The DC, MD, VA Intergroup exists to support our Groups and their members. As described in the S-Anon/S-Ateen Service Manual, “An Intergroup’s primary function is to coordinate information and activities in a centralized fashion.” We offer our service to help our personal Recovery and give back to the fellowship. As you read this page, feel free to “take what you like, and leave the rest” but we hope this information will inspire you to start a conversation within your local Group or with our Intergroup about how to offer more opportunities for recovery from the effect of sexaholism, and to help families and friends of sexaholics, which is our primary purpose, as stated in the S-Anon Preamble to the Twelve Steps.  If you find your personal recovery needs to be “jump-started”, consider the options presented here to be of service to other S-Anons.

Local Group Best Practices

Meeting Resources: Our Intergroup recommends that each Group keeps certain materials on hand to run their meeting.

A meeting format: This can be downloaded from Sanon.org. See the list of resources on this page.

Newcomer welcome: This can be done in many ways. Some groups choose to use a specific meeting format when a newcomer shows up.  Some groups choose to have a one-on-one meeting with the newcomer for a few minutes or the whole meeting time.

  • Newcomer hand-outs, such as a phone list, a copy of the “Newcomer Booklet,” which can also be purchased electronically and “gifted,” or the “Is S-Anon for You” pamphlet.

Conference Approved Literature: Both as an in-meeting resource, and available for sale.

  • S-Anon Literature is available at the S-Anon store, but your group may also want to have Al-Anon, AA, or SA literature at your meeting as well.

A copy of the S-Anon/S-Ateen Service Manual: See the list of resources on this page. The Manual is updated periodically.

Group Service Roles:  Here are service positions that many groups have found to be key to keeping their group running smoothly.  Because service is a key component to recovery we have broken these out into individual roles, but sometimes these service opportunities may be combined. It’s also possible to have several people volunteer for a role and trade off on the duties of the role.

  • Newcomer welcome (in-meeting): This person welcomes the newcomer, following the practices established by the Group.
  • Newcomer point of contact (phone/email): This person is available to receive requests for meeting information so that a newcomer can attend the meeting. Their information should be made available to the Intergroup and/or World Service Office, so that a newcomer can attend the meeting with as few steps as possible.
  • Treasurer: Collects the 7th tradition, periodically reports to the group, and makes donations to the host location, S-Anon International Family Groups, or our Intergroup when funds are greater than a prudent reserve.
  • Secretary: A point person for the administration of the Group. This could be as simple as reminding the Group of any scheduled Business Meeting, or might include other activities such as maintaining a phone/contact list for the meeting and/or taking meeting minutes during the Business Meeting.
  • Meeting Lead: A person who volunteers to choose one or more readings and share their experience, strength, and hope to begin meeting sharing.  Some meetings pass a calendar, or request a meeting lead at the end of each meeting for the next meeting.
  • Group Service Representative to Intergroup/Delegate: This person helps keep the Group connected to Intergroup and the Area Delegate by ensuring meeting information is up to date for newcomers, and that the Group is represented in regional decisions.
  • Set up/Clean up: A person who helps arrange the meeting space, gets materials out of storage, etc, to help the meeting begin promptly.
  • Literature: For in-person meetings a group member can order and maintain an assortment of conference approved literature to sell to group members. 
  • Chips: For in-person meetings a group member can order and maintain celebration chips to welcome newcomers and celebrate time in the program.

Business Meetings: Regular business meetings can help a group stay “healthy” by providing an opportunity for all members, older and newer, to voice their views.  This is done through a process that 12 Step groups call “group conscience.” A group conscience is an expression of opinion by members of the group, where we seek to be guided by a Higher Power in reaching a decision that will be good for the Group as a whole. This process often happens during a business meeting. See the list of resources on this page for the service literature on business meetings and the group conscience process.

Potential topics for a business meeting include:

  • Rotation of Service Roles
  • Checking meeting Conference Approved Literature (CAL) inventory
  • Discussing Group funds collected through the 7th tradition, and whether they extend beyond a prudent reserve
  • Questions/Concerns raised by members
  • Revisiting whether the meeting format currently meets the group’s needs
  • Meeting accessibility: Does the information available on the local Intergroup website or for phone line coordinators and the World Service Office accurately balance the Group’s wishes to support newcomers and maintain anonymity?

How Can Intergroup Help Your Recovery?

Our Intergroup consists of members who have volunteered from Groups in MD, VA, and DC. These members represent the views of their Group, carry information back to their Groups, and provide the ideas and time needed to support our Intergroup efforts.  Intergroup provides:

  • A phone line and website to help new members find a meeting
  • Local events that promote recovery by introducing members across the region
    • Offers conference approved literature (CAL) for sale
  • A place for members to enhance their personal recovery through Service outside their local meeting.

To contact our Intergroup, reach out at info@dcmdvasanon.org

How Does Intergroup Operate?

We are a group of members who have volunteered to support the individual family groups throughout our region to carry the S-Anon message to those who still suffer. We do this via monthly meetings and ad hoc service boards. We have also supported elections of our World Service Conference (WSC) Area Delegates (MD, VA) and helped support them financially to attend the in-person WSC. The WSC is a forum where the issues and policies affecting all S-Anon and S-Ateen groups can be discussed and informed decisions can be made with all members of the fellowship being represented. When the WSC and S-Anon International Convention was in Maryland, the DC, MD, VA Intergroup spearheaded those logistical efforts as well. We have also reached out to mental health professionals, recovery groups and institutions to share about our program and help shorten the path the newcomer has to follow to find our meetings. Our activities are supported by the contributions of members, groups, and sponsored events.  7th Tradition Donations should be sent to the Intergroup Treasurer. Email  Treasurer@dcmdvasanon.org for a physical mailing address, or to use PayPal.

Starting a New Group

Any two or more members, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an S-Anon Family Group. However, that should be your only affiliation. The Intergroup encourages members to start new meetings so that members have more opportunity for recovery and fellowship. Our service literature L-15 or the Service Manual (both linked in the Resource) can provide help with the challenges of beginning a meeting. Registering your meeting with the World Service Office and opting into the Intergroup will give your meeting more opportunities to grow and benefit from the participation of newcomers and old timers alike.
Starting a new meeting requires commitment. No one wants a newcomer to arrive and find that no one else is there.  Consequently, it requires commitment to show up to every meeting for a certain period of time, or find a partner to share that responsibility.  Starting a new meeting can also be intimidating—  what if no one shows up?  What if I’m not comfortable alone in this location? If you would like help connecting with S-Anon members about their experience beginning a meeting, please reach out to info@dcmdvasanon.org and we can connect you with experienced members or a service sponsor.

S-Anon Beyond my Local Group

S-Anon is a worldwide organization.  Our “Service Structure” helps us follow the 12 Traditions— This ensures that we can feel comfortable in an S-Anon meeting anywhere we might go and reassures us that we are not alone in facing the effects of someone else’s sexaholism.  Our Intergroup benefits from the participation of the Virginia and Maryland Delegates, who represent our Groups at the World Service Conference each year.  S-anon also has a “World Service Office” which is a non-profit organization that supports the Board of Trustees, sells S-Anon Literature, and maintains a list of meetings. The Board of Trustees include committee chairs for a wide range of efforts from Finance to Literature to Public Outreach. Group members are invited to support all these committees, and many of our local members have found this to be a rewarding experience— they grow in their recovery as people and are able to support the S-Anon fellowship as a whole.

RESOURCE LIST: The following links are to S-Anon’s website, maintained by the World Service Office. If these links happen to break, please search the WSO website and alert the DC, MD, VA Intergroup at info@dcmdvasanon.org.

Regional and Local Event Calendar