Close-Up Talk Radio spotlights Barb Gladue of B Proactive Counselling

Kelowna, British Columbia -- There is a prevalent misconception that all people with sexual addictions are able to control their maladaptive sexual behavior. There may also be a connection, not often considered by the public, between sexual addiction and sexual abuse both in cases of abusers as well as the sexually abused.

“Working through sexual abuse can be a form of grieving,” explains therapist Barb Gladue. “It’s the death of the dream of who you were going to be because I believe that sexual abuse changes your spirit.”

As a child, therapist Barb Gladue was herself the victim of both physical and sexual abuse; and throughout her journey of 30 years as a therapist she has sought to learn not only how to support those who have been oppressed by sexual abuse but also how to begin to change the cycle of sexual addiction within sexual addicts themselves.

“Being abused can be a powerless position, but addicts can feel completely powerless also. It’s the other side of the pendulum,” says Gladue. “I wanted to know how and why the addiction started. I believe that sexual addicts are not born, they’re made. So my goal was to find out how they got there, how they were made and where we can go from there.”

Today, Gladue is the founder of B Proactive Counselling, which specializes in providing client-centered counselling to individuals on both sides of the sexual abuse equation. Gladue offers a personalized treatment plan that focuses on healing and creating a more successful future.

“Many of these addicts have wept in my office and shook their heads in shame and total disbelief that they were even capable of this behavior,” says Gladue. “If you want to be free and go down a new path, we set up a level of accountability and empower you to understand why it happened and find healing.”