The authors review the literature regarding affect, emotions, sex offending, and Internet use and addiction in order to make the case that sex offenders should have access to acceptance-based therapies that provide the client with a counterintuitive method of accepting troubling internal emotions through the use of long-term adaptive behavior. The goal then becomes convincing sex offender clients that it is better to engage with their emotional distress without using the Internet as a means of avoidance. Most standard behavioral and cognitive therapies can focus on relieving distressing emotions by teaching clients how to bear pain skillfully. In particular, four sets of distress tolerance techniques are often taught: (1) distraction skills; (2) self-soothing skills; (3) skills to improve the moment; and (4) crisis survival skills. Research on the growing use of the Internet has noted the emergence of a class of Internet “addicts” who use the Internet to avoid negative emotions, such as boredom, anxiety, and depression. This type of Internet addiction explains why sex offenders make increasing use of the Internet for sexual gratification and to avoid unpleasant emotional states. In conclusion, the authors state that if the Internet is functioning as an avoidance technique for dealing with distressing emotional states, then therapy that teaches clients how to effectively deal with negative emotions is the logical answer. References