''Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew'' is a

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

show that documents people being treated for

sexual addiction According to proponents of the concept, sexual addiction, also known as sex addiction, is a state characterized by compulsive participation or engagement in sexual activity, particularly sexual intercourse, despite negative consequences. The con ...

Dr. Drew Pinsky David Drew Pinsky (born September 4, 1958), commonly known as Dr. Drew, is an American media personality, internist, and addiction medicine specialist. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show ''Loveline'' from the show's inceptio ...

and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

. Premiering on November 1, 2009, ''Sex Rehab'' was a

spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...

of ''

Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew ''Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew'', later called simply ''Rehab with Dr. Drew'', is a reality television show that aired on the cable network VH1 in which many of the episodes chronicle a group of well-known people as they are treated for alco ...

'', in which Pinsky treats celebrities for

substance abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...

Premise

''Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew'' is a spinoff of ''

Celebrity Rehab Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...

'', in which celebrities who have substance

addictions Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...

deal with their illness. Unlike its predecessor, this show specifically addresses

. The participants live in a facility for 21 days with Dr.

Drew Pinsky David Drew Pinsky (born September 4, 1958), commonly known as Dr. Drew, is an American media personality, internist, and addiction medicine specialist. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show ''Loveline'' from the show's inceptio ...

and Jill Vermeire providing daily one-on-one and

group therapy Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. The term can legitimately refer to any form of psychotherapy when delivered in a group format, i ...

sessions in order to address the psychological and psychiatric roots of their

compulsive behavior Compulsive behavior is defined as performing an action persistently and repetitively. Compulsive behaviors could be an attempt to make obsessions go away. The act is usually a small, restricted and repetitive behavior, yet not disturbing in a pa ...

Cast

Staff

- Pinsky is the star of the show, and the lead specialist who treats the patients. A

board-certified Board certification is the process by which a physician or other professional demonstrates a mastery of advanced knowledge and skills through written, practical, or simulator-based testing. Certification bodies There are more than 25 boards that ...

internist and

addiction medicine Addiction medicine is a medical subspecialty that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, evaluation, treatment, and recovery of persons with addiction, of those with substance-related and addictive disorders, and of people who show unhealthy us ...

specialist, he rose to fame as the host of the nationally syndicated

radio talk show Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featur ...

, ''

Loveline ''Loveline'' is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its host through most of its run was Dr. Drew Pins ...

'', and star of ''

'', of which ''Sex Rehab'' is a spinoff. *Jill Vermeire, MFT - A sex addiction therapist. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC #41255) who received her Masters in Clinical Psychology at

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres (340 ha) overlooking the Pacific Ocean and t ...

. *Selma - Lead Technician. She was fired in Episode 6 following an altercation between her and patient

Kari Ann Peniche Kari Ann Peniche Williams ( ) (born March 20, 1984) is an American actress and entertainer from Fairview, Oregon. She has held the Miss Oregon Teen USA and Miss United States Teen titles. She was stripped of the latter title after appearing nude ...

. *Louis - Resident Technician. *John Sealy - A psychiatrist who appears in two episodes for one-on-one sessions with Kari Ann and Duncan. According to cast member Duncan Roy, he also acts as a consultant for the production.

Roy, Duncan Duncan Roy (born 8 July 1960) is an English film director and producer, script writer, art director and television personality. Early life Roy was born on 8 July 1960, in Whitstable, Kent, England to Frances Elizabeth Spark and Kuros Khazaei. Fr ...

"Is Dr. Drew a Phony?"
''

The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...

''; December 17, 2009 *Shelly Sprague - An alumna of ''

'', Shelly is a Resident Technician who runs the floor, and a recovering addict herself. She met Pinsky through

Bob Forrest Robert O'Neil "Bob" Forrest (born February 15, 1961) is an American musician who is best known for his work with the Los Angeles bands Thelonious Monster and The Bicycle Thief. Forrest, a recovering drug addict, has worked for years as a recovery ...

, a fellow recovering addict and colleague of Drew's with whom Sprague used to do drugs. She runs a center at Las Encinas Hospital in

. Nicknamed "The Shark", she arrives in Episode 6 to replace Selma.

Patients

Jennifer Ketcham Jennifer "Jennie" Ketcham is an American writer, reality television personality, blogger, and artist. Before 2009, she worked as a pornographic film actress and director under the name Penny Flame. She later appeared on a number of television ...

– porn actress (Penny Flame)/director/businesswoman * James Lovett – Surfer/

wakeboard Wakeboarding is a water sport in which the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat across its wake and especially up off the crest in order to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboardin ...

er *

Nicole Narain Nicole Narain (born July 28, 1974) is an American model, actress and Playboy Playmate of Afro-Caribbean descent. Career She was chosen as ''Playboy'''s Playboy Playmate, Playmate of the Month in January 2002 and has appeared in numerous List ...

– Model/

Playboy Playmate A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...

– Beauty queen/model /fashion designer *

Kendra Jade Rossi Kendra Jade (born April 19, 1977) is an American model, actress, and former adult film star. Jade appeared on the VH1 reality television series '' Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew'' and ''Sober House''. During these shows, Jade was treated for sex addic ...

– Ex-porn star/music manager *

Duncan Roy Duncan Roy (born 8 July 1960) is an English film director and producer, script writer, art director and television personality. Early life Roy was born on 8 July 1960, in Whitstable, Kent, England to Frances Elizabeth Spark and Kuros Khazaei. Fr ...

- Producer/writer/director *

Amber Smith Amber Smith is an American actress and former model. Early life Amber Smith is the daughter of Carol Smith. During her 2008 and 2009 appearances on the reality television programs in which she sought treatment by Dr. Drew Pinsky for addiction, s ...

– Model/reality TV star/actress *

Phil Varone Phil Varone (born October 15, 1967) is an American drummer. He is a founding and former member of the band Saigon Kick from 1988–1996 and from 2012–2015. While out of Saigon Kick for several years, some of which Saigon Kick wasn't active ...

– Musician/comedian

Production

Patient

's aggressive and erratic behavior marred her participation in the treatment program. She would verbally abuse the staff and other patients, refuse to participate in group discussions or obey rules, and voice various bizarre or paranoid ideations, such as people laughing at her when they apparently were not, and smiling uncontrollably even when angry or discussing very sad topics. Dr. Pinsky became suspicious that she was using illicit substances, or had been prior to being admitted, and the staff psychiatrist diagnosed her as having

Borderline Personality Disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong ...

, both of which require treatment before any treatment can be done for sexual addiction. She was eventually discharged involuntarily for failing to obey the rules. Pinsky offered her an alternative program at a psychiatric hospital nearby, but she angrily refused.

Criticism

Drew Pinsky, producer John Irwin and Irwin Entertainment, which produce the show, have been criticized by addiction specialists in regard to ''

'', from which ''Sex Rehab'' was spun off, for allegedly poor treatment techniques. With respect to ''Sex Rehab'' in particular, alumnus

has criticized the show's producers for prioritizing titillation and drama over rehabilitation for the patients in terms of casting, filming tactics and their editing choices, claiming that they instigated the behavior that resulted in

's expulsion from the program in order to create a more watchable program. Roy has also questioned Pinsky's competence, saying that Jill Vermeire and Dr. John Sealy were his true source of therapeutic insight, and that while Pinsky is adept at treating drug and alcohol addiction, he is not knowledgeable in

sex addiction According to proponents of the concept, sexual addiction, also known as sex addiction, is a state characterized by compulsive participation or engagement in sexual activity, particularly sexual intercourse, despite negative consequences. The con ...

, and merely repeated Vermeire's ideas. Roy further alleged that Sealy, whom Roy perceived as genuinely interested in helping sex addicts, confided in him that the producers had other motivations, and kept his involvement in the show minimal because he was not telegenic enough.

Episodes

After filming

Duncan Roy moved from his

Malibu, California Malibu ( ; es, Malibú; Chumash: ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its strip of the Malibu ...

estate to a small

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

apartment, where he is co-star

's neighbor. Kari Ann Peniche appeared on the third season of ''

'', during which it was confirmed that when entering the unit in ''Sex Rehab'', she had smuggled

speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quanti ...

in a

teddy bear A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy bear, ...

. Peniche, Rossi and Ketcham later appeared on the second season of ''

Sober House Sober living houses (SLHs), also called sober homes and sober living environments, are facilities that provide safe housing and supportive, structured living conditions for people exiting drug rehabilitation programs. SLHs serve as a transitional ...

''. Ketcham, along with Pinsky, discussed her path into porn and her addictions to both sex and drugs, as well as her recovery, in a March 17, 2010 appearance on '' The View''. She explained that she had taken a vow of abstinence for a year when she completed treatment, but that after nine months, she met a man with whom she was in a committed monogamous relationship, and who supported her recovery by attending meetings with her.Ketcham described her early life and her path to porn and sex addiction in her March 17, 2010 appearance on '' The View''.

References

External links

* {{VH1 original programming 2000s American reality television series 2009 American television series debuts 2009 American television series endings American English-language television shows American television spin-offs VH1 original programming