Starting Sexual and Relationship Recovery is the first to take techniques used by thousands of recovering sex addicts and show readers, step by step, how to break free of problematic sexual behaviors and live a healthier, more fulfilling life. A task-centered, competency-based, effective approach to recovery from compulsive behaviors.

Dr Carnes, through years of research, has found that if recovering addicts did certain tasks, they got better. If they did not, their life would remain problem-filled. Performing these tasks essentially creates skills that enable recovering individuals to manage their illness and to live rich, full, and relapse-free lives - and systematically following this process generates a positive outcome in all but about three percent of cases.