Amy Riordan of Butler Township is a licensed pastoral counselor, writer and speaker who is starting a group, “No Longer Isolated,” for women with sexual addictions.

There is a lot of talk about drug and alcohol addiction with support groups and rehabilitation clinics springing up.

One local church, CrossWay Church in Valencia in conjunction with Harvest USA, is addressing an addiction many don't address. A group tackling sexual addiction, “No Longer Isolated,” will launch Oct. 5.

Amy Riordan of Butler Township is a licensed pastoral counselor, writer and speaker whose ministry, “Walking in Freedom,” was born out of her own sexual addictions.

“For many years I struggled with same-sex attractions. This eventually drove me to pornography, and I eventually found myself addicted to it. I was swallowed up by shame and self-condemnation, and I thought God hated me,” said Riordan.

“No one knew what I was struggling with, including my own husband. I was very involved in my church, and I felt like a hypocrite,” she said.

When she finally shared her battle with her husband and pastors and sought to break the grip of pornography, she found healing in many ways during the process.

“I have found freedom from pornography, and I am no longer driven by same-sex attractions. I have also discovered intimacy with Jesus, which has been the most fulfilling part of it all,” said Riordan.

The process and success in overcoming the addiction led her to start a blog which led to her desire to start the group. “I want to see other women experience the same healing, freedom and love that I have found through Jesus. It is never too late,” said Riordan.

“No Longer Isolated” will be a weekly Gospel-centered group for women struggling with sexual sin, offering hope through Jesus, along with the support of others who are walking the same path toward healing and freedom.

“Any woman who is struggling with pornography, same-sex attractions, or any kind of sex addiction is invited to attend,” she said. “Any woman who desires to find freedom and healing in these areas is welcome.”

While the group is not specifically targeted toward churchgoers, Amy's own experience taught her that Christians deal with these issues.

“Many women in the church silently struggle with sexual sin. They are often weighed down by a tremendous amount of shame and believe they are alone in their struggle. This could not be any further from the truth,” she said.

Riordan has been counseling women who struggle with these addictions for the past seven years.

Due to the subject's sensitive and private nature, participants will be screened, and the group's location will not be publicized.

“We will be meeting in a private location to protect the confidentiality of each woman who attends. Participants will need to uphold complete confidentiality concerning everything discussed in the group to be a part of the group,” Riordan said. The group will meet for 20 sessions followed by a break, and then start over.

Riordan will be sharing her testimony at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at a women's only bonfire at CrossWay Church, 109 Davis Road in Valencia. “I will be sharing my heart about the group starting up and inviting anyone who wants to come to the group to connect with me or contact me later,” Riordan explained.

There is also a group starting that addresses these addictions from a male perspective. It will be headed up by Steve Bacheler who has also been set free from a life long battle with sexual addiction.

“Any man that feels they are unable to get complete release from the bondage of pornography, masturbation, same-sex attraction, exhibitionism, peeping, and more is welcome,” said Bacheler who also attends CrossWay Church.

“We are not there to 'fix' them. They are in a safe place, to be able to get the things that cause them to act out, out in the open. Participants will know that we are there to come alongside, to help, and not beat them down because the addiction has already done that,” said Bacheler.

Again, there will be strict privacy ground rules. Participants will receive an accountability partner they can fully trust and study “Proactive Accountability” by Tim Gieger, president of Harvest USA. “We will be discussing topics, such as shame, guilt, our isolation, the 'heart' of the matter, the 'root' of the matter, and the 'fruit' of the matter,” explained Bacheler. The male component of “No Longer Isolated” will meet biweekly.