A Message to
Helping Professionals
Thank you for visiting the website of Sexaholics Anonymous (SA) of South Central Texas. As recovering sex addicts, we are grateful to those helping professionals who support the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of people who suffer from sexual addiction. Whether you are a physician or clergy or addiction therapist or work for a government agency, we share a common goal – to help the sexaholic who is still suffering in active addiction.
Many of us also seek psychological and spiritual support as part of our recovery journey. We have discovered that our journey may take us down several recovery paths.
We invite you to use this website as a resource for yourself as you help your clients to recover from their addiction and lead healthy, productive lives. We invite you to:
- Use the readings, information and links found on our website.
- Encourage someone you suspect of having a sexual addiction to attend one of our meetings.
- Reach out to us with questions or a desire for additional information.
Our program of recovery follows the principles of the Twelve Steps of Sexaholics Anonymous which helps us recover from our addictions. The Twelve Traditions of Sexaholics Anonymous guide our relationships between the groups, members, the global fellowship and society at large. The SA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are adapted from the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
We are non-professional. We are not a treatment or therapy program. We do not claim to have all the answers, but we can share our journey to recovery with those who are seeking their own recovery.
If you don’t find an answer to your questions on our website, we invite you to email us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sexaholics Anonymous is a recovery program based on the spiritual principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The founders of SA received permission from AA to use the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in 1979. Today, SA is an international fellowship with thousands of groups and meetings worldwide.
Sexaholics Anonymous defines sobriety as follows:
“For the married sexaholic, sexual sobriety means having no form of sex with self or with persons other than the spouse.
“For the unmarried sexaholic, sexual sobriety means freedom from sex of any kind.
“And for all of us, single and married alike, sexual sobriety also includes progressive victory over lust.”
Source: Sexaholics Anonymous, 191-192)
No. Sexaholics Anonymous is not a religious program and we are not affiliated with any religious organization or sect.
We are a spiritual program and seek to find “a power greater than ourselves” as part of our recovery.
Sexaholics Anonymous welcomes anyone with a desire to stop lusting and become sexually sober regardless of their religious affiliation. Our members are Atheist, Agnostic, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, etc.
SA has a tradition of cooperation rather than affiliation with helping professionals. We seek to be a resource within our communities, and offer support to therapists, clergy, medical and therapeutic professionals, law enforcement, sex offender programs and other voluntary organizations.
Our local fellowships can provide information, speakers, literature and recovery resources.
No. Due to the nature of our addiction and the need for unity in our meetings, all meetings are “closed” to the public unless clearly stated the meeting is an “Open Meeting.”
Meetings are open to all legally recognized adults (ages 18 and older) of all genders and sexual orientations who are seeking sobriety and recovery from lust and sexual addiction.
“We have no dues or fees, but we are self-supporting through our own contributions.” Donations help pay for operational expenses such as meeting space, program materials, outreach and SA International.
It is our policy to turn down financial offers from external bodies or individuals.
Recovery in Sexaholics Anonymous begins with a period of sobriety.
Participants are encouraged to attend meetings on a regular basis where other addicts share their own experience, strength and hope in overcoming their addiction.
After “getting sober,” members begin working the Twelve Steps with a sober sponsor.
The Twelve Steps involve the person:
- admitting they have an addiction and are willing to seek the help of another person who has recovered from their own addiction;
- conducting a self-appraisal and confidential self-disclosure;
- making amends where harm has been done, and
- working with other sexaholics who want to recover.
Central to the program is the idea of a “spiritual awakening,” emphasizing its practical value rather than its philosophical or metaphysical understanding.
Sexaholics Anonymous provides no vocational, legal, financial, psychiatric, medical, religious or professional services, though many of us have been or currently are employed in these professions.
Yes. Our fellowship uses only literature approved by SA International. The primary resources used in our meetings are:
- SA White Book
- SA Step Into Action
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
- SA Recovery Continues
These books can be purchased at sa.org.
Supporting Family and Friends of Sexaholics
Sexual addiction is a debilitating disease with far-reaching impact to families, friendships, and across all social settings. In your professional capacity, you will likely encounter clients who are dealing with the actions of a Sexaholic. There are resources available to help them also.
S-Anon International Family Groups is a Twelve Step fellowship of the relatives and friends of sexually addicted people who share their experience, strength and hope. S-Anon and S-Ateen offer help and hope to family members, friends or anyone who has been impacted by the pain and chaos caused by the disease. To learn more about these recovery programs and the support they might offer for your clients, visit www.sanon.org.
