Sex Addiction with A D Burks - Part 2
January 14, 2014
Join your host and love coach, Nikki Leigh, on Ready for Love radio today for a frank discussion about sex addiction. We start with whether sex addiction actually exists, how to tell if you or a loved one is a sex addict, how does pain manifest itself in addiction, what are the 4 steps you should use to overcome addiction and much more. Nikki interviews author and recovering sex addict A D Burks to discuss his experience, his background and why he got involved in helping people have a more positive and healthy life and much more. This is PART 2 of my interview. Episode 15 is part 1. (https://podcasts.bcast.fm/e/48950wk8)
Below you can read an interview with A D Burks – some of these questions were included in the show, but others were not.
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A D Burks Interview –
Would you like to share your name? A.D. Burks
What prompted you to become involved in a love, relationship or sex related field? I struggled with sex addiction for 12 years and devised a 4-Step process to break the addictive cycle.
Tell us about your qualifications to work in this field. While I don’t possess academic credentials in the fields of psychology or psychiatry, I have been accessed by a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) as told I am no longer a sex addict. I also was raised by a licensed professional counselor, so I do have several frameworks to work from.
Tell us how you contribute to the growing “sex positive” community. The two primary ways I contribute are (1) reinforcing one of the main themes of my book: Sex is not Equal to Love and (2) my 4-Step Process to break the sex addiction cycle which is located on my book’s website: www.sexsurrender.com under the 4-STEPS tab.
In a few sentences, how do you describe what you do and how you help people? I try to give hope and inspire sex addicts and other addicts to know they can overcome their addiction. I also try to get people to realize that addiction is a result of pain and sex does not equal love.
What sort of education, background, experience etc do you have for this work? I have a BA in Chemistry from Grinnell College, an MBA from Rice University, and an honorary doctorate in the life lessons of sex addiction.
What sort of additional training did you feel you needed to do more for your clients? I need to get an increased knowledge on love addiction because love addiction and sex addiction are closely related. I also have been focusing on healthy, lifelong romantic relationships; because at the end of the day most sex addicts want to be with someone that will truly love them.
How long have you been involved in this work? I started writing the book in 2009 and as the book progressed, my knowledge and awareness of sex addiction did also.
How did your love & relationship journey begin? My journey towards true love began when I realized my sex addiction behavior wasn’t laying the foundation for the family I truly wanted.
If you have a main focus or niche – what is it? My true focus is to share the life lessons I’ve learned, whether they’re focused on sex, finances, spirituality, you name it, to help others along their journey.
What lead you to that specialty? I believe it was a calling from God. As I wrote in the book, the book was a result of a dream. At the end of the day, each of us is still on this earth to fulfill a purpose; and I believe this is mine.
What has been the hardest thing about your work? The hardest thing has been handling the reactions of the people closest to me that I love. Those people want to protect themselves and me; at times the manner in which they choose to express their love can be challenging. The book is very graphic due to the nature of sex addiction. However, I chose to be transparent so people in the same or similar circumstances could see themselves and know they can overcome the addiction like I did.
What has been the most rewarding thing about your work? The most rewarding thing is when a person who is struggling with sex addiction comes up to me and thanks me for writing the book. In those moments, it makes all the sacrifice and scrutiny I’ve had to endure worth it.
Tell us about your business. My business is to let people know that addiction is equal to pain, sex is not equal to love, and they can use the 4-Step process to break the addictive cycle.
How long have you been in business? I released the book April 2013.
Did you expand an existing business? No
Do you have a website and/or blog? Yes the books website is: www.sexsurrender.com My author website is: www.adburks.com and the blog is Sex Is Not Equal To Love
How could someone get in touch with you? They could go to the book’s website www.sexsurrender.com and click on either the FaceBook and/or Twitter thumbnails or email me at adburks@sexsurrender.com
Who are your favorite types of client? Anyone open and not closed-minded.
How would you describe your ideal client? The ideal client is someone who is honest with him/herself.
Would you like to share your most unusual experience? So far nothing truly unusual has happened yet. I’ve been blessed to have been exposed to a variety of experiences throughout my life, so nothing usually shocks me.
How do you promote your business? The primary methods I use to promote are: word of mouth, interviews, and speaking engagements.
Have you written any books or developed any products for your clients? In addition to Sex and Surrender: An Addicts Journey, I’m currently working on a workbook to discuss the 4-Steps in more detail.
If so, definitely share some details and links for more information.
What did I forget to ask? My ultimate goal is for anyone who comes in contact with me to know I would ask them to establish their own relationship with God. Once that relationship is established, they will receive the love they have always been seeking.
Thank you for taking the time to share information about yourself and your “sex positive” experiences and your journey.