About Novus Mindful Life Family Counseling and Recovery
Specialized Sex Addiction, Pornography Addiction & Betrayal Trauma Therapy — Serving California, Idaho, Florida, Texas & Virginia Since 2010
Meet Our Founder
I know what it feels like to struggle — because I’ve been there.
At 17, I went into rehab. At the time, I thought it was about the drinking. Looking back, I see it was really about depression, anxiety, and shame — and not knowing how to cope. Alcohol was just how I tried to numb what I couldn’t name.
Getting help that young was life-changing. It gave my brain time to heal and helped me develop the coping skills I desperately needed. I’m deeply grateful for that experience, and it planted the seed that eventually became Novus.
But the path here wasn’t straightforward.
I spent years working as a camera assistant in the film industry. On the surface, it was exciting — movie sets, fast pace, accolades. But deep down, I wasn’t happy. I was chasing someone else’s version of success. As I grew older and started listening to myself, I realized I wanted work that mattered to me — work that could help others through the pain I understood firsthand.
So I went back to school. I earned my B.A. and Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Long Beach in 2003 and began building a career around a belief that shaped my life: shame is the biggest barrier to healing, and resilience is always possible.
Then life delivered a loss that changed me forever. The death of my first child taught me profound lessons about grief, what truly matters, and the fragility of life — lessons no textbook could offer. That loss deepened my understanding of trauma and continues to shape how I support clients in their hardest moments.
I founded Novus Mindful Life in 2010 because I saw a gap in the field. People struggling with sex addiction and partners facing betrayal trauma needed more than generic counseling. They needed a practice tailored to them — where every therapist understood compulsive sexual behavior, the devastation of betrayal, and the possibility of healing.
That’s why I built Novus. And over 15 years later, that’s still what we do.
Duane Osterlind, LMFT, CSAT-S
Founder & Clinical Director
Novus Mindful Life Family Counseling & Recovery
Our Clinical Expertise
Novus isn’t a general practice that happens to treat addiction. Every therapist on our team is specifically trained in sex addiction, pornography addiction, and betrayal trauma — and that level of specialization makes a meaningful difference in outcomes.
Our Team
Several therapists are also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma processing, and our betrayal trauma specialists hold training through APSATS (the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists)
This means whether you’re the person struggling with compulsive sexual behavior or the partner reeling from discovery, you’ll be working with someone who deeply understands your specific experience — not a therapist learning on the job.
How we work: Evidence-Based, Whole Person Centered Care
We believe that treatment shouldn’t be a mystery or involve guesswork. Our approach is grounded in the latest research in neurobiology, attachment theory, and trauma recovery. We draw from multiple evidence-based modalities, tailoring treatment to each client’s needs:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — identifying and restructuring the thought patterns that fuel compulsive behavior
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) — building distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) — processing trauma that lives in the body, not just the mind
- Solmatic Processing — addressing the physical manifestations of trauma and shame
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions — cultivating present-moment awareness as a foundation for lasting change
- PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Coupe Therapy) — an attachment-based couples model that uses neuroscience to rebuild secure connection
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) — strengthening the emotional bonds between partners
We offer individual therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, and our structured 18-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), which provides parallel care for both the person in addiction recovery and their partner dealing with betrayal trauma.
What Our Clients and Colleagues Are Saying.
I can’t say enough great things about Duane and the team at Novus.
Duane leads with integrity and compassion, creating a culture that clearly supports both clients and clinicians. The team at Novus is not only highly skilled but also incredibly thoughtful and responsive—qualities that are so important in mental health care.
Novus is a standout practice, and I’m grateful to have them as colleagues in the field. They are a true asset to the community!
Daniele was an amazing help!! She is so sweet and caring!
Dr. Barbara truly cares about her clients. Her expertise in EMDR and other treatments helps her clients set achievable goals. She is relatable and compassionate. I would highly recommend her.
Rated 4.8 stars on Google by our clients and colleagues | Read More Reviews
Change Is Possible
At our core, our mission is to alleviate suffering in you and your relationships and to help you build meaningful lives.
When we are stuck with difficult emotions, moods and thoughts it becomes difficult for us to make our lives more meaningful. Without meaning, we can feel hopeless and lost. It can feel like an endless loop of painful emotions and thoughts that in the end create more suffering.
Novus grew out of a strong desire to help others overcome suffering caused by trauma, addiction, anxiety, and depression. Our goal has always been to create a place where individuals and couples to reach their potential and create joy and happiness.
We believe that with new information we have new possibilities.
At Novus, we are a team of expert therapists who can compassionately work with you to develop the skills necessary to change your life and stop your suffering.
Our Guiding Principals
You have inherent worth that is equal to others.
You have worth and value that is equal to–not better than nor less than–every other person. This is known as inherent worth.
You are worthy of love and belonging
By accepting the concept of inherent worth, it follows then that all people are worthy of love. You are worthy of love and belonging. Love exists on a continuum from respect to very warm regard.
You and your relationships
can change & heal.
The idea that people cannot change is a myth. People show an ability and a desire to change every day. Current empirical evidence suggests that brains continue to remain plastic and malleable throughout our lifetimes.
You have an internal spirit defined by you.
You have an internal spirit. It may be a “higher power.” It may be connected with religion, or it may be a sense of something larger than ourselves that we are connected to. It also may be a “higher self” or “higher principle”. We accept your definition, whatever it might be.
You have the right to make choices.
You have the right to make choices in your life. Empowerment means knowing you have the ability to make choices and pursue your needs and wants.
You are whole and have the answers inside of you.
You are whole. You were born with the value, personality, and aptitude you need to be successful. You have the resources to change your life. Sometimes we just need help accessing them.
Your emotions are not right or wrong and they give you useful information.
Emotions give you information about your environment. They help keep yourself safe and guide you in creating meaning in your life.
You have the right to enjoy sex and your sexuality.
You have the right to enjoy sex and sexuality as long as you are not violating someone else’s boundaries. There should be no shame around sex with appropriately defined boundaries. There should be no shame regarding gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender identity, or relationship status.
You, your therapist, and all others are equal in human worth.
Trusting your therapist helps you to be vulnerable and take risks. Vulnerability and honesty with your therapist are necessary for healing.
We connect through our similarities and grow through our differences.
You will find you connect with others through your similarities. You will also find that you grow through experiencing your differences.
Connection is a human need.
Social interaction and connection with one another are basic human needs for us to thrive.
We Can Help You Get Your Life Back
