It was brought to my attention that the original notice I posted concerning a new SLAA meeting at the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless indicated that the starting date was Tuesday, April 21. My apologies. I meant to say Tuesday, August 21.

This will be the first such meeting of the chapter, and it will run from 7:30-8:30 p.m. It will run every week on Tuesdays at that same time at the Task Force HQ, at the corner of Peachtree and Pine Sts. in downtown Atlanta. The second floor conference room is where we'll meet.

While this meeting has been started to give homeless sex addicts access to the proven recovery program we know, it is open to sex addicts as a whole.

Ray P.

I want to let you know about a tremendous opportunity our fellowship has to provide support to a new SLAA chapter.

The Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless will allow us to begin hosting an SLAA chapter meeting on Tuesday evenings, from 7-8 p.m., starting Tuesday, April 21, at Task Force HQ, at the corner of Peachtree and Pine Sts., in downtown Atlanta.

I and Joe A. of the Midtown Morning group at St. Mark's have spoken in person with Task Force staff, the Men's Transitional group and the Narcotics Anonymous Group about sex addiction and the supportive fellowship available to people suffering from this disease. We got a very enthusiastic reception for our message, and several homeless adults served by the Task Force have come forward and said they would welcome having support meetings to attend.

Accordingly, I want to invite any of you who have the time and the willingness to extend your active support to this fledgling chapter by committing to attending this weekly meeting for the first month or two of its existence. I also want to invite you to act as a Trusted Servant to lead one meeting every month or two, if possible.

Sex addiction therapy experts have told me that it is critical that fellowship members like ourselves be a part of this kind of meeting to help acclimate our homeless brothers to SLAA and to give them the benefit of our own experience, strength and hope as they take their first tentative steps into sex addiction recovery.

If you're looking for a chance to be of service in SLAA, and to help your own recoveries through service, please give close consideration to becoming part of this fledgling SLAA meeting in its early weeks. Please let me know by Wednesday, August 15, if you can attend and/or lead one of these meetings. I'll be happy to brief you on the structure we'll be using.

I can be reached at (404) 373-1956 or (404) 545-7292 (cell) as well as here and at visitingchef@yahoo.com.

Thank you for your consideration, and Act with Courage.

Ray P.

The best advice I ever got, from people who dealt with this issue on a long term basis, is the AA experience. I recall in the Big Book, and in Dr. Bob & the Good Old Timers, that there were numerous occasions where both Bill W and Dr Bob took the homeless AAs into their homes.

THIS IS IMPORTANT - it is one thing to take in someone who is working the 12 steps and beginning to recover. It is quite another to take in a person who is continuing to act out their addiction and has not hit bottom yet and thus found willingness/surrender.

From that perspective it is like sponsorship - helping others as a way to help in their (Bill W's and Dr Bob's) own recovery. BUT, sponsorship is for those who want to recover and want to work the steps. Recovering addicts should need no advice in how much damage can be done by an addict who thinks he or she can continue to live in half measures. In their day, 70-80 years ago, these risks were far less costly than they can be today. 

There are shelters for tha addicted run by professionals, who have the skill set and experience to deal with all the possible ramifications. I know of an SA/AA who is a professional addiction counselor at an in-patient facility. Please contact me if you want me to introduce you to him to learn more? sa_atlanta@hotmail.com or 404-663-0688 C.

Mike