Podcast: What is sponsorship in Alcoholics Anonymous?

Is attendance at AA meetings enough?

When an alcoholic comes to AA, going to plenty of meetings is considered enough to ensure sobriety. Newcomers are encouraged to go to 90 meetings in 90 days. Soon the alcoholic fog begins to clear. AA then offers a plan of recovery. It involves going through the twelve steps with a sponsor. Every new member is affected by the illness in different ways and to varying degrees. Some members need professional psychiatric intervention to help themto stay sober

Get a sponsor when you ready to change your life!

When the alcoholic is ready, he needs to start dealing with the three-fold illness. In AA the three aspects of the illness are seen as ‘mental, physical and spiritual. Physical abstinence addresses only one aspect of alcoholism. The mental and spiritual parts respond only to the twelve steps. It is impossible to go through the steps, without the guidance of an experienced sponsor. Working with a kind and loving sponsor helps the alcoholic to achieve more honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. They are known as the three principles of AA. It is impossible to achieve a happy and contented sobriety without them.

So what is sponsorship in Alcoholics Anonymous?

Andy F will share his rich and varied experiences with many different types of sponsorship. As a serial relapser who kept going back out drinking, he has had at least twenty sponsors since coming to AA. He has learned over the years to tell the difference between good sponsors and less competent ones. Listen to the podcast. Andy’s experiences of sponsorship may be a helpful resource.