Local · San Francisco Bay Area
Bay Area resources for problematic pornography use.
Verified local options across hospital programs, specialized therapists, peer support, and university counseling. The single strongest medical fit in the region is Stanford's Addiction Medicine clinic, which publicly names pornography among the behavioral addictions it treats.
Resources verified February 2026. Hours, fees, and availability change — call before your first visit. For non-regional helplines, see the main Get Help page.
The clearest Bay Area medical option
Of the Bay Area academic medical programs we reviewed, only Stanford's Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic publicly names pornography among the behavioral addictions it treats. If you want clinical care in the Bay Area for problematic pornography use, this is the most direct starting point.
Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic
Insurance verified at intake; commercial insurance acceptedPalo Alto · Stanford Medicine
The clinic's public materials state it treats "substance use disorders, behavioral addictions (videogames, gambling, shopping, pornography, etc.), and co-occurring psychiatric disorders." Outpatient, evidence-based; weekly therapy groups plus individual psychiatry.
401 Quarry Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94304
Featured Program · Sponsored
HOPE Program
Established 2008 · California
Outpatient mental health agency offering evidence-based, affordable treatment across California — including a specialized program certified by the California Sex Offender Management Board.
Programs offered
- Adult Sexual Behavior Program
- Substance Use & Concurrent Disorders
- Trauma Program
- Mood & Anxiety Disorders
- Domestic Violence Program
- Youth Forensic Services
- Anger Management
Clinical approach
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Individual, group, and family counseling
- Psychological evaluations and risk assessments
- Relapse prevention planning
- Specialized tracks for developmentally delayed and dual-diagnosis clients
- Telehealth and in-person sessions
16 California locations
- Capitola
- Concord
- El Cajon
- El Cerrito
- Escondido
- Hayward
- Merced
- Modesto
- Moreno Valley
- Salinas
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Maria
- Stockton
This is a paid placement. Inclusion as a Featured Program is editorially independent of the research presented elsewhere in this report. See the About page for editorial policy and the Get Help page for the full list of unaffiliated, free helplines.
12-step and peer recovery (Bay Area meetings)
Free, peer-led recovery fellowships with active in-person and online meetings throughout the Bay Area. The intergroup websites below list meeting times, locations, and dial-in details. Voluntary contributions only.
Bay Area Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) Intergroup
FreeSF, East Bay, North Bay, South Bay
Local meeting list plus dedicated newcomer phone lines staffed by members in recovery. Multiple meetings per day across the region.
Men's newcomer line: (510) 906-1644
Women's newcomer line: (925) 338-0996
General info: (415) 340-1962
info@bayareasaa.org
Visit website ↗Sexaholics Anonymous (SA) — Northern California Intergroup
FreeBay Area & Northern California
Meetings throughout Northern California, in-person and online. SA holds a stricter sobriety definition than other fellowships; check the site to understand the program before attending.
meetings@sabayarea.org
Visit website ↗Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) — SF & East Bay
FreeSan Francisco & East Bay
Local in-person and Zoom meetings. Lists trans- and nonbinary-affirming meetings. Callbacks within 24 hours.
LGBTQ+ Sex Addicts Anonymous
FreeSan Francisco
Friday-night meeting tailored to LGBTQ+ members of SAA.
fridaynightsaa@gmail.com
Visit website ↗Recovering Couples Anonymous (RCA) — Bay Area
FreeBay Area
Open to couples whose only requirement is a desire to remain committed. SF in-person "Date Night" meeting Fri 7–9pm; Bay Area Club hosts weekly Zoom RCA meetings.
Specialized clinical practices
Bay Area therapists and clinics that explicitly treat sexual compulsivity and problematic pornography use. Most offer a free initial consultation by phone; ask whether they sliding-scale fee or accept your insurance before scheduling.
Dr. Seth Prosterman, Ph.D., LMFT
San Francisco (Cow Hollow)
Certified Sex Therapist whose practice explicitly names "sexual compulsivity, sexual problematic behavior, sexual addiction" among its specialties. CBT and humanistic approach. Free initial consultation.
2918 Webster St. (at Union), San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 948-9590
Visit website ↗Dr. Jerel Armstrong, Ph.D. — Forensic Psychology
San Francisco Bay Area · CA PSY27272
Forensic psychology practice offering clinical evaluation and treatment for hypersexuality, compulsive sexual behavior, and paraphilic disorders. Uses validated assessments (Static-99R, Stable-2007, AASI-3, PPG), provides expert testimony, and treats both adults and juveniles. Useful when a formal diagnostic or forensic evaluation is needed.
Robert Schnitzius, LMFT, CSAT — Inner Wisdom
Berkeley & Oakland
Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) and trauma-informed practitioner (EMDR, EFT). Individual, couples, and group therapy. Free 20-minute phone consultation.
Elmwood (Berkeley) and Lake Merritt (Oakland) offices
(510) 394-2209
Visit website ↗Sex Addict Help — group practice
Multiple Bay Area offices + telehealth
Group of Bay Area psychotherapists specializing in sexual addiction and compulsion (15–30 years' experience). Trauma modalities including EMDR and IFS alongside individual, couples, and family work. Contact via the site to be matched to a clinician.
Bay Area CBT Center — Sex Therapy
San Francisco & Oakland
Sex therapy using CBT, schema, and somatic methods. Their public materials emphasize desire, arousal, trauma, and identity rather than compulsivity specifically — call to confirm fit before booking if problematic pornography use is the primary concern.
45 Franklin St #300, SF · 4283 Piedmont Ave., Oakland
(415) 941-5373
Visit website ↗IITAP CSAT Directory
National finder
The International Institute for Trauma & Addiction Professionals maintains the Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) directory. Filter by zip code or city to find Bay Area clinicians.
Hospital and medical center programs
Most Bay Area hospital behavioral-health programs treat general addiction and mental health, not pornography specifically. They are listed below as referral pathways: a clinician inside one of these programs can route to the right sub-specialty, including the Stanford program above.
Kaiser Permanente — Addiction Medicine & Recovery Services
Kaiser member benefits applyMultiple Bay Area campuses (SF, Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Redwood City)
Outpatient and intensive-outpatient addiction programs for Kaiser members. General addiction medicine; not pornography-specific, but the entry point for Kaiser members seeking behavioral-addiction care.
John Muir Behavioral Health Center
Most insurance accepted; verify by phoneConcord
Inpatient and outpatient (PHP/IOP) treatment for substance use and mental health.
2740 Grant St., Concord (inpatient) · 4080 Port Chicago Hwy., Concord (outpatient)
El Camino Health — Scrivner Center for Mental Health & Addiction
Most insurance acceptedMountain View
Inpatient mental health, outpatient mental health, PHP/IOP including for substance use.
2500 Grant Rd., Mountain View
UCSF Addiction Care Team (ACT)
San Francisco · Zuckerberg SF General
Hospital-based addiction consultation service, primarily for inpatients. Not a self-referral outpatient clinic, but a real and active UCSF addiction program useful to know if you or a loved one is hospitalized.
University counseling centers
Short-term counseling, psychiatry, and referrals for enrolled students. None advertises a dedicated pornography-addiction track, but all treat the underlying concerns (compulsive behavior, anxiety, relationships, substance use) and can refer to specialized providers in the Bay Area.
Stanford CAPS · Vaden Health Services
Covered by Stanford student health feePalo Alto
Brief individual and group therapy, psychiatry, and 24/7 crisis support for enrolled Stanford students.
UC Berkeley · University Health Services Counseling
Available to all enrolled studentsBerkeley
Counseling available to all enrolled UC Berkeley students regardless of insurance plan.
Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 642-2000
Visit website ↗UCSF · Student Mental Health & Wellbeing
San Francisco (Parnassus & Mission Bay)
Mental health care for UCSF graduate and professional students at Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses.
500 Parnassus Ave., Level P8 · 1675 Owens St., 3rd Floor
(415) 476-1281
Visit website ↗SF State · Counseling & Psychological Services
Covered by student health feeSan Francisco
Brief therapy, crisis consultation, and groups; their site explicitly lists sexuality, gender identity, and substance use among common presenting concerns.
Gator Student Health Center, 3rd floor, 730 Font Blvd., SF 94132
(415) 338-2208
Visit website ↗SJSU · Counseling & Psychological Services
Funded by student health feeSan Jose
Same-day support, brief therapy, psychiatry, case management. Brief, goal-oriented model with referrals out for longer-term care.
(408) 924-5678
Visit website ↗USF · Counseling and Psychological Services
Free to enrolled studentsSan Francisco
Free counseling for enrolled USF students plus a 24/7 All Hours Line.
Gillson Hall, Lower Level, 2325 Golden Gate Ave., SF 94118
Santa Clara University · CAPS at Cowell Center
Covered for enrolled SCU studentsSanta Clara
Short-term therapy, crisis support, groups, and workshops.
UC Santa Cruz · CAPS
Santa Cruz
Brief individual therapy, group counseling, psychiatry, same-day crisis services, and "Let's Talk" drop-ins.
Cowell Student Health Center, 2nd floor, 525 McLaughlin Drive
(831) 459-2628 (24/7 after-hours available)
Visit website ↗
Bay Area crisis and access lines
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The lines below are Bay Area-rooted alternatives to 988 with deep local referral networks.
SF Suicide Prevention
Free, confidentialSan Francisco · 24/7
24/7 crisis line, plus dedicated Drug Info and Relapse lines directly relevant to compulsive-behavior support.
24/7 crisis: (415) 781-0500
Drug Info: (415) 362-3400
Relapse Line: (415) 834-1144
TTY: (415) 227-0245
Text CRISIS to (415) 200-2920
Visit website ↗SF Behavioral Health Access Line
San Francisco · 24/7
SFDPH line to find and connect with mental health and substance-use services in San Francisco. Telehealth medication treatment for opioid use 8a–midnight.
1-888-246-3333
Visit website ↗Marin Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Access
Marin County · 24/7
All-ages access line for Marin County behavioral health.
How we put this list together
- Every entry was verified by reading the organization's live public page. Entries we could not confirm were omitted rather than included on guess.
- We did not list Sutter/CPMC, Mills-Peninsula, Alta Bates Summit, or MarinHealth because we could not confirm a specific behavioral-addiction or sexual-compulsivity service at any of them. A hospital's main behavioral-health line can still route you, so don't take their absence here as a negative recommendation.
- Bay Area CBT Center is included with a caveat: their public sex therapy materials emphasize desire and trauma rather than compulsivity. Call before booking if problematic pornography use is your primary concern.
- Inclusion does not imply endorsement. This site is informational only and does not provide medical, legal, or therapeutic advice.