Sex Addiction Rehab in Marbella: What Exists and Which Option Fits

By Dámaris Tenza – Sex Therapist Specialized in Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD), CBT and Gestalt Therapy

Yes, you can get help for sex addiction in and around Marbella. Several residential centres on the Costa del Sol list it among the problems they treat, and there are private therapists who see people in person or online. For most people with compulsive sexual behaviour, regular therapy is the sensible place to start. Residential care is worth considering in a few specific situations, and I’ll go through them below.

If you’re reading this late at night, with «rehab» typed into the search bar, I suspect it’s because nothing you’ve tried on your own has stuck. The promises, the blockers, the fresh starts. A week or two away from everything can sound like a relief, and you may also be wondering who could find out.

You’re far from the only one. In a survey of 2,325 adults in the United States, 8.6% reported clinically significant distress about not being able to control their sexual urges, feelings or behaviours (Dickenson and colleagues, JAMA Network Open, 2018). That study covered sexual behaviour in general, not only porn, but it shows how common this is, and how few people talk about it.

Before you pay for anything, there’s one question I’d put to any centre. I’ll tell you what it is further down.

What «sex addiction rehab» actually means

«Rehab» describes a setting, not a treatment. The World Health Organization’s ICD-11 recognises compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (CSBD, code 6C72): a lasting pattern of failing to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses, usually over six months or more, that causes real distress or gets in the way of daily life. «Sex addiction» and «porn addiction» are everyday names for it rather than formal diagnoses, and specialists still debate how best to define them. I’ve written about that in Is sex addiction real?

It matters because a centre that mostly treats alcohol and drugs isn’t automatically good at treating compulsive sexual behaviour. The word «rehab» tells you where the treatment happens, not how good it is.

Three kinds of help around Marbella

	Residential centre	Intensive programme or workshop	Outpatient therapy
What it is	You live at the centre for a set stay	Several days of concentrated work, then you go home	Regular sessions, in person or online, while you carry on with your life
Who it tends to suit	Substance dependence, risk to your safety, or no workable situation at home	People who want a strong push at the start, or live far from a specialist	Most people with compulsive sexual behaviour and no immediate risk
Time away from life	Weeks	Days	None
How you pay	Per stay	For the whole programme	Per session or package
Main drawback	The real test starts when you get home, and it costs a lot	Without follow-up, the effect can fade	It only works if you keep going

On cost, the Recovery.com directory in November 2026 lists residential programmes in Marbella priced per stay, with figures such as €14,000 for two weeks or «from €18,500» for 28 days. Those are the centres’ own figures, not verified prices, so check everything with the centre itself. Therapy sessions are paid per session or in packages, which spreads the cost over time.

What the research says about each option

Here is what the evidence supports, and where it runs out.

• Psychotherapy has the strongest support. A 2022 systematic review of 24 studies in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions (Antons and colleagues) found the evidence strongest for cognitive behavioural therapy. A 2025 meta-analysis in the same journal (López-Pinar, Esparza-Reig and Bőthe) pooled 20 studies and 2,021 participants: people who had psychotherapy, mostly CBT and acceptance and commitment therapy, improved more than controls on problematic porn use and sexual compulsivity. The authors also warned of a high risk of bias in the studies.
• One randomised trial backs group CBT. In a Swedish trial at the Karolinska Institutet, 137 men diagnosed with hypersexual disorder were randomised to seven weeks of group CBT or a waiting list. Symptoms and sexual compulsivity fell significantly more in the treated group, and the effect held at 3 and 6 months (Hallberg and colleagues, Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2019). It included only men, and fewer people answered at follow-up.
• Medication has limited support. A 2024 review of 13 studies with 141 participants (Borgogna and colleagues, The Journal of Sex Research), aptly titled «No magic pill», found naltrexone the best supported drug and advised caution.
• Online therapy can work as well as sitting in a room. A 2023 meta-analysis of 31 randomised trials in World Psychiatry (Hedman-Lagerlöf and colleagues) found that therapist-supported internet CBT gives similar results to face-to-face CBT. It covers psychiatric and physical conditions in general, not sexual behaviour specifically, although a small pilot study has tried internet CBT for hypersexual disorder in 36 men (Hallberg and colleagues, 2020).
• What I couldn’t find. The reviews above focus on psychotherapy, and I found no controlled studies showing that a residential stay does better than outpatient therapy for compulsive sexual behaviour. That doesn’t make residential care useless. It means the decision should rest on your clinical situation, not on how serious everything feels.

Do you recognise yourself in any of this?

• You’ve told yourself «this is the last time» more than once.
• You hide it, and the secrecy now weighs more than the behaviour.
• It’s starting to affect your sleep, your work, your money or your relationship.
• You carry on even when it gives you little or no satisfaction.

If you nodded at two or more, a short check can help you see where you stand. It’s a tool for reflection, not a diagnosis.

Not sure whether you need rehab or simply the right therapist? Take the private Sex Addiction Assessment. It takes a few minutes and you’re under no obligation to book.

When residential care makes sense

There’s no research threshold for admission, so these are the situations clinicians usually weigh up rather than hard rules. Residential care is worth considering when:

1. There’s substance dependence. Alcohol, cocaine or other drugs that need medical detox, or sex tied to substances (chemsex) with health consequences.
2. Your safety is at risk. Suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or a home situation that isn’t safe.
3. Structured outpatient treatment hasn’t worked. You’ve done a well-run programme and kept relapsing within it.
4. You have no workable environment. You can’t get privacy or distance from your triggers where you live.

If none of these fits, therapy, perhaps with an intensive block at the start, is usually the more proportionate step. Plenty of people arrive convinced they need something drastic and find, after a proper assessment, that sessions fitted around their work and home life were what they needed. The format should follow those criteria, not how ashamed you feel.

When therapy is enough, and how it works in Marbella

I see people in person in Marbella and online anywhere in the world, in English, Spanish, French and Italian. A typical start looks like this:

1. A confidential assessment. You tell me what’s happening, what you’ve tried and what you want to change. You leave with a clearer picture of the pattern, not a label.
2. A plan that fits you. Individual sessions and, where it helps, a group, couples work or a more intensive block. The work combines CBT with attention to emotions, trauma, relationships and intimacy.
3. Follow-up. Change gets tested at home, not in a clinic, so we plan for the weeks after the hard moments too.

If the assessment suggests you need more than outpatient therapy, I’ll tell you honestly, along with the real options. You can read how the different formats work in sex addiction treatment in Spain, and what a first session involves in sex addiction therapist in Marbella.

Eight questions to ask any rehab or therapist before you pay

Save this list. A serious provider should be happy to answer all of it.

1. Who is the clinical lead, and what is their professional registration? Ask for the name and the número de colegiado, and check it with the professional body.
2. Do you specialise in compulsive sexual behaviour, or is it one item on a general addiction menu? Ask how many people with this problem they’ve treated in the past year.
3. Which therapy model do you use, and why? Look for a clear answer such as CBT or ACT, not only «holistic».
4. What exactly does the price include? Detox, therapy hours, medical cover, accommodation, aftercare. Ask for it in writing, with the total.
5. What happens after the stay or the programme? Ask about aftercare, relapse planning and what it costs.
6. How is my confidentiality protected? Who sees my records, and what would you share with my employer, insurer or family?
7. Do you work with my partner, or can you refer them? Recovery nearly always involves the relationship.
8. Would you tell me if I don’t need to be admitted? This is the question I promised you. A clear «yes, and here’s how we’d decide» is a good sign.

Discretion in a small place

Marbella is a small community with a large expat population, so worrying about being recognised is perfectly reasonable. Online sessions from a private space at home help, and so do clear written answers to question 6 above. Nobody should ask you to give up your privacy to get care.

If your partner knows, or you’re afraid they’ll find out

Your partner may be hurting too, and that changes what support you both need. If they’ve just found out, I just found out my partner is a sex addict: what to do in the first 72 hours may help them. Individual sessions for partners are also available.

«But…» and other doubts

«I’m not sure it’s an addiction.» You don’t need the label to ask for help. What matters is the loss of control, the distress and what it’s costing you, not the name.

«I can’t take weeks off work.» Most people don’t have to. Therapy, including online sessions, is built to fit around a working life. If you’re trying to cut down on porn in particular, this 90-day plan may help as well.

«I just need to get away from everything for a while.» Distance can bring relief, but the pattern will be waiting at home. Whatever you choose, ask what happens when you come back.

«Rehab is more serious, so it must work better.» Seriousness shows in treatment that’s well aimed, not in how much it costs or how disruptive it is. The research we have doesn’t show that a residential stay works better.

Frequently asked questions

Is there sex addiction rehab in Marbella?

Yes. Several residential centres in and around Marbella list sex addiction among the conditions they treat, and private therapists offer outpatient care in person and online. Use the eight questions above to compare them.

How long does residential treatment last?

It varies by centre. Directory listings in Marbella show stays from two weeks to 28 days, and some centres offer longer programmes. Ask each one what happens afterwards, because follow-up is where much of the work settles in.

Can I have therapy online if I don’t live in Marbella?

Yes. I work online with people around the world, in English, Spanish, French and Italian. Research on internet-delivered CBT for other conditions suggests it can give results similar to face-to-face therapy when a therapist supports it.

Is it confidential?

Confidentiality is part of the process: the assessment and the consultations are designed so that no one in your life has to know unless you decide to tell them. Whoever you choose, ask them to put their policy in writing.

How much does therapy cost?

Residential programmes are priced per stay, and the figures listed vary widely, so compare what’s included. Therapy is paid per session or in packages. Ask for the current prices when you get in touch and we’ll give them to you in writing.

Your first step isn’t choosing a clinic

You don’t have to decide today between a villa by the sea and a weekly session. The first step is smaller: understanding what’s going on and what level of help fits it. That’s why those eight questions matter, and why the best answer to the one I promised you is «yes, I’d tell you if you don’t need to be admitted.»

Some people describe the first change in very ordinary terms: a quieter evening, a phone left in another room without any effort, and a little less to hide.

Not ready to talk? Start with the private assessment. It takes a few minutes and you decide what to do next. If you’d rather speak to someone, call +34 622 10 10 23 or write to us on WhatsApp.

If you need immediate help: in Spain, call 112 in an emergency, 024 for suicidal crisis support, or 016 if you are experiencing violence from a partner. If you live outside Spain, call your local emergency number.

This article is for information only and does not replace a professional assessment.