CVC 418
Sexual Issues in Addiction
Instructor: Lynda Mitton
Email: lmitton@cityvision.edu
Phone:
Course Description
This course is designed as a holistic, Christ-centered introduction to a basic recognition,
understanding, and response ability with clients who experience sexual addiction and its related issues of
sexual abuse and sexual offending. After completing this course, students will have a basic ability to
understand, work with, and implement interventions, boundaries, recovery support services and
ministries for clients with sexual addiction issues.
Degree Program Outcomes
At the conclusion of this degree program, the student will able to:
1. Understand the 12 core functions of addiction counselors to be academically prepared to become a
certified addiction counselor.
2. Understand and demonstrate the essential practices of addiction treatment including screening, intake,
assessment, treatment planning and aftercare. (Core Functions 1-5)
3. Understand and use basic counseling skills such as effective listening, assessment, crisis intervention,
group therapy and working with other professionals (Core Functions 6, 8, 12)
4. Understand and apply basic counseling professional practices including ethics, working with various client
groups, case management and record keeping skills. (Core Functions 7, 10, 11)
5. Understand and apply understanding of other issues related to addiction recovery such a mental illness,
family dynamics and sexual and spiritual issues. (Core Function 9)
Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
1.
Required Texts
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Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction Required Edition: 2004 Laaser, Mark R. ISBN:
9780310256571 $12.99
Course Outline
Week
Assessments
1
Objectives:
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To introduce the student to the content and purpose of this course.
To give the student an opportunity to become acquainted with the instructor and
other students who are involved in this course.
Assignments:
1. Read the Syllabus and Instructor Profile.
2. Read pages 7-19 in the textbook and write a short paper.
3. Introduce Yourself on the Class Forum Assignment
4. Read Appendix 1: Statistics on Pornography, Sexual Addiction and Online Perpetrators
2
Objectives:
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To be able to describe the correlation between sexual addiction, sin, and disease
To identify behaviors and attitudes of basic and cyber-sexual addictions
Introduce the original Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) and the Cyber-SAST
Assignments:
1. Read Chapter 1 (pp 23-27) ‘Sexual Addiction and Sin’ and answer the questions from
chapter 1 in your Study Guide.
2. Do the reading for appendix 2-4 and then submit reading reflection of 2-3 pages.
3. Read Appendix 5 and Post your answers about the assignment to the class discussion
board. Respond to at least 2 other learners.
4. Read Ch.2 (pp 28-35) 'Building Block Behaviors - Sexual Addiction' Answer the
questions in your Study Guide for this chapter.
3
Objectives:
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Learn some basic types of sexual addiction
Understand a spirit, soul and body model for types of sexual addiction.
Introduce Women’s Sexual Addiction behaviors and the W-SAST.
Assignments:
1. Complete the Study Guide for assigned reading Assignment
2. Read: Appendix 6: Six Types of Sexual Addiction and post answers in this week's Class
Forum discussion.
3. Re-read all of the SAST’s; the Original, Cyber-SAST, G-SAST, W-SAST and write a 2-3
page reaction paper.
4
Objectives:
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To understand and identify the characteristics of sexual addiction
To be able to identify the observable symptoms of sexual addiction
To be able to accurately describe the Sexual Addiction Cycle as identified by Patrick
Carnes
To be able to understand and articulate the consequences of Sexual Addiction
Assignments:
1. Read Chapter 4 (pp. 45 – 70). Answer the questions from chapter 4 in your Study
Guide.
2. Laaser compares sexual addiction with eating disorders. What are your impressions
of his parallels? Post your ideas to the discussion board.
3. Complete and submit the diagram of Carnes’ Sexual Addiction Cycle (section just
before review) in your Key Learning Guide for Chapter 4 and submit to your
instructor.
4. How does the Sexual addiction cycle apply to other addictions? How do other addicts
pre-occupy and then ritualize in their drug use patterns? Post your ideas to the
discussion board.
5. Develop six paragraph-length examples of other possible consequences of theses
cases not mentioned in the on-line research articles.
6. Take the mid-term exam by this Friday, October 3.
5
Objectives:
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Learn the impact of sexual addiction on sexual offending
Become familiar with federal and state sex offender registries
Acquire specific knowledge about federal and state definition and descriptions of
sexual crimes laws
Become familiar with your agency’s / ministry’s national and local guidelines and
policies regarding clients and staff with sexually criminal or offending histories
Assignments:
1. View : THE VIDEO “FATAL ADDICTION.” Respond on-line with at least 2 paragraphs to
those who post to you.
2. Internet research project: Which specific behaviors are sexually criminal behaviors?
3. Internet research project: What am I legally obligated to report? Post this “sample
policy” to the class discussion board.
4. Go the U.S. Department of Justice’s website www.nsopr.gov. Submit a brief summary
of your results to your instructor.
5. Interview the appropriate agency / ministry administrators and leadership. Write a 1
page summary of the interviews and submit it to your instructor.
6
Objectives:
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To recognize the unhealthy dynamics of the families of sex addicts
To understand how sex addicts cope with abuse
Personally interact with one’s own experience with family boundaries, rules and roles.
Assignments:
1. Read Ch.5 (pp 73-89) ‘Unhealthy Family Relationships’ Answer the questions in your
Study Guide.
2. Reflect upon, and write a 2 page personal case study on the “boundaries” you’ve
experienced in your past and current families, workplaces and personal
mentoring/discipling relationships.
3. Post to the discussion board 1 or 2 of the 5 unhealthy family rules you’ve experienced
in your past and/or current families and workplaces.
4. Of the “roles” described in pages 81-86, which ones most accurately fit you and the
members of your family? Write a 2-page “family bio”.
5. What did you dream or wish your family could be like? When you were growing up
whose family did you wish your’s was like? Write out no more than 3 pages.
7
Objectives:
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To see the types of family abuse from the addict’s experience.
To see how the abuse contributes to sexual addiction
To identify addict’s motivations and strategies for dealing with abuse
Assignments:
1. Read Ch.6 (pp 92-108) ‘Family Abuse’. Answer the questions for chapter 6 in your
Study Guide.
2. Write a 1-2 page paper about 3 past or current dysfunctional patterns in marriages,
families, workplaces, churches or other relationships you’ve experienced.
3. Read Ch. 7 (pp 109-118 ) ‘How Sex Addicts Cope with Abuse’ Answer the questions
for chapter 7 in your Key Learning Guide.
4. How can an addicted person who “gets saved” become a religious addict? Write a 1
page reflection on this question. Post your page to the discussion board.
5. After reviewing chapters 5-7, answer the review questions at the end of Chapter 7
Study Guide. Submit answers to questions to your instructor.
8
Objectives:
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To learn an overview of motivations and interventions for healing.
To identify steps for overcoming the SA life
To Confront the Sex Addict
Review the components of treatment necessary for a sex addict
Assignments:
1. Read Ch 8. (pages 121-139) ‘The Journey of Healing’ . Answer the questions in your
Study Guide.
2. Write your 1-2 page story about a serious, troubling time of change in your life that
you can share with your instructor.
3. Read Ch 9. (pp 140-147) ‘Confronting the Sex Addict.’ Answer the questions in your
Study Guide.
4. In chapter 9 Laaser refers to the passage in Matthew 18 on confrontation. Read the
passage and then reflect back on you own experience:
5. Read Ch.10 (pp 148-169). Answer the questions in your Study Guide for this chapter.
6. Use the list of support group organizations on pages 231-233 in Healing Wounds of
Sexual Addiction to build a current referral list of support groups in your city/area.
7. Complete the Part 3 review for Chapter 8-10 in the Key Learning Guide. Post a copy of
your referral list to the discussion board.
8. On a scale from 1 – 10, 1 means “I know I don’t have any issues with sexual addiction,”
and 10 means “I knew I was a sex addict before this course and I need to take, or
continue with decisive action for my sexual addiction.”
9. Complete the online Course Evaluation Form. (REQUIRED to complete this course and
receive a grade)
10. Take the final exam
Overall
Total estimated hours based upon 17 hours per week for 8 weeks
Forum Expectations
We expect that students will spend an estimated one-two hours to post one initial message, one hour to read posts
from 5+ students (presumes that a student doesn't read every post), and an estimated 1 hour to post two reply
messages. Forum grading will be based on the following items:
 Forum posts should be 200-400 words although these are not strict limits.
 Students must demonstrate comprehension of the material and achievement of the related learning
objectives related to that forum. Be sure to read the learning objectives.
 Students should demonstrate critical thinking and use outside material researched beyond the assigned
readings.
 The goal of course forums is to have scholarly dialog among peers combining both the strengths of inperson class discussion and providing concise, professional quality writing (similar to a well thought-out
academic or scholarly blog) and responding in a way that adds value to others writings
 Students are not required to use APA format for references in forum posts, but instead students are
encouraged to hyperlink relevant information when possible.
 Grading rubric: forums use the same high level grading rubric as for the final project including
o Content Knowledge (25%)
o Critical Thinking (25%). Note that critical thinking is very different from criticism.
o Communication (25%)
o Application (25%)
Written Work
Except for Class Forum posts, all written assignments should be double-spaced using 11-point font and 1-inch
margins, and include a relevant heading (name, date, assignment title), and subheadings where appropriate, which
can be viewed in a Navigation Pane. Multi-page assignments should also include page numbers. Please correct
spelling and grammatical errors before submitting all assignments. Spelling, grammar, and writing style will be
taken into consideration in evaluating written work. Assignments should be submitted to the Course Dropbox
within Moodle. Every assignment should carry a filename that MUST include your name (Student Name) and the
assignment number, e.g. Jan_Smith_Minor1.doc
Written work must be reflective, balanced, scholarly analysis and be well-supported by references. Deep familiarity
with the biblical text will be appreciated as will the ability to showcase extensive theological reading and reflection
and to critically examine an issue from many points of view.
Very informal or highly opinionated writing styles will be severely penalized. Do not preach.
Late Policy
Coursework is scheduled over a seven-day week to provide structure for students residing on six continents. The
weekly schedule begins on Monday at 12:01AM US ET (USA Eastern Time), and ends on Sunday at 11:59PM US ET.
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Assignments submitted more than 1 week late (after the following Sunday) will lose 1 letter grade (i.e. "A"
becomes a "B")
Assignments submitted more than 2 weeks late will lose 2 letter grades (i.e. "A" becomes a "C")
All assignments and quizzes must be submitted by the week after the term ends or they will receive a
failing grade
Extensions: professors may grant an extension if the student has a prolonged sickness or major family
crisis. The length of the extension is up to the professor’s discretion.
Applications for an extension should be sent to the professor at least 2 or more days before the due actual
date. Extensions must be after a course ends submitted via the online extension request form. If an
extension is granted, no other courses may be taken until that course is completed.
Week Eight is the last class session with assignments posted. All course work must be completed by the student
and submitted to the instructor by Friday of the tenth week of the course. No credit will be given for work
submitted after this date.
This syllabus is subject to change without notice up until the first day of the semester. For more academic policies,
please visit: http://www.cityvision.edu/academic-policies