Resource List

Books on Sexual Health and Sexual Addiction:

Beggar’s Daughter by Jessica Harris  personal testimony of a woman caught in a pornography addiction.  Also a great web resource.

Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction by Mark Laaser Dr. Laaser offers a path that leads beyond compulsive thoughts and behaviors to healing and transformation. Sensitive to the shame of sexual addiction without minimizing its sinfulness, he traces the roots of the problem, discusses its patterns and impact, and maps out a biblical approach to self-control and sexual integrity.

Making Advances: A Comprehensive Guide for Treating Female Sex and Love Addicts Edited by Marnie C. Ferree; Authored by: Susan J. Campling, Robin Cato, M. Deborah Corley, Marnie C. Ferree, Linda Hudson, Alexandra Katehakis, Kelly McDaniel, Anna Valenti-Anderson, Jill Vermeire, Sonnee Weedn. This groundbreaking work is the first book to offer a targeted approach for effectively treating women who struggle with sex and love addiction. This long-overlooked population faces significant challenges, including a lack of trained therapists who understand their unique pain. Making Advances describes the problem, explores its biopsychosocial roots, and thoroughly outlines the assessment and diagnosis process. This critical text emphasizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship and describes how treating female sex and love addicts is different from treating men. It delineates the best practices for conducting group therapy, arresting acting out, addressing attachment injuries, and working with male partners of female sex addicts as well as other special populations. This work also explores the process of a female sex addict’s growth into a woman of grace and integrity through building healthy relationships, healthy sexuality, and healthy living practices. Editor Marnie C. Ferree and the gifted writers provide a research and attachment-based treatment guide that is already the standard in the field.

Pure at Heart: Guide to Purity in a Sexualized World by Dr. Simon Sheh. One of the few Christian Psychologists in Canada [Edmonton] specializing in the treatment of sexual addiction, he wrote this practical handbook to help men pursue purity in our hyper-sexualized world. (Also a Seminar.)

Purity Principle: God’s Safeguards for Life’s Dangerous Trails by Randy Alcorn. This book deals with raising children to embrace sexual purity, providing an example of purity in the home, protecting purity in dating (at any age), and maintaining purity in marriage. Biblical, practical, and concise.

Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle by Michael John Cusick. Backed by scripture, Cusick uses examples from his own life and from his twenty years of counseling experience to show us how the pursuit of empty pleasure is really a search for our heart’s deepest desire, and the real key to resistance is discovering and embracing the joy we truly want.

Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing by Jay Stringer. This book is a ground-breaking resource that explores the “why” behind self-destructive sexual choices. Jay Stringer’s (M.Div, MA, LMHC) original research found that when we pay attention to our unwanted sexual desires and identify the unique reasons that trigger them, the path of healing is revealed. Although many of us feel ashamed and unwanted after years of sexual brokenness, Unwanted invites us to see that behavior as the very location God can most powerfully work in our lives. Counselors, pastors, and accountability partners of those who experience sexual shame will also find in this book the deep spiritual and psychological guidance they need to effectively minister to the sexually broken around them.

Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain by William Struthers. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies.

Potential Women’s Group Studies for Sexual Addiction Issues

Sexual Sanity for Women: Healing from Sexual and Relational Brokenness by Ellen Dykas. This book guides participants through the process of understanding why they struggle with destructive relational and sexual patterns and how the gospel brings change and a new way of living. Twenty lessons guide participants to understand God’s good design for sexuality, the underlying reasons they struggle with sexual brokenness, and how the grace and truth of Jesus Christ can be applied to their struggles. Change begins as deeper heart issues are uncovered, and women learn that they are well-loved daughters of God who will find healing and wholeness as they live out God’s Word in their relationships. This workbook is ideal for a one-on-one mentoring, college age student groups, and women’s groups. There is also a leader’s guide.

No Stones: Women Redeemed from Sexual Addiction, by Marnie C. Ferree. Foreword Mark Laaser. This book offers a unique resource for women struggling with sexual addiction. The title is from the event where Jesus extends grace to the woman caught in adultery.  Ferree bravely shares her own story of sexual addiction, recalling her years of shame from living a double life and the moment when she ultimately had to tell the truth. But more than just offering her story as a hopeful example of God’s transforming power, Ferree distills her clinical expertise on female sexual addiction providing a much-needed resource for women struggling with any degree of relational or sexual addiction. Ferree details the roots of addiction in family trauma and offers clear-eyed advice as both a counselor and a “grateful recovering sex addict” on how to achieve sobriety and healing. No Stones offers practical help for those battling sexual addiction. It also includes a specific chapter for anyone in close relationship with an addict, whether a spouse, family member, or friend, who wants to come alongside women as they seek help. Important for pastors and church leaders, this book will also be a much sought-after resource for Christian counselors and therapists counseling women who grapple with this type of addiction.

Potential Men’s Group Studies for Sexual Addiction Issues

Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity (Book, Journal and video series) by Douglas Weiss. The book is a priceless, no-nonsense resource for every husband, father, brother, son, friend, pastor, and Christian leader on the front lines of the sexual war. It is a soldier’s handbook for those ready to reclaim their homes, churches, and nations for the God who has built them to succeed. Every Christian man is born into a sexual war. The enemy attacks the young, hoping to scar them permanently and leave them ruined Your past is not enough to keep you from the enduringly clean life you want and deserve. This book is part of the Clean Book Set along with the Clean Journal.

Conquer Series: The Battle Plan for Purity (Video and Study Guide), by Ted Roberts. TRY SMARTER NOT HARDER What starts out as a moral problem quickly becomes a brain problem. Often, men who’ve tried to quit have failed because they don’t understand the brain. Understanding the brain is so important in this battle. Men in sexual bondage go through a cycle of triggering, ritual and acting out. Discover how to renew your mind and break destructive patterns.

Sexual Sanity for Men: Re-creating Your Mind in a Crazy Culture  (Book of Self Reflection and Theology) by David White. Men, you can make sexually sane choices! Written for Christian men struggling with any form of sexual brokenness, Sexual Sanity for Men helps men understand that sexual sin starts in their minds and hearts. It shows them how knowing Christ breaks their chains, builds spiritual brotherhood, and helps them take practical steps to re-create their minds in a God-focused direction. The Sexual Sanity for Men workbook is ideal for one-on-one mentoring, college age discipleship groups, and men’s small group study. It is produced by Harvest USA, a ministry bringing the truth and mercy of Jesus Christ to help men, women, and families affected by sexual struggles and sin and equipping churches to minister to sexually broken people.  The accompanying Leader’s Guide is available in an eBook format.

7 Pillars of Freedom (35 sessions that bring you through forming disciplines and deep personal investigation) by Ted Roberts. This course, written by Dr. Ted Roberts, is a great in-depth program for men who have already gone through the Conquer Series a number of times and want to keep striving forward in sexual integrity. The course is based on the workbook (currently no DVD) and addresses the following Seven Pillars: Pillar 1:  Breaking through denial, Pillar 2:  Understanding the nature of sexual addiction, Pillar 3:  Surrendering to the process, Pillar 4:  Limiting damage, Pillar 5:  Establishing sobriety, Pillar 6:  The battle is in your mind and Pillar 7:  A spiritual growth plan.

The Final Freedom, Steps to Freedom and 101 Freedom Exercises (Book, Sexual Addiction 12 Steps Workbook and Exercises Book) by Douglas Weiss. In addition to informing sex addicts and their partners about sex addiction, the book The Final Freedom creates hope for recovery. The Steps To Freedom book is a Christian approach to the twelve steps of recovery. It will guide you through the 12 Steps that have been helpful for many addicted people. It is specifically written for the person desiring recovery from sexual addiction. The 101 Freedom Exercises book is for Christians who desire to be free from sex addiction. It contains steps they can take to be and stay free. This book contains 101 exercises that have been proven to work to free men. The exercises augment the 12 step process.

Potential Resources for the Betrayed Partner

Deceived: Facing Sexual Betrayal, Lies and Secrets by Claudia Black

Mending a Shattered Heart: A Guide for Partners of Sex Addicts by Stephanie Carnes

Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts by Stephanie Carnes, Mari Lee, & Anthony Rodriguez

Letters to a Sex Addict: The Journey Through Grief and Betrayal by Wendy Conquest

A House Interrupted: Wife’s Story of Recovering from Her Husband’s Sex Addiction by Maurita Corcoran. Her world collapsed when she learned that her husband, a successful physician, was a sex addict. She had never even heard of a “sex addict,” but she was suddenly submerged in a world of painful choices about how to rebuild a life for herself and her four children. This is an absorbing memoir about forgiveness, resilience, and hope. With the growing public awareness of how pervasive sex addiction has become in our culture, this memoir answers the questions that spouses must face in building lives of self-respect and confidence.

A L.I.F.E Guide for Spouses (workbook) by Melissa Haas

Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal by Dr. Sheri Keefer

Shattered Vows: Hope and Healing for Women who have been sexually betrayed By Debra Laaser. This sensitive book provides practical tools to help you make wise and empowering decisions, emotional tools to develop intimacy in your life, and spiritual tools to transform your suffering. Debbie Laaser’s personal journey through betrayal, her extensive work with hundreds of hurting women, and her intimate marriage twenty-five years after the disclosure of her husband’s infidelity provide meaningful answers to the questions that arise amid the complex fallout of broken vows.

Surviving Betrayal: Hope and Help for Women Whose Partners Have Been Unfaithful (365 daily meditations) by Alice May

Betrayal & Beyond (Workbook, Journal and Leader’s Guide) By Diane Roberts. How did he get this way? How can I tell if he is getting better? Can I ever trust him again? What do I do now? The Betrayal & Beyond Workbook was designed to answer these questions and more. Created to be experienced in a group setting, this resource provides valuable tools, biblical wisdom, and testimonies by courageous women who found hope, help, and encouragement through their personal journey.

Moving Beyond Betrayal: The 5-Step Boundary Solution for Partners of Sex Addicts by Vickie Tidwell Palmer

Back From Betrayal (4th ed) by Jennifer Schneider

Surviving Disclosure – A Partner’s Guide for Healing the Betrayal of Intimate Trust by Jennifer Schneider & Deborah Corley

Your Sexually Addicted Spouse – How Partners Can Cope and Heal by Barbara Steffens & Marsha Means Sexual addictions and compulsive sexual behavior are growing societal problems, with as many as three to six percent of the world population affected. Your Sexually Addicted Spouse shatters the stigma and shame that millions of men and women carry when their partners are sexually addicted.

When your Husband is Addicted to Pornography by Vicki Tiede. Tiede understands the pain of women whose husbands are struggling with sexual addiction, and takes the reader on a journey out of brokenness. This book contains encouragement and discussion from Scripture along with exercises for self-awareness. Tiede presents a path towards healing that focuses on dependence on God regardless of life circumstances. 

Partners: Healing from His Addiction by Doug Weiss. This book gives you hope and a beginning plan for personal recovery. The companion book Beyond Love, is an interactive workbook that allows the partners of sex addicts to gain insight and strength through working with the Twelve Steps of recovery. The Partners Recovery Guide, is a workbook that contains over 100 practical and empowering exercises and comes from over fifteen years of successfully working with partners of sex addicts. 

Codependency:

Beyond Codependency  by Melody Beattie

Codependent No More  by Melody Beattie

The Human Magnet Syndrome: Why We Love People Who Hurt Us by Ross Rossenberg

Resources for Parents

Website Protect Young Minds. Our mission is to empower parents, professionals and community leaders to protect young kids from pornography, and promote healing from any sexual exploitation.

Good Pictures Bad Pictures by Kristen A Jenson (Author), Debbie Fox (Illustrator). Want a natural and comfortable way to talk to your kids about pornography? This newly revised edition of the original bestseller makes that daunting discussion easy! Good Pictures Bad Pictures is a read-aloud story about a mom and dad who explain what pornography is, why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it. Featuring easy-to-understand science and simple analogies, this internationally-acclaimed book engages young kids to porn-proof their own brains.

Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds by Kristen A Jenson (Author), Debbie Fox (Illustrator). vEven young children have access to the internet and they deserve to be armed early against its dangers. Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr. makes it easy for parents to protect young children ages 3-6 with the Turn, Run & Tell plan! 

The Talk: 7 Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality by Luke Gilkerson. When it comes to the matter of teaching kids about sex, Christian parents are often confused about what to say and when to say it. The Talk is a series of 7 studies, all anchored in the Scriptures, that helps parents to talk meaningfully with children about sexuality. The Talk was written for parents to read with children ages 6 to 10 years old. The study supplies elementary-age children with foundational truths about sexuality at a level they can understand.

The Story Of Me by Stan Jones and Brenna Jones. Designed for ages 3-5, and using age-appropriate language and illustrations, this book explains to young children the marvelous body God gave them.

Before I Was Born by Carolyn Nystrom Explains in age-appropriate language the basic nature of sexual intercourse between a husband and wife and discusses conception, fetal development, childbirth, and breastfeeding. For children ages 5 to 8.

What’s the Big Deal? by Stan Jones and Brenna Jones. Written for children ages 8-11, this book kids find answers to their questions about sex. It explains the basic facts about sex, why God made adults so they want to have sex, what God says about sex in the Bible, and how to respond when faced with sexual pressure from peers, TV, movies, and magazines.

Facing the Facts: The Truth About Sex and You by Stan Jones and Brenna Jones. Designed for children ages 11-14, Facing the Facts equips kids to understand and deal with the changes of puberty. It also examines why God intends sex for marriage, discusses love and dating, and answers tough questions about sexuality.

Resources on Drug and Alcohol Addiction

The Genesis Process Workbook: Book 1 & 2 Individual Workbook –  by Michael Dye Genesis is not designed as a self-help book. This Genesis Process relies on the insight of a trained Genesis counselor in conjunction with the Client Workbook to address the subconscious self-sabotaging patterns, the result is a personal relapse prevention treatment plan that works. The process is approximately 16 weeks.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – Alcoholics Anonymous World Services , Inc. Originally published in 1952, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions is the classic book used by AA members and groups around the world. It lays out the principles by which AA members recover and by which the fellowship functions. The basic text clarifies the Steps which constitute the AA way of life and the Traditions, by which AA maintains its unity.

The Journey of Recovery: A New Testament – International Bible Society Includes a 301 page NIV New Testament plus about 175 pages of stories of real people who have struggled with destructive addictions and compulsions, but who have found hope.

Narcotics Anonymous: 6th Edition – Narcotics Anonymous First published in 1983, NA’s primary book was revised in 2009 to incorporate new personal stories in the Sixth Edition. “Our Program” contains ten chapters explaining the NA Fellowship and our program of recovery. “Our Members Share” includes personal stories from NA members worldwide.

Addiction & Grace: Love & Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions by Gerald May. Addiction and Grace offers an inspiring and hope–filled vision for those who desire to explore the mystery of who and what they really are. May examines the “processes of attachment” that lead to addiction and describes the relationship between addiction and spiritual awareness. He also details the various addictions from which we can suffer, not only to substances like alcohol and drugs, but to work, sex, performance, responsibility, and intimacy. Drawing on his experience as a psychiatrist working with the chemically dependent, May emphasizes that addiction represents an attempt to assert complete control over our lives. Addiction and Grace is a compassionate and wise treatment of a topic of major concern.

Facing the Truth: Freedom Session Workbooks 1 & 2 by Ken B. Dyck These workbooks are to be used as you walk through the Freedom Session teaching available at FreedomSession.com. This ministry is dubbed a ‘healing discipleship’ ministry for very good reason. You can participate in it many ways, but it is at heart a ministry that works the way church is supposed to work – people walking authentically through their issues and finding healing in Christ.

The National Association for Christian Recovery an American website for Christian based recovery resources.