SLIPs & Relapse Prevention Protocol
Breaking the cycle of sexual addiction requires that you study yourself to assess and interrupt your patterns of thought, Dr. Patrick Carnes.
FMM is committed to helping participants study themselves in multiple ways, both relationally with the Reflective Listening Exercise and practically with this SLIPs & Relapse Prevention Protocol. Participants will learn to apply these tools, beginning with the Onboarding process for Group attendance.
We all have experienced SLIPs (Short Lapse In Progress). The key is to learn from SLIPs, or they will accumulate and turn into a Relapse situation. Ask lots of questions: When did it happen, what time of day? How many days in sequence? Did you tell anyone that you were tempted? What led up to it? What can be done to intervene and prevent future SLIPs?
These questions must take place every time after a SLIP. If those questions are not asked, and accountability is not established, and interventions are not made, relapse will occur. You are not in this alone. However, you must obtain answers to those questions to be in active recovery.
Step 1 – Print at least three pages of the SLIP Scenarios document. Follow the instructions on the top right of the page. Be sure to give a title to each scenario.
SLIP Scenarios
Step 2 – Print at least one copy of the Fire Drill. Write any of the action steps in your SLIP Scenarios or any other sign of trouble in the first column of the Fire Drill. In the second column titled “Practice or Drill Steps” write in interventions (both relational and practical) that will stop the progression of the SLIP Scenario. For the example “doom scrolling,” in addition to what is listed in the second column, you could also write, “Keep my phone in its ‘charging drawer‘ in the kitchen after I get home from work.” Because “doom scrolling” often leads to inappropriate material, in the Immediate Action Steps column write, “Call my sponsor or accountability.”
Fire Drill
Step 3 – Review all three versions of the 3 Circles documents, starting with 03.1 and 03.2, to gain an understanding of the purpose of the 03.3 document. Over time, you will be expected to fill out the entire 03.3 – 3 Circles worksheet, including the four areas listed in the corners: Supportive Relationships, Core Life Values, Emergency Plan, and Medium and Long Term Goals.
- In the INNER CIRCLE, list the behaviors that no longer align with the person you desire to become and from which you seek freedom.
- MIDDLE CIRCLE: The SLIP Scenarios and Fire Drill documents will provide much of the content to complete the 3 Circles worksheet. The SLIP Scenarios worksheets provide details of your ‘rituals’ or ‘triggering’ behaviors that lead to acting out. Make it your goal to understand and avoid these rituals and triggers because of the role they play in the addiction process. Insert these rituals and triggers inside the “Middle” or “Boundaries” circle.
- In the OUTER CIRCLE are your preparation activities, aka “Becoming” behaviors, that lead you to a better life, becoming the person God created you to be.
3 Circles
This SLIPs Scenario, Fire Drill, and 3 Circles Prevention Protocol acts like a bridge from your Cycle of Addiction to your Cycle of Recovery. As you study yourself, tracing your steps backward, taking your recovery seriously, placing interventions AND implementing healthy disciplines, you are building the foundation of your “becoming” a new creature; a new man or woman walking in the power and authority of Christ with an anointing to reconcile man to God through your changed life. That’s the power of the gospel for YOU, and it starts with this simple protocol. Stay with it. God wastes NOTHING, no thing. Reach out if you have questions or need help.
