the 12 steps simplified - intnsa
TRANSCRIPT
1
by
serving with uncompromising care, relentless
compassion and an unconditional joyful spirit while
helping our residents help themselves in their
recovery
The 12 Steps
Simplified
Roseann Rook, CADC
Clinical Addictions Specialist
Where did the Steps come fromWhat are the 12 steps?
The 12 steps are a guiding principle outlining how to
recover from compulsive, out of control behaviors
and restore sanity and serenity to one’s life.
AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) started in 1935 as a
result of two men, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, trying to
stay sober and were only able to do so with the help
of each other. The steps were eventually written in
hopes to provide some order and direction to getting
and staying sober.
2
The 3rd Member
What AA Doesn’t do• Furnish initial motivation for recovery
• Solicit members
• Keep attendance records
• Provide letters of reference
• Make medical or psychological diagnosis
• Engage in education about alcohol
• Have rules (they are only but suggestions)
• Insist on a God and isn’t a religion or cult
Looke A’sLook what you
started
3
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol
- that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than
ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of God as we understood
Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral
inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another
human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Service Material from the General Service Office | Copyright A.A. World Services, Inc. |
Rev5/9/02
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all
these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our
shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and
became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever
possible, except when to do so would injure
them or others.
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
10. Continued to take personal inventory and
when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to
improve our conscious contact with God as
we understood Him, praying only for
knowledge of His will for us and the power
to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the
result of these steps, we tried to carry this
message to alcoholics and to practice these
principles in all our affairs.
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
4
1. “We admitted we were powerless
over people, places and things
that our lives had become unmanageable.”
• What is really meant by powerless?
– Definition of powerless: devoid of resources, unable to
do something or stop something.
– Step One is talking about being powerless over our
addictive behaviors NOT powerless over our
immediate actions, change or recovery.
– Being powerless over everything means we are
helpless and hopeless, the two main ingredients of
depression. We’re not asking the newcomer to believe
in something that will make them sicker.
2. “Came to believe in a power greater than
ourselves could restore us to sanity”
1) We came (into the program)
2) We came to (the fog lifted)
3) We came to believe (someone or something
could help us).
The 2nd step is about HOPE.
Gaining strength, inspiration
and guidance outside of one’s self.
This is a “spiritual” program not a
“religious” program.
What does that mean?
• Religion is an adherence to the beliefs and practices
of an organized church or religious institution.
• The Spirit refers to the nonphysical part of the person
(soul – mind – consciousness - frame of mind - point
of view – outlook - thoughts – ideas). Spirituality is
who you are, not what you do! Spirituality is
individualized, it is about YOU.
5
– Wise mind
– Reason
– Inner Light
– Nature
– Goddess
– The treatment team
– The 12 step fellowship
*Good Orderly Direction or Great Outdoors
Some Alternative Concepts of
a Higher Power:
3. “Made a decision to turn our will and our
lives over to the care of God
as we understood Him”
• So with a Higher Power of our own
understanding, we now must be willing to
let it help. We need to get out of the way of
trying to control everything. There is a
difference between submit/giving in and
surrender/letting go. Turning your will over
means to be willing not willful.
Willingness
• Step 3 is like opening the door to which all
appearance is still closed and locked. All we
need is a key… that key is willingness.
Though self-will may slam it shut again, we
again need to pick up the key.(Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions p. 34-35)
6
Step 3 is about “Surrendering” not “Submitting”
Control:
Submit:
Surrender:
(Letting Go)
4. Made a fearless moral
inventory of ourselves.
• There is more to life than physical sobriety
• Searching for “causes and conditions”
• Uncover truth about ourselves (attitudes,
thoughts, beliefs, fears, actions, behaviors)
that have been blocking us and causing
problems
• Prepares for a purposeful life
I’m resentful at: The Cause Affects my:
Mr. Brown His attention to my wife.
Told my wife of my mistress.
Brown may get my job at the
office.
Sex relations.
Self-esteem (fear)
Sex relations.
Self-esteem (fear)
Security
Self-esteem (fear)
Mrs. Jones She’s a nut -- she snubbed me.
She committed her husband
for drinking.
He’s my friend.
She’s a gossip.
Personal relation-
ship. Self-esteem
(fear)
My employer Unreasonable-Unjust
- Overbearing -
Threatens to fire me for my
drinking
and padding my expense
account.
Self-esteem (fear)
Security.
My wife Misunderstands and nags.
Likes Brown.
Wants house put in her name.
Pride -- Personal
sex relations --
Security (fear)
We went back through our
lives. Nothing counted but
thoroughness and honesty.
carefully.
Big
Bookpg.65
7
5. Admitted to God, ourselves and to
another human being the exact nature of
our wrongs
• Two things needed Courage and sense of Trust
• Admit
– to God: admissions become more meaningful
– to Ourselves: without admitting to our innermost
selves, we’re not likely to be willing to change
– to another Human Being: (sponsor) someone to
listen, validate, understand and support without
judgement. Making it speak able makes it real.
Sponsorship
• An AA member that guides you through the steps and the recovery process.
• The one person you can trust enough to share anything with.
• Introduces new meetings and other members.
• Eventually knows you well enough to call you out on your BS.
• Will stand by you, support you and accept you
• Will become one of the best friends you’ve ever had.
6. Were entirely ready to have God
remove all these defects of character
• To be honest, we sometimes enjoy our defect
and know that we must change our behavior no
matter how hard it seems
• This requires only “readiness” / willingness to
change
8
7. Humbly asked Him to
remove our shortcomings
• Requires humility
• Humility is teach ability
• In practicing the 7th step, we are exercising our
freedom from addiction by developing our
assets , discarding defects and making new
choices
• Progress not Perfection
8. Made a list of all persons we had
harmed and made direct amends
to them all. • Developing a list of people, places and institutions to
which we owe amends
• A beginning to rectify our wrongs and accept
responsibility
• Making a list and become willing (not making the
amends)
• Needs a sponsor’s insight
• Define “harm” and “amends”
9. Made direct amends to such people
wherever possible, except when to do
so would injure them or others
• Need the following qualities – good judgement, carful
sense of timing , courage and prudence.
• Must do the right thing no matter the consequences
• Fall into categories
– people to deal with as soon as possible
– people to whom we can only make partial amends
– situations where action ought be deferred
– situations in which we shall never be able to make contact
9
10. Continued to take personal inventory and
when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
• Set right any new mistakes right away as we
go along
• Continue for a lifetime
• Taken throughout the day or nightly
– which of my defects popped up today
– am I asking for help
– am I using my tools
– have I been true to myself
– am I rationalizing or justifying behavior
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve
our conscious contact with God, as we understood
him, praying only for knowledge of His will for and the
power to carry that out.
– asking for help, surrender your ego
– learn to pray, simply means having a conversation with
Who or What is helping you
– learn to meditate, take time daily to reflect on what you
have learned and what you might want to do different
– practice acceptance, stop trying to control what you can’t
and concentrate on what you CAN control
12. Having had a spiritual awaking as a result of
theses steps, we tried to carry this message to
alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our
affairs
• Spiritual Awaking- moments of clarity “aha”
• Carrying the message-program of attraction
not promotion , must have it to give it away
• Practice these principles in all our affairs- a
way of living
10
Thank You!
Roseann Rook
630.343.2384
A residential treatment center
located on 43 beautiful acres
just outside Chicago, offering
a nurturing environment of
recovery for women and girls
ages 12 and older struggling
to overcome eating disorders,
substance abuse, mood
disorders, trauma and co-
occurring disorders.
www.timberlineknolls.com | 1.877.257.9611