Therapy alongside the 12 Steps
What Makes a Therapist ‘Qualified’ for This Work
S.A. Lifeline and SAL 12-Step don’t provide therapy — but we’ve seen, again and again, that qualified therapy is a pivotal piece of working recovery, for the recovering addict and the betrayed partner alike. SAL 12-Step members often find that 12 to 24 months of therapy is what it takes, though some finish sooner and some need longer. Paired with the spiritual work of the SAL 12 Steps, it’s often where the real breakthroughs happen.
What makes a therapist qualified
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They’re licensed and trained specifically in sexual addiction and betrayal trauma — not general counseling.
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They hold a credential, like C-SAT or APSATS certification.
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They understand the spiritual side of recovery, and the value of tools like sponsorship and the SAL 12 Steps.
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They know how to treat these specific issues without adding more trauma — something clergy, life coaches, and well-meaning friends usually aren’t trained to do.
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They draw on proven techniques built for this specific work — like EMDR, full disclosure, the trauma egg, the empty chair, and lifespan integration — not one-size-fits-all talk therapy.
How to find one
Search a certified directory
Search IITAP’s directory for a C-SAT (sexual addiction) or CPTT (betrayed partners), or find an APSATS-certified betrayed partner specialist. All three credentials mean training specific to this work — you’ll be starting with someone who already understands it.
Ask around
SAL 12-Step members often know a therapist who already understands the spiritual nature of recovery and tools like sponsorship — ask your group for a referral.
Ask the right questions
Use SAL’s list of questions to evaluate a therapist before you commit, so you know they’re the right fit for what you’re working through.
Take one step today: get qualified support
A good therapist and a SAL 12-Step meeting aren’t either/or — session work and step work complement each other beautifully. It can also help to have a qualified professional evaluate your medical, sexual, and mental health alongside therapy. Search a directory for someone trained specifically in sexual addiction and betrayal trauma, and come to a meeting, too. Be brave and just come.
Go deeper
Listen: Why Qualified Therapy Matters
Dan Drake on why qualified therapy is important, how to find it, and why it complements 12-Step work.
Listen: Brace for Impact
Josh Walpole on why qualified therapy is vital in recovery, and what it adds to the work you’re already doing.
Find an APSATS-Certified Specialist
A directory of therapists trained specifically to support betrayed partners through trauma.
Questions to Qualify a Therapist
The questions to ask — readable online, with a printable PDF.