An SIA meeting is a unique tool to use during recovery. While SIA is not a replacement for therapy when needed, the camaraderie and fellowship which incest survivors feel when among others who have been through similar experiences as a child is not something easily described.

The time spent with others who understand (and who ‘get it’ in ways no one else can) is a relief, and can be inspiring. SIA stresses the fact that we are not alone, and nothing else makes that point as vividly as taking part in an SIA meeting. All of us are in different stages of  recovery, but all of us need validation that what happened was real, and that we are not to blame.

If you’re considering starting a meeting we’ve made these pages for you. We think you’ll find in reading what other survivors have to say say about starting and participating in new meetings that it’s not as daunting as we thought it was.

Many of our meetings have been started by survivors who had never been to an SIA meeting. All SIA groups are autonomous. There is no one “correct” way to run a meeting. Formats differ from one group to another (here are some examples). The length of meetings differ from one group to another. If you’ve attended other 12 Step meetings that you like, you can model your SIA meeting after those. The caring support from other survivors is what makes our meetings what they are – a safe place to come together and share.

As always, take what you like, and leave the rest.