How to Find an SAA Meeting and What to Expect at Your First One

You can find an SAA meeting through the Meeting Search on saa-recovery.org, which lets you look for in-person or online meetings, and you can prepare for your first visit by reading the site's "What to Expect At Your First SAA Meeting" page. This guide is for anyone who thinks their sexual behaviors may be causing problems and wants to attend a meeting but isn't sure how to start or what happens when they arrive.

Finding a Meeting

The site's Find A Meeting section is the main entry point. It includes:

• Meeting Search – look up meetings by location or by online format.
• What to Expect At Your First SAA Meeting – a page written specifically for newcomers.
• Start a Meeting – resources if no meeting exists near you.
• Group Registration Form and Group Guide – for registering and running a group.

If you can't find a local meeting, the online meeting option in the Meeting Search is the practical alternative. The site also lists literature in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, so language may shape which meeting you choose.

What to Expect at Your First Meeting

SAA describes itself as "a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction and help others recover from sexual addiction or dependency." That framing tells you what the room is like: people talking about their own experience, not evaluating yours.

Key things the site addresses for newcomers:

• Anonymity – there is a dedicated "Understanding Anonymity" page explaining how it works in the fellowship.
• Meeting readings – meetings use set readings, available on the site, so you can read them ahead of time and follow along.
• The program itself – the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, sobriety, spirituality, sponsorship, and service are all described under "Our Program."

You are not required to speak, share, or identify yourself as anything. The readings and format are published, so nothing in the meeting should be a surprise.

Deciding Whether to Go

The site offers a Self Assessment and a page asking "Are your sexual behaviors causing you problems?" and "How Do I Know if I'm a Sex Addict?" These are the tools to use if you're unsure whether SAA fits. The site frames the question around whether your behaviors cause you problems, not around a fixed definition you have to match.

If you want to talk to someone before attending, the site lists Contacting Other Women and FAQs for women, plus sections for LGBT Members, Men, and Prisoners — so you can find material aimed at your situation.

If No Meeting Exists Near You

The site supports starting a new group:

1. Review the Group Guide.
2. Use the Group Registration Form to register the group.
3. Use the Meeting Readings and program literature to run it.

Intergroups and the ISO (International Service Organization) are also described on the site if you want to connect with existing service structures rather than start from scratch.

Quick Reference