Women’s Recovery from Sexual Addiction
Hello! Welcome to your recovery journey with FMM!
Christ-Centered Healing for Women Struggling with Unwanted Sexual Behaviors
Women’s Recovery Facilitator – women@forgivenmuchministries.org
Understanding Female Unwanted Sexual Behaviors Recovery
At Forgiven Much Ministries, we recognize that women face unique challenges in addiction recovery. Our specialized programs address the distinct emotional, relational, and spiritual aspects of female unwanted behaviors. Through Christ-centered healing and trauma-informed care, we provide a safe, supportive environment for women to find freedom.
Your Recovery Journey Begins Here
With all sincerity, we are delighted to walk alongside you and watch the Lord work in your life; there is so much hope for renewal! On this page are important links that we will revisit many times. Please do not let this long list overwhelm you.
- Please order your Workbook – LIFE Recovery Guide for Addictive Behaviors (including 16 presentations of SA). We recommend purchasing the hardcopy vs ebook available on Amazon.
- LIFE Recovery Model (LRM) Sample Pack – P1A1
The Group Process
We welcome new members at the opening of the group and then follow with a few readings (Group Covenant, Safety Guidelines, Nehemiah Principles, Definitions) and then share insights from our homework. During the second hour we share a Reflective Listening exercise (either for that day or week) on a situation or relationship that is currently challenging us. This helps to both practice processing and to “Get Current” with one another. We close the group with our Top Lines (what we are shooting for that week), Bottom Lines (what we’re staying away from) and Sobriety; those definitions are in the back of the workbook. All of this will be modeled and we give lots of grace in case you are uncomfortable with the “newness.”
5 Minute Daily Check-in Calls: Each day, you’ll connect with a partner for a quick check-in call using the Basic Reflective Listening format. These short conversations help you practice emotional resilience, grow comfortable being truly known, and develop supportive friendships. By building trust during everyday moments, you’ll be ready to lean on one another when life feels heavy. Daily Call Card
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 the SLIPs & Relapse Prevention Protocol. Participants will learn to apply these tools, beginning with the Onboarding process for Group attendance.
For Married Group Members: Please note that submitting a completed Couples Relationship Commitment Agreement at the time of group entry and a Sexual Abstinence Period & Marital Contract (implemented during Principle 4 Assignment 1) are vital for creating a safe environment for personal recovery growth and restoring healthy intimacy in marriages. Please read this article from the Laasers regarding the Sexual Abstinence Contract. Check out FANOS, a couple’s daily communication exercise to rebuild trust and intimacy.
Please save this webpage link, if you print it as a pdf the hyperlinks should remain live. Refer to it whenever you are led. We pray that you tap into the rich resources the Lord has made available to you. Again, we couldn’t be more delighted about connecting you with the group. Let us know if we can help in any way.
Women-Specific Resources & Workshops
Second Tuesday (2T) Workshops from February through November, you have access to FMM’s signature skill, the Reflective Listening Exercise, for increased emotional resilience. All developmental research indicates that emotions play a foundational role in either resilience or problematic sexual behaviors. You will learn to express feelings and process pain, allowing the intellectual system to choose for long-term gain vs short-term relief. Navigating through negative emotions is paramount to managing unwanted behaviors. Our new Reflective Listening video series “breaks down” the learning process into segments for enhanced understanding. Most importantly, viewers now have a sample video of the Advanced RL worksheet to guide them through each step of the exercise, allowing them to pause and review their own worksheet. The RL Workshops guide participants through Advanced RL Implementation. Registration required.
GCS Wednesdays For the Winter/Spring and Summer/Fall semesters, FMM offers Gospel Centered Sexuality (GCS), its newest curriculum for the body of Christ. Raising up the next generation to stand for Gospel centered sexuality requires that this generation be equipped to confidently articulate their stance on God’s design for sexuality (supported by science) that enables them to not only provide responses beyond the “the bible says so” but “why” God designed it so. This goes beyond the basic male/female stance to God’s relational design, presence and wholeness and sets the stage for healthy sexual development. All this starts with a conversation – yours.
Associate Study Certificate (ASC) – The vision of the Affiliate Program is to replicate and equip for service. The ASC offers both self-paced and small group cohorts with Q & A discussions of CIAR training content broken down into weekly sessions. Classes start in January and run through October with 8 weeks of breaks in the spring and summer. Choose between a 12 noon or 7pm class. Check out these ASC Student Comments.
Recommended Reading – Please see this categorized Recommended Reading page full of resources relevant to addiction, trauma, recovery, sexual intimacy and wholeness. https://www.forgivenmuchministries.org/resources
Getting Started with Women’s Recovery
As a prerequisite to joining group, please read and forward a signed copy of FMM’s Group Covenant to your facilitator. Please complete the Coping Methods Inventory below and also view videos #5, #6, #7 and #8 according to the timeline that your Onboarding coach has outlined. We recommend multiple views of the LRM and Reflective Listening (RL) Exercise videos and printing the RL pdfs that are linked to its webpage.
Thank you! May God bless you exceedingly abundantly on your journey to wholeness!
Essential Resources for Female Unwanted Behaviors Recovery
- https://www.forgivenmuchministries.org/ – Please review the ministry’s website; it’s pretty cool to see how the Lord has poured into this work over the years (i.e. problematic sexual behaviors, sex trafficking/demand reduction and God’s Design for Sexual Intimacy etc.).
- Free SAST – This Sexual Addiction Screening Test is the longstanding tool used and created by the clinical community. Please download the pdf at the top right of the page, complete, scan and or take a photo and send to SueMoore@ForgivenMuchMinistries.org.
- USB Assessment – This Unwanted Sexual Behaviors Assessment will prove valuable as a tool to escalate your recovery as it provides vital family of origin information regardless of the type of unwanted behaviors present. The USB Assessment is $29 and the information is well worth the expense. Once completed, please forward your results to SueMoore@ForgivenMuchMinistries.org for assistance translating your assessment and developing your recovery plan next steps.
- Core Issue Addiction Recovery Video Library – There are complete instructions for watching the videos to understand the format and layout of the videos for optimal use. The Neurobiology of Addiction videos help us understand the origin of anxiety underlying problematic behaviors. Below are basic video recommendations beneficial to expedite recovery:
- IDentity Agreement – This video gives a spiritual perspective of a person’s life, a road map so to speak. We’ll start by thinking about our identity from God’s perspective. Then we’ll see Satan’s influence through the impact of our double-mindedness, our interpretation of experiences through our neurological, physical and emotional lens. Whose perspective will we chose to believe? Sometimes we align with God’s perspective and sometimes Satan’s. You get to choose your identity agreement.
- 00.1 Core Issue Addiction Recovery (CIAR) Introductory Video – Explains the differences in recovery models.
- 00.3 LRM – L.I.F.E. Recovery Model – Will outline what can be expected on the trauma model/core issue addiction recovery journey to wholeness and 00.4 LRM Evaluation Tool
- 00.5 Reflective Listening Exercise – This exercise is vital to recovery and will be reinforced throughout your journey to obtain healthy intimacy and emotional resilience skills. Please see the Reflective Listening instructions, single worksheet, boundaries, desires and emotions with intensifiers in the link provided along with other communication resources.
- 05 Cycle of Addiction (full video) – Becoming familiar with the patterns and terms listed here will help expedite your process. Reviewing this video is helpful as the Cycle of Addiction is covered in your workbook. Please see the Cycle of Addiction and Recovery pdf in the attachments.
- 12 Cycle of Recovery – Dr. Laaser’s Cycle of Recovery offers a refreshing contrast to the Cycle of Addiction. Both cycles illustrate behavioral progression, but Laaser’s work in the Cycle of Recovery outlines the non-comprisable elements necessary to live in freedom every day.
- LIFE Grieving Guide – This workbook-style guide contains 12 lessons … Lesson 1: Preparing to Grieve Lesson 2: Understanding and Expressing Our Emotions Lesson 3: Knowing What to Expect Lesson 4: Accepting the Pain of Recovery Lesson 5: Changing Your Routine & Tips for Healthy Grieving Lesson 6: Addressing Your Pain Lesson 7: Grieving the Loss of Control Lesson 8: Grieving Your Losses, Dreams & Desires Lesson 9: Grieving Losses in My Relationships Lesson 10: Grieving to the Core Lesson 11: Grieving Well: Reclaiming Your Value Lesson 12: Healing From Here to There
The Unique Journey of Women’s Sexual Addiction Recovery
Women struggling with unwanted sexual behaviors often face unique challenges that differ from their male counterparts. At Forgiven Much Ministries, we recognize these differences and have developed specialized approaches for female recovery:
Addressing Shame and Stigma
Many women face increased shame and stigma around sexual addiction due to societal expectations. Our women’s groups provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where women can share honestly about their struggles without fear of condemnation.
Trauma-Informed Care
Research shows that women’s unwanted sexual behaviors are frequently connected to past trauma. Our recovery approach addresses these underlying wounds through a Christ-centered, trauma-informed model that brings true healing rather than just behavior management.
Relational Focus
Women’s recovery often involves complex relational dynamics. Our program helps women identify unhealthy relationship patterns, establish appropriate boundaries, and develop skills for authentic intimacy based on God’s design.
Identity Restoration
Many women struggling with unwanted behaviors have experienced profound identity distortions. Our recovery process helps women reconnect with their true identity in Christ, separate from shame and past behaviors.
Emotional Regulation
Our program equips women with practical tools for emotional regulation, helping them recognize triggers and develop healthy coping mechanisms for difficult emotions rather than turning to unwanted behaviors.
Success Stories from Our Women’s Recovery Community
The journey to freedom from unwanted sexual behaviors is possible. While maintaining confidentiality, here are some testimonies from women who have found healing through our program:
Begin Your Healing Journey Today
You are not alone in your struggle with unwanted sexual behaviors. There is hope for healing, restoration, and freedom through Christ-centered recovery.