Sponsee stuck in a rut

Have you heard of the "Beginners Meetings" book by Wally P.? The purpose is to get an alcoholic through all 12 steps in 4 one hour sessions. Not studying the steps, working them- including the 4th and 5th. The sessions are designed to be a week apart, but can be done in a weekend if you dedicate the time to it. This a great way to get a sponsee moving in a new direction- to change the dialog.

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Permalink Reply by kismet on August 8, 2009 at 3:49am

I have never heard of that book. Is it AA approved?(not that it has to be-I am just curious). Have you used it? I find the concept interesting--if the sessions are a week apart do they do work (such as their 4th step) between sessions?

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Permalink Reply by Tom Haanen on August 9, 2009 at 10:02pm

Hi kismet, Although Wally P. worked at Central Office as a historian, he has not even sought approval for the book, as it is a meeting format, to be adopted by autonomous groups.

At almost 30 years of sobriety, this service approach to the steps has been more invigorating of my growth than anything I have done since the Joe and Charlie workshops.

Tomorrow night we are starting a group of 20 experienced members in this process, who will them turn around and sponsor new members through this 12 step practise who are in treatment and homeless shelters. We are slated to go into two treatment programs this month, and hope to generate enough interest to sustain meetings in two additional programs in the next 3 months.

During the week between sessions all of the step work is done with your sponser. While it is not expected that the nineth step be completed, a strong effort will show to humbly mend the damage done. At the end of the first month, new members are expected to continue to serve as sponsors for two more months, giving them a couple sponsees and experience teaching others how to work the steps. Its simple, solution oriented and it works.

kismet said:

I have never heard of that book. Is it AA approved?(not that it has to be-I am just curious). Have you used it? I find the concept interesting--if the sessions are a week apart do they do work (such as their 4th step) between sessions?