued use despite conflict with core values and relationships. Users often describe feeling powerless over their behavior, with pornography controlling them rather than the reverse. This recognition of powerlessness, while seemingly negative, actually empowers recovery by overcoming the illusion of control that perpetuates problematic use. Acknowledging that willpower alone has proven insufficient opens users to accepting help and implementing the comprehensive changes necessary for lasting recovery. The process of breaking through denial often involves recognizing specific indicators that pornography use has become problematic. These warning signs include: increasing time spent viewing pornography, escalation to more extreme content, failed attempts to stop or cut back, viewing in risky situations like work or public places, withdrawal symptoms when unable to access pornography, relationship conflict related to pornography use, sexual difficulties with real partners, and continued use despite significant negative consequences. While no single indicator definitively proves addiction, the presence of multiple warning signs suggests that pornography has moved beyond recreational use to problematic dependency requiring intervention. Breaking through denial requires not just recognizing problematic patterns but accepting personal responsibility for addressing them. Many users initially blame external factors—stress, an unsatisfying relationship, cultural influences—for their pornography use. While these factors may contribute to vulnerability, recovery begins with accepting that regardless of initial causes, the individual must take responsibility for changing their behavior. This shift from external blame to internal responsibility represents a critical psychological transition that enables effective action. Users who maintain an external locus of control typically cycle through temporary improvements followed by relapse when triggering circumstances inevitably recur. While hitting bottom involves significant pain and loss, it also contains the seeds of transformation. The crisis that exposes the true nature of pornography problems simultaneously creates opportunity for change. Many former users describe their bottom experience as ultimately positive because it initiated their recovery journey. The suffering associated with hitting bottom generates motivation for change that might otherwise never develop, allowing users to access resources and support they previously avoided or rejected. This transformative potential explains why many recovery professionals view hitting bottom not as a catastrophe but as a necessary turning point on the path to healing and growth.

Chapter 6: Essential Recovery Strategies for Overcoming Pornography Addiction

Successfully overcoming pornography addiction requires addressing both psychological attachments and behavioral patterns. The journey begins with resolving ambivalence—the simultaneous desire to continue using pornography while wanting to stop. This internal conflict must be resolved by strengthening motivation through specific strategies: acknowledging the full spectrum of problems pornography has caused, identifying core values incompatible with pornography use, confronting fears about life without pornography, and taking personal responsibility for recovery. These motivational foundations create the psychological readiness necessary for behavioral change. Without this preparation, even the best tactical approaches typically fail when challenges inevitably arise. Breaking isolation through disclosure represents a crucial early recovery step. The secrecy surrounding pornography use creates a perfect environment for addiction to flourish, while honest disclosure to appropriate individuals immediately weakens its hold. The choice of disclosure recipients requires careful consideration—it might include partners, close friends, family members, religious leaders, or professional counselors. The key is selecting individuals who can respond with an appropriate balance of accountability and compassion, avoiding both minimization and excessive shame. This disclosure begins the process of rebuilding authentic connections that ultimately replace pornography's function as emotional regulation. Creating a pornography-free environment through concrete structural changes significantly increases recovery success. This environmental management includes installing filtering software on devices, switching to basic phones without internet capability, using computers only in public spaces, and establishing accountability systems that monitor internet activity. These external barriers provide essential protection during early recovery when internal controls remain weak. While some view such measures as extreme, they reflect the reality that willpower alone rarely overcomes the accessibility and neurological pull of pornography. As recovery progresses and internal controls strengthen, these external measures can gradually adjust to match the individual's developing capacity for self-regulation. Developing healthy sexuality constitutes a fundamental but often overlooked aspect of recovery. Many individuals need to establish a temporary period of sexual abstinence to break ingrained patterns and allow neurological healing. During this time, they can begin learning about healthy sexuality through appropriate educational resources rather than pornography. For those in relationships, working with partners to gradually develop intimate connection based on emotional presence rather than performance or fantasy becomes essential. This process often requires professional guidance from sex therapists who understand both addiction recovery and healthy sexual development. Without this sexual healing component, recovery remains incomplete and vulnerable to relapse. Addressing underlying issues represents the deepest level of recovery work. Many individuals discover that pornography served as self-medication for unresolved trauma, chronic stress, depression, anxiety, or relationship difficulties. True healing requires identifying and treating these root causes through appropriate therapeutic approaches. This might involve trauma therapy, learning emotional regulation skills, addressing family-of-origin issues, or treating co-occurring mental health conditions. Without this deeper healing, individuals remain vulnerable to relapse or to developing substitute addictive behaviors when pornography is removed. The goal extends beyond symptom management to addressing the underlying conditions that made pornography appealing as a coping mechanism. Building a supportive community provides sustainable recovery beyond initial treatment. Twelve-step programs like Sex Addicts Anonymous offer structured support through regular meetings, sponsor relationships, and a clear path of recovery steps. Faith communities can provide spiritual support and accountability partnerships. Some individuals benefit from regular check-ins with recovery-focused therapists or coaches who help navigate ongoing challenges. The key is establishing multiple layers of support that remain accessible during inevitable periods of increased vulnerability. This community connection directly counters the isolation that characterizes active addiction, replacing shame-based secrecy with authentic relationships that support continued growth and healing.

Chapter 7: Rebuilding Healthy Sexuality and Intimate Relationships After Addiction

Recovering from pornography addiction ultimately requires rebuilding a healthy relationship with sexuality itself. Pornography creates powerful conditioning that associates sexual arousal with specific visual stimuli, scenarios, and patterns of interaction that often bear little resemblance to mutual, connected sexual experiences. Healing involves deliberately reclaiming sexuality from these artificial associations and reconnecting it with authentic human connection, emotional intimacy, and personal values. This sexual healing process begins with understanding how pornography has shaped one's sexual template—the internal blueprint that determines what triggers arousal and satisfaction. Many recovering users discover that pornography has narrowed their sexual responses to specific visual triggers while diminishing their capacity for other aspects of sexual experience like emotional connection, sensual touch, and mutual pleasure. For those in relationships, healing requires rebuilding trust and intimacy damaged by pornography use. Partners often experience pornography as a form of betrayal that creates deep emotional wounds requiring careful attention. Successful couples navigate this healing journey through honest communication, appropriate disclosure, consistent accountability, and patience with the natural grieving process. As trust gradually rebuilds, couples can begin exploring sexual reconnection at a pace that respects both partners' emotional readiness and boundaries. This process typically benefits from professional guidance through couples therapy with specialists who understand both addiction recovery and sexual healing. The goal isn't returning to the pre-discovery relationship but building a new foundation characterized by greater honesty, emotional intimacy, and mutual satisfaction. Developing healthy masturbation practices represents an important aspect of sexual recovery for many individuals. Pornography often becomes intertwined with masturbation, creating associations that maintain addiction patterns. Recovery may involve a temporary period of complete sexual abstinence to break these associations, followed by gradual reintroduction of masturbation without pornographic imagery. This process helps individuals reconnect with their bodies' natural responses rather than requiring artificial stimulation. Learning to experience sexual pleasure mindfully, without fantasy or dissociation, creates new neural pathways that support healthier sexuality. For some, particularly those with religious backgrounds, this aspect of recovery involves reconciling personal values with sexual expression—finding ways to honor both spiritual beliefs and natural sexuality. Redefining masculine and feminine sexuality beyond pornographic stereotypes constitutes another crucial recovery dimension. Pornography presents highly distorted versions of gender and sexuality that many users internalize, particularly when exposure begins during formative developmental periods. Recovery involves questioning these internalized scripts and developing healthier understandings of gender and sexuality. For men, this often means moving beyond performance-oriented sexuality focused on dominance and physical achievement toward an integrated sexuality that embraces emotional vulnerability and mutual pleasure. For women, it frequently involves reclaiming sexual agency, setting clear boundaries, and prioritizing their own pleasure rather than performing according to male-centered expectations derived from pornography. Developing emotional intimacy skills provides a foundation for healthy sexuality that pornography use often undermines. Many individuals turn to pornography precisely because it offers sexual gratification without the vulnerability and emotional risk that intimate relationships require. Recovery involves learning to tolerate and eventually embrace the vulnerability that meaningful connection demands. This includes developing emotional awareness, practicing authentic self-disclosure, improving communication about needs and boundaries, and building capacity for empathy. These intimacy skills create the relational context within which healthy sexuality can flourish. Without this emotional foundation, physical intimacy remains disconnected from its most fulfilling expression. The ultimate goal of recovery extends beyond merely abstaining from pornography to developing sexual wholeness—an integrated sexuality that aligns with one's values, supports meaningful connection, and contributes to overall well-being. This transformation involves reclaiming sexual agency from external influences, developing comfort with one's authentic sexual self, and cultivating the capacity for genuine intimacy. When sexuality becomes an expression of one's whole self rather than a compartmentalized behavior, former pornography users discover a deeper satisfaction that pornography could never provide—the experience of being fully known and accepted within intimate connection. This integrated sexuality represents not just freedom from addiction but the positive achievement of healthy sexual development that pornography interrupted.

Summary

The journey from pornography addiction to recovery reveals fundamental truths about human sexuality and connection that extend far beyond the specific issue of problematic pornography use. At its core, this transformation process illuminates how sexuality serves as a powerful mirror reflecting our deepest needs for meaning, connection, and wholeness. The neurobiological mechanisms that make pornography potentially addictive are the same mechanisms that enable profound human bonding when properly directed. Similarly, the psychological vulnerabilities that pornography exploits—our needs for comfort, validation, and escape from emotional pain—are universal human experiences that require healthier channels of expression and fulfillment. Recovery from pornography addiction offers insights valuable even for those who have never struggled with this specific issue. The principles of creating genuine intimacy, developing emotional regulation skills, aligning behavior with personal values, and integrating sexuality with overall identity apply universally to human development and relationship formation. The courage required to confront addiction, break through denial, and rebuild damaged relationships demonstrates the remarkable human capacity for transformation even after significant struggle. This journey from isolation to connection, from shame to authenticity, and from compulsion to freedom illustrates not just the possibility of overcoming specific behavioral problems but the broader human potential for growth, healing, and the creation of a life characterized by integrity and meaningful connection.

About Author

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Wendy Maltz

Wendy Maltz LCSW, DST is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and sex therapist. Her books include The Porn Trap, The Sexual Healing Journey, Private Thoughts, Passionate Hearts, Intimate Kisses, and Incest & Sexuality. Wendy’s highly acclaimed videos are Relearning Touch and Partners in Healing. In 2014 she received the prestigious Carnes Award from the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health. Wendy and Larry Maltz LCSW, an esteemed therapist with more than 30 years of experience, provide consultation and counseling services at Maltz Counseling Associates in Eugene, Oregon.

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