Critical Book Review
Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction
Michelle Beel
Liberty University
Psych 307

Summary Dr. Mark Lasser’s book “Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction” gives insight to those who suffer from sexual addiction and to the families, friends and other people in their lives. Dr. Mark Lasser has chosen to write this book, to share with others his personal struggle and victory with sexual addiction. Dr. Lasser has written this book from a Christian view, to give other individuals hope in a difficult and growing disease, which is taking control and destroying our families. Lasser defines sexual addiction as “a sickness involving any type of uncontrollable sexual activity, and because the addict cannot control his …show more content…

Major theme part 3: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction, here Lasser tells us that the journey of healing is “lifetime not a one-time event” (Lasser, 2004, pp 121) In this part of the book Lasser shows and gives hope that this addiction can be overcome and the addict can have a normal and happy healed life with hard work, though counseling, both family and individual, Laaser explains what some of the treatment issues may be and how to work through those issue to obtain sobriety. Theme part 4: Healing the Wounds of the Church, as noted earlier Lasser states that “40 percent of pastors confess to problems with pornography”, and Lasser further states that “23 percent of 300 pastors had done something sexually inappropriate with someone other than their spouse, and that 12 percent have engaged in intercourse with someone other than their spouse” (Laaser, 2004, pp194) He notes that there are three primary contributors to pastoral sexual vulnerability, “the pastors personal responsibility, the responsibility of the system, the family or local church, and finally, the system of the larger church”. (Laaser, 2004, pp 195) in this theme Laaser gives us the characteristics of a sexually addicted pastor or priest and also explains what they may be going through and the hurdles that keep them from getting help.
Analysis
Dr, Laaser’s point of view is from his own personal struggle with sexual addiction and his road to a successful recovery from this secret