Dear Professional,
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) is a twelve-step fellowship for individuals seeking recovery from sex and love addiction. Many kinds of inappropriate sexual and relational behaviors manifest as a form of addiction, which means people find it difficult to stop, despite the negative impact. The following behaviors may be considered manifestations of the addiction, which may include potentially compulsive, repetitive, harmful, illegal, or otherwise problematic issues such as:
- engagement with pornography;
- masturbation;
- sexual services;
- dating apps;
- high-risk sexual behavior;
- compulsive partnering;
- infidelity or overlapping relationships;
- chronic preoccupation with sexual and/or romantic fantasies;
- ‘clinging’ to a former partner;
- inability to leave or stop returning to an unhealthy relationship;
- stalking or obsessive pursuit, including social media stalking;
- sexual activity despite a lack of desire;
- emotional dependency; and/or
- withdrawal from all intimacy.
Prior to recovery, some members experienced serious personal and professional consequences, including disruption to work and relationships, reputational harm, loss of employment or partnerships, lifetime legal consequences, self-harm, or suicide attempts.
In S.L.A.A., members support one another in stopping harmful behaviors, developing accountability, establishing healthy boundaries, and building more stable and respectful relationships. Many of us have experienced meaningful personal change through this program and now help others who are seeking recovery.
S.L.A.A. is free and open to anyone who believes they may have a problem with sex and love addiction. Meetings are confidential and available via in-person, online, and mixed formats. Our literature includes descriptions of common characteristics that may help individuals determine whether S.L.A.A. is right for them.
S.L.A.A. is a resource that we encourage you to share with colleagues, clients, and others who may benefit.
Below, you will find a link to S.L.A.A’s “For the Professional” pamphlet, and cover letters for professionals in specific, relevant fields.
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) is a twelve-step fellowship for individuals seeking recovery from sex and love addiction. Many kinds of inappropriate sexual and relational behaviors manifest as a form of addiction, which means people find it difficult to stop, despite the negative impact. The following behaviors may be considered manifestations of the addiction, which may include potentially compulsive, repetitive, harmful, illegal, or otherwise problematic issues.
Faith Leaders
As a spiritual or faith leader, you encounter people in your care whose sexual or romantic behavior has created unmanageability in their lives – for example, serial affairs, compulsive pornography use, hidden online activity, emotionally abusive relationships, or total withdrawal from loving connection fueled by shame and fear. We want to ensure that S.L.A.A. is a resource to suggest when appropriate, so your congregants can pursue healthier, safer, and more spiritually aligned lives in concert with your pastoral support.
As a ‘sex offender’ treatment provider, you regularly encounter individuals whose sexual behaviors have caused significant harm to others, led to criminal charges, incarceration, loss of family relationships, and profound shame and isolation. S.L.A.A. is a resource to help appropriate clients build accountability, sexual sobriety, and healthier relationship patterns that last long after the completion of formal treatment or supervision.
As a pre-trial, parole, or probation officer, you supervise individuals whose past choices have contributed to criminal charges, domestic disturbances, protection order breaches, and repeated cycles of arrest and non-compliance. We want to ensure that the 12-Step Recovery program of S.L.A.A. is in your arsenal of tools to help people under your supervision access a supportive environment that reinforces and supports the behavioral changes you are working to promote through monitoring and conditions.
Prison Officials
As a prison official, treatment coordinator, corrections counselor, or chaplain, you will likely encounter individuals whose sexual and relational behaviors have contributed to their offenses, institutional infractions, conflicts with staff and peers, and repeated returns to custody. S.L.A.A. is a tool to support incarcerated individuals in developing accountability, emotional regulation, and healthier patterns of intimacy to reduce risk and support successful reentry.
As professionals in higher education counseling centers and health clinics, you may encounter students whose sexual and romantic lives are causing serious unmanageability—for example repeated sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy scares, compulsive dating app use, non-consensual or boundary-blurring encounters, academic impairment due to obsession or heartbreak, or total withdrawal from intimacy and campus life. S.L.A.A. is […]
As a judge, attorney, or court official, you may encounter individuals whose sexual and relational behaviors have led to legal consequences such as domestic violence charges, harassment or stalking complaints, violations of protection orders, divorce proceedings, custody disputes, sexual misconduct, sexual assault and abuse, or illegal pornography. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) is a […]
As an HR or employee relations professional, you may encounter employees whose romantic or sexual behaviors at work or online have created unmanageability in the workplace—for example, repeated boundary violations, inappropriate messaging, affairs that disrupt teams, use of company time or equipment for sexual activity, or impaired judgment linked to compulsive behaviors. We want to […]
For Licensed Professional Counselors
As a mental health professional, you may encounter individuals whose romantic and sexual behaviors create profound unmanageability in their lives, including compulsive partnering, repeated infidelity, high-risk sexual behavior, stalking or obsessive pursuit, emotional volatility, self-harm after relational ruptures, or withdrawal from all intimacy. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) is a Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition-oriented […]
