Getting Started in a Health-Based Recovery

Read the following carefully. It will lay out a step-by-step path for using this site as a tool in your transition from addiction to health.

Step 1

Understand the tools you have available and how they work together to form a cohesive strategy for making a permanent transition in your life. The primary tools that this site offers for recovery are as follows:

• My Recovery Manager

  A database-driven online application that allows you to manage many of the critical tasks involved in transitioning from addiction to health. Here you will keep an evolving account of your current values, goals, action plans, insights, health monitoring, etc.

• The Recovery Workshop

  A 90-day, self-guided workshop that will provide you with the insights necessary for a complete transition to health. This workshop involves life skill development, addiction awareness, emotional mastery and more.

• Recovery Forum

  A community-based support forum to assist you in overcoming obstacles, reinforcing your efforts and/or refining your approach to building a healthy life in the wake of addiction.

• Sexual Addiction Screening and Assessment

  A comprehensive screening and assessment process that is used in personal coaching to help define recovery goals, skill deficits, value deficits and more.

• Health Monitoring

  An evolution of the skills learned in the workshop, health monitoring is used to assist you in generating temporary focus and awareness when needed; and to combat complacency and relapse on an ongoing basis.

• Personal Coaching

  For those who don't want to leave anything to chance, Jon Marsh will coach you throughout your transition to health--ensuring that you not only understand the concepts presented in the workshop, but that you develop proficiency in using those concepts in your day-to-day life.

• HBR: A Couple's Manual

  The definitive work on Health-Based Recovery, this manual was written for couples, but serves as the perfect accompaniment for those individuals seeking a deeper understanding of the issues presented in the recovery and partner's workshops. Also ideal for those individuals seeking to build healthy romantic relationships/partnerships in the future.

• He Danced Alone: Inside the Heart and Mind of the Sex/Love Addict

  The autobiography of Jonathan Marsh, written to educate those with little experience in the sex/love addictions as to just how severe these patterns can become; and for those with severe addictions to the reality that no one is beyond help. That what they are experiencing is a logical pattern (involving illogical behavior), it is not a fate.

• Recovery Nation Newsletter

  This monthly newsletter is sent free to all who request it and provides general education to the sex, love and porn addictions, recovery insights, experiences, updates and community news. You may subscribe to this resource by entering your information to the left.

• Community/Group Training

  On occasion, coaches will provide free structured training to the community. These trainings are typically structured in one-hour increments--with the thirty minutes being education and the second questions & answers. Topics can involve anything related to recovery and/or healing. Announcements will be made at least a week in advance in the Forums and Newsletter.

• Community/Group Support

  We are currently searching for software that will allow weekly online support groups to take place in a safe and secure environment. In the past, we have used Webinar for such groups, but that proved too cumbersome for larger groups. When this feature becomes available, we will notify the community in the newsletter and forum.

Step 2

Determine whether or not you want professional coaching throughout your recovery and transition to health ($399), or whether you will be doing it on your own (free). For more information and/or to register for Personal Coaching, click here.

If you will be using professional coaching to support your transition to health, proceed to Steps 3,4 & 5. Otherwise, proceed to Step 6.

Step 3 (for professional coaching only)

Electronically sign the online Coaching Agreement. Read and sign this agreement by clicking here.

Step 4 (for professional coaching only)

Complete the comprehensive screening and assessment. This is an in-depth assessment of your sexual values, boundaries and behavior. It will likely take you between 2-4 hours to complete. There is no need to complete it all in one sitting, though it does need to be completed prior to your first coaching session. To begin the comprehensive screening and assessment, click here.

Step 5 (for professional coaching only)

Schedule your first coaching session by clicking here.

Step 6

Establish your Recovery Manager and begin using it as your personal control panel for managing the most important aspects of your recovery. Here, you will maintain active action plans, respond to lesson exercises, monitor goals, define boundaries, prioritize values and more. This database-driven application was developed through donations to the community and is offered free to everyone. You can set up your manager by clicking here.

Step 7

Begin the Recovery Workshop. It is a 90-day, self-guided workshop that involves the combination of intellectual insights and practical skill development. The workshop is divided into daily tasks, exercises and goals. It is not imperative that you complete the workshop in 90-days, though you do need to complete all 90-days to establish a foundation for permanent change. You can begin the workshop by clicking here.

Step 8

Register for the Recovery Forum and begin using it to ask questions, posts insights, share experiences, etc. This is your direct line of communication to free coaching, guidance and more. Use it. There are no obstacles that you face that others have not already experienced and overcome--use that experience for your own development. To register for the Recovery Forum, click here.