Friday October 15, 2010
Psychotherapist: Porn Addiction Prevalent, Curable
STEUBENVILLE, OH, October 15, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) — “Pornography is a silent epidemic in America,” said Dr. Peter Kleponis, a Catholic psychotherapist who spoke on the dangers of pornography before a full house at Franciscan University of Steubenville on Thursday, September 30.
Kleponis gave a richly informative talk that covered everything from the scope of the porn problem to the virtues men need to engage in healthy relationships and move past pornography.
“The damage to men from pornography use and masturbation is extensive,” said Kleponis, who specializes in marriage and family therapy, men’s issues, and pornography addiction recovery. “Among other wounds, it turns men in upon themselves, thereby damaging their self-giving as spouses and fathers … thus preventing them from fulfilling their role as protectors and leaders and physical and spiritual fathers; damages male confidence; and harms their ability to see and to respect the true beauty of women.”
Pornography use has become ubiquitous in recent years, he said. “Any statistics we have are probably gross under-estimates of it, because so much of it is unreported … It’s men late at night alone with their computers.
“The pornography industry earns over $97 billion every year, more than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, EBay, Yahoo, Apple, Netflix, and EarthLink make combined. Child pornography generates $3 billion of that revenue.”
Kleponis is the assistant director of Comprehensive Counseling Services in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Based on his years of private counseling, he offered a number of ways for men to heal, emphasizing above all else that healing is in fact possible.
“The field of positive psychology that employs the use of forgiveness and other virtues has significant potential to help those with addictions not only with their recovery from compulsive behaviors, but also from associated disorders,” said Kleponis. “The ability of addicted persons to learn how to overcome selfishness, grow in confidence, address loneliness and anxiety, and resolve and control excessive anger is essential in their recovery and in protecting them from relapse.”
For Catholics, Kleponis recommends some of the classic remedies for sin, including making a good confession and receiving the Eucharist at least once a week; daily prayer and spiritual reading; daily Scripture study, especially in the form of lectio divina; monthly spiritual direction; annual retreats; being active in one’s parish; a strong relationship with Our Lady as a loving, affectionate spiritual mother, and a strong relationship with St. Joseph as an affectionate and protective father.
More information from Dr. Kleponis is available at www.maritalhealing.com.