TINSA: A Neurological Approach to the Treatment of Sex Addiction

by Michael Barta

Sexual addiction treatment has long focused on managing the symptoms of addiction with abstinence—a difficult challenge in a world where limitless pornographic gratification is never more than a mouse click away. A new recovery method is needed: one capable of identifying and treating the core cause of addictive behavior.

TINSA® is such a program. Created by a preeminent Colorado master clinician, TINSA®, or Trauma Induced Sexual Addiction, explores the effects of adverse developmental experiences on a young brain and nervous system and illustrates how the damage caused by those experiences encourages addictive behavior.

Realizing how many sex addicts suffer from abandonment, neglect, and other childhood trauma led TINSA® creator Michael Barta, PhD, LPC, CSAT, to examine how emotional wounding leads to the need to self-regulate the release of the pleasure hormone dopamine through sexual stimuli. As increasing levels of dopamine are required over time to reach the same “high,” by adulthood, self-regulation can produce compulsive, damaging sexual behavior.

Through TINSA®, Barta offers the means to treat sex addiction at the source, reducing compulsive sexual behavior over time and providing effective, long-term recovery. TINSA® has helped thousands already. It can help you too.

Genres: Psychology

186 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2017

Reviews

[Alan Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended to me, read it, now appreciate the author's experience and skill in unpacking some commonly known facts about addicts (triggering events) and exploring some more recent neurobiology findings. I found immediate practical application while being cut off in traffic, applying the principle of "foundation" remaining calm, aware of actual safety and grateful for the same. (I couldn't make this up!) In another instance, I became triggered, then simply noted this to a family member, "I don't like this" and shortly returned to a more calm place.

Currently reading aloud a second time - it's that good.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was self published and presents some important and helpful information about sex addiction. However, the writing style left much to be desired and clearly needed better editing. In addition, the book needs an index.

That being said, the author clearly knows his subject matter and communicates it reasonably well. He has a lot of charts and diagrams that are helpful. The last two chapters of the book are extremely helpful, offering very practical advice and truly insightful presentations of both the partner’s world and the addict’s world. The book is a good reference tool, which is one of the reasons an index is greatly needed.

[Morteza · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is well written and very easy to read. It gave me so much to think about and I learned a lot about myself and how my experiences as a child are still affecting me throughout my adult life. In short, this book will help a lot in connecting the dots in regards to ones behavioral problems.

One thing that I felt was missing was not having any tools or techniques to reverse the problematic behaviors once the root causes become more clear.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible. As a betrayed partner, I found this book incredibly helpful. I didn't pay attention to the quality of writing. It's the information that is life-saving. The narration flowed well. I will listen to it again. The origins, science and treatment of sex addiction is applicable to other addictions.

[Cory Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a foundational book that helped me understand the role of trauma in addiction, based on the science. It's extremely well laid out, and easy to digest. Highly recommend for anyone wrestling with addiction, not just sex addiction.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for Addictions class - interesting approach to origins and treatment of sexual addictions

[Ella McGibney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The TINSA foundation of regulation graphic adapted from “window of tolerance” was really helpful