Twelve Step Programs

Why Should They Go?

Personal Exercise

10-Minute Quick-write on a Characteristic of Yourself That You Have Struggled to Change

What Feelings Did You Have During the Struggle?

How Can Your Experience With That Struggle Help you to Help Your Students?

Overview Where Did They Come From? What Kinds of Meetings Are There? What Happens at Meetings? Why Does it Work? Who Runs Them? What’s a Sponsor? What Are the Basics of Recovery? How Can Our Students Benefit From Them?

OriginsOrigins

Oxford Group

Alcoholics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous

Offshoots

Types of Meetings

Open vs. Closed Discussion Speaker Book Study Speaker-Discussion Step Study

What Happens at Meetings

Newcomers – First 30 Days Oldtimers – Experience, Strength and Hope Sharing, Topics Cross-talk The “God-Thing” Clean Time

It Work Because . . .

One Addict Helping Another Experience, Strength and Hope Relapsers Welcome Coping Skills One Day At A Time It’s Free

Meeting/Service Structure

Trusted Servants Not Organized Secretary, Leader, Coffee Maker, Group Service

Representative Democratic Decision Making Court Slips

Sponsorship

Preferably A Year or More Clean Men with Men, Women with Women Shows Newcomers How to Work Steps Shares Experience, Strength and Hope Only Winners Get Sponsors and Use Them

The Basics

90 in 90 Support System Sponsor Service HOW - Honesty, Open-mindedness, Willingness The Twelve Steps

Working the Steps

Can Take a Month, a Year, or Longer Internalized by Writing, Sharing Must Be Done With a Sponsor Confidentiality Prevents Relapse, Builds a Foundation Powerlessness and Unmanageability

Meeting Hazards

Is Everyone Clean?Drugs and Paraphernalia Confidentiality, AnonymityCan Someone Be Kicked Out?

Tell Your Students:

Focus on the Similarities not Differences Listen For Your Story Take What You Like, Leave the Rest Try Six Meetings Get Phone Numbers Don’t Leave Before the Miracle Happens

Benefits

Clean Friends Who Have Shared Experiences Day to Day Coping Skills Shared Relapse Prevention People Care About Each Other Fun Activities Networking – Job Leads, Resource Ideas Lifelong Recovery

Do You Consider Yourself. . .

A. Extremely Knowledgeable?

B. Somewhat Knowledgeable?

C. Minimally Knowledgeable?

15-Minute Discussion

1. Describe Something You Learned About Twelve Step Programs Today

2. Discuss the Resistance You Encounter From Students About Attending Meetings

3. Based on Your Group’s Scenario, Develop Two Strategies/Responses for Dealing With It

Discussion Topics:

Group 1: Meetings Are Boring, People Whine

Group 2: I Have No Time or Transportation to Get To Meetings

Group 3: People Are Using/Selling/Relapsing at Meetings

Group 4: Meetings Make Me Want to Use/Other Felons Attend

Group 5: People in Meetings are Judgmental and Clicky,

No One Talked to Me

Group 6: I Can’t Relate to People At Meetings

Group 7: I Don’t Want To Be In Recovery

Strategies Shared

Homework:

Observe One Open Twelve-Step Meeting This Year