If you’re someone who struggles with unwanted sexual behavior, you may already know how overwhelming it can feel to face endless cycles of shame, secrecy, and isolation.

Sometimes these patterns of frustration can continue for years while trying to manage things on your own.
Consequently, seeking help is not just a brave step; it’s a necessary one. Two of the most effective forms of support available are therapy and support groups.

And while each offers distinct benefits, it’s not about choosing one over the other. Rather, it’s understanding how each contributes to an effective plan for personal recovery. In fact, for many people in recovery from porn and sexual compulsions, the combination of therapy and support groups provides the strongest foundation for healing.

That said, here are three key similarities and differences between support groups and therapy and, more importantly, why investing in both can prove to be so powerful and transforming.

Similarity #1: A safe space to be honest

Both therapy and support groups create spaces where you can speak openly, something that’s often difficult when it comes to these struggles. In therapy, you work one-on-one with a licensed professional who helps you explore the roots of your behavior and guides you through a treatment plan. In support groups, you share and listen to others who are walking a similar path.

But both settings provide emotional safety.

This means the understanding that you won’t be judged. Rather, you’ll be heard. And perhaps most importantly, you’ll begin to break free from the secrecy that fuels addictive behavior.

Similarity #2: Support without shame

One of the biggest roadblocks in recovering from compulsive unwanted sexual behavior is shame. This is because shame tells you that you’re too broken to be helped. As such, both therapy and support groups counter that narrative by offering compassion, accountability, and connection.

In therapy, you’ll work on developing healthier coping mechanisms and learning how your past experiences may have contributed to your current struggles. In a support group, you’ll meet others who’ve felt the same guilt and pain, but are hopefully making progress.

And together, they help shift your perspective from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me and how can I heal?”

Similarity #3: Empowerment through community and growth

Recovery isn’t just about stopping unwanted behavior. It’s about building a healthier, more meaningful life. Consequently, both therapy and support groups aim to empower you to grow, regain self-control, and rebuild relationships. They offer encouragement, challenge destructive thought patterns, and reinforce the fact that you’re not alone.

And so whether you’re hearing a therapist validate your progress or listening to someone in your group share their breakthrough, you’ll gain new insight and hope from both avenues.

That said, there are therapeutic differences with both therapy and support groups. Consequently, it is these differences that help complement each other, offering a more comprehensive and effective recovery experience.

Difference #1: Clinical expertise vs. peer support

In therapy, you work with a licensed mental health professional. Often that person is someone trained in a particular theory with a specialized approach that uses evidence-based methods such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), trauma therapy, or psychosexual therapy. As such, your sessions are tailored to your individual story, challenges, and goals.

But support groups, such as the ones we offer through Small Groups Online or our Community Connect Groups, are peer-focused and/or led. This means they focus less on clinical treatment and more on shared experience, mutual support, and accountability.

In these groups, you’ll meet others who truly understand the struggle because they’ve lived it too.

And while both forms of support offer something the other cannot, together, they address both the internal and external aspects of recovery.

Difference #2: Personalized vs. shared focus

Therapy is highly individualized. You might explore the deeper emotional roots of your addictive behavior, past trauma, attachment wounds, or co-occurring mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. In this way, your therapist helps you build insight and craft strategies that are unique to your life and circumstances.

Support groups, on the other hand, focus on the collective experience. Consequently, the goal isn’t to analyze your past in detail, but to stay present and connected in recovery with others. This applies whether it’s “working through the steps,” doing check-ins, or engaging in shared accountability. As such, hearing others’ stories can inspire you to stay the course, even on your hardest days.

By combining both, you get individual healing and group strength, which proves to be a powerful formula for growth.

All of these things will, in the long term, help us become healthier people, which in turn will help us face life without the need for maladaptive resources such as porn, masturbation, and the like.

Understand that community helps us feel like we belong. Community helps us heal. Community reminds us that we are not alone and that we are worthy of love.

Difference #3: Accessibility and frequency

Therapy typically involves scheduled, private sessions that may occur weekly or biweekly. It often requires insurance or out-of-pocket payment. And while this means you receive focused attention, it can sometimes limit how often you receive support.

Support groups, on the other hand, are generally free, low-cost, and they meet frequently—sometimes daily, sometimes multiple times a week, both in-person and online. This provides consistent, accessible support between therapy sessions, helping you maintain accountability and stay connected when temptations and struggles arise.

But again, when used together, therapy gives you the depth you need while support groups offer the continuity you want.

In the end, real effective recovery requires more than just stopping the behavior. Rather, it involves understanding the roots of one’s behavior, changing thought patterns, and building a life rooted in honesty, connection, and purpose.

And while therapy offers deep, structured healing and support groups offer shared strength and consistent connection, you don’t have to choose between them.

Instead, you can (and should) use both.

Whether you’re just starting your recovery journey or looking to deepen your progress, consider how therapy and support groups can work together in your life. With both professional guidance and peer encouragement, you’ll be better equipped to stay on the path to healing… not just for now, but for the long haul.

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