Presenters & Workshops
The 2026 International Recovery Convention will feature Plenary/Keynote Presentations and Breakout Workshop Sesssions presented by S.L.A.A. members from across five decades!
The IRC Planning Committee is currently accepting proposals and applications for speakers and workshops at this link.
Here are some workshops that will be offered:
The Inner Rhythm of Recovery: Living Steps Three to Eleven - Recovery unfolds through a rhythm of pausing, listening, and surrender. This experiential workshop explores Steps Three and Eleven through meditation, moving beyond theory and using meditation as a practical recovery tool to cultivate conscious contact with our inner lives and a Higher Power. Participants will engage in guided practices designed to deepen awareness and compassion while learning a sustainable framework for integrating meditation into daily recovery. Gain the tools to navigate the ebbs and flows of the human experience with greater presence, curiosity, and the strength to live in reality.
When Sponsees Aren’t Ready - Navigating sponsorship when a sponsee is not yet sober presents a unique challenge: how do you foster recovery while they are still struggling? Join us for an interactive exploration of "building the ladder" to sobriety while a sponsee is still "digging the hole." This workshop offers sponsors practical strategies—from gathering data on triggers to finding a personal "why"—to balance non-judgment with essential accountability. Through shared experience and discussion, we will explore how to build a robust recovery toolbox and support sponsees who desire recovery but are not yet willing or able to fully commit to sobriety.
Reconciliation: Rebuilding Love and Trust using the Twelve Steps - This workshop focuses on fostering reconciliation and building healthy, open systems within personal relationships after entering S.L.A.A. Participants will begin by sharing experience, strength, and hope (ESH), emphasizing the journey from active addiction to recovery. The session introduces "Open Systems Theory" and uses the S.L.A.A. Basic Text and the "Healthy Relationships" pamphlet to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy dynamics. Attendees will receive a visual aid and writing prompts to evaluate their own relationship systems and discover how Steps 4 and 10 help identify personal patterns that either encourage openness or create closed systems.
The Role of Fantasy in Sex and Love Addiction - Unmask the hidden driver of sex and love addiction in this compelling workshop focused on compulsive fantasy. For many, fantasy serves as a dangerous escape and a critical enabler of bottom-line behaviors. This session explores how addictive fantasizing creates unmanageability and leads to relapse, while offering practical, Step-based strategies to stay present. Participants will learn to differentiate between healthy imagination and addictive fantasy using tools such as fantasy inventories, mindfulness techniques, and relevant literature.
Developing a Practical Coping Skills Toolkit - This workshop will equip attendees with core coping skill types, including Emotion-focused, Problem-focused, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Relational techniques. The session provides practical tools like grounding, urge surfing, trigger mapping, and technology controls. Participants will learn to build a personalized, one-page toolkit and discuss comprehensive relapse-prevention plans. We will also cover engaging support systems, practicing self-compassion, and creating a concrete action plan using SMART goals. This program focuses on practical steps for recovery.