Our Local Ministry:

Counseling and groups

Our primary local ministry is built around working with male sex addicts in groups. Sex addiction is isolating, and we find that recovery requires involvement with a group of other addicts who can identify with our struggles and celebrate our successes. For similar reasons we also offer groups for wives of addicts. We believe that true and lasting recovery will involve both husband and wife, and seek to offer guidance and support for wives in ways that will work towards the health and restoration of the marriage. At the same time, we won't advocate courses of action that enable addictive behavior or compromise the health and safety of wives and children of addicts. There are no easy answers, and the "easier and softer ways" that so many people try simply don't work.

In addition to our groups, we offer individual and couples counseling. These are intended to be a supplement to, not substitute for, the work in groups.

Frequently Asked Questions about Groups:

How long do the groups last? The groups are open and ongoing ... they don't have a start and end date. Group members decide, in consultation with Dr. Laaser, when they're ready to move on to a different form of support. The group meetings themselves last two hours each time they meet.

When do groups meet? Right now, groups for men meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. Groups for women meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings. We also have a group for couples in recovery, which is working out its schedule right now.

What do you do in groups? At the beginning of each group, attendees go around the circle and answer several "check-in" questions, to bring each other up to speed on the things going on in their lives. Then people can ask for time to process concerns or questions that they have. This time in the group is where the therapeutic aspect of the groups come in, because time is offered for other members and the therapist to offer feedback and encouragement to the person raising the issue.

How much does it cost to attend a group? Group sessions cost $55.

How are these groups different from 12 Step Support Groups? We strongly support 12 Step groups such as Sexaholics Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous, and many men in our groups attend those meetings as well. Our groups are different, and supplement those support groups in important ways. In 12 step groups, the focus is on sharing and support, and "cross-talk" and "advice" are prohibited. Our groups are led by trained therapists and are structured to facilitate helpful and constructive feedback, so that addicts are not only heard, but are helped. While spiritual in focus, 12 step groups are not expressly Christian in perspective ... our groups are.

How do I get into a group? Groups are by invitation only. If someone is interested in pursuing our program, we ask that they meet with one of our counselors to go over their story, and talk about the group options. After this "intake interview," the counselor and they will decide which, if any, group might be right for them.

If you'd like to talk to someone about these groups, call or email Mark Brouwer, or Deb Laaser.

What if I'm not local? Obviously, the information on this page is for people who are within driving distance of our counseling center. If that's not the case for you, you might try a couple things:

(1) Look for a Faithful and True or LIFE group in your area. Faithful and True Groups are Christ-centered support groups for those seeking to recover from sexual addiction. A network of groups currently exists nationally and more are being developed. For more information, contact our partners at LIFE Ministries by calling 1-866-408-LIFE. You can visit their website at www.freedomeveryday.org.

(2) Look for a Christian counselor in your area who knows about addictions. Unfortunately, Faithful and True Ministries cannot make referrals to specific counselors or programs. For more information on Counselors and Therapists in your area, visit the American Association of Christian Counsellors at www.aacc.net.

(3) Look elsewhere on this site for the short-term intensive treatment options we make available. We offer three-day workshops for addicts, scheduled nearly once a month. We also offer intensive counseling experiences for couples. People from all across the country attend these events.