Discussion Topic
Discussion Topic: How do I and my local fellowship cooperate with professionals?
Dear ESSAY
Dear ESSAY, thank you for the wonderful suprise I received in the August edition on The Slogans. On p. 20 I unexpectedly found an article written by my sponsor with a picture of my cat “Milton” and an embroidery work I had sent her when I had been working on it.
Editors’ Corner
A good deal of us came in through professionals of various kinds, whether they were therapists, helpline workers, psychiatrists, life coaches, or clergy members. The AA Big Book gives a clear recommendation not to disregard human health measures: “God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds.
SA CFC
I first heard about prison meetings from a member who started prison contact through the Gideon Society in Georgia. He told me that I would have to take a course in order to qualify to enter prisons. I then heard from a prison chaplain who was running a number of recovery programs that he would be interested in running an SA program too.
Joe Starts a Meeting
Joe was an SA member who lived some distance away from the nearest meeting and hardly ever got a chance to go. He had a few months’ sobriety, and his sponsor was very encouraging, giving him lots of advice. So Joe decided to start a meeting nearby.
Absolute Honesty With Myself, My Sponsor, and My Higher Power
My job is to take care of a large property with an orchard, a garden, and a house. A few weeks ago, I found myself in a completely new situation I have never been in before.
Staying Sober Through Reaching Out
I moved to a regional city on the east coast of Australia over 5 years ago. There were two SA meetings in the city and sex addiction was a very taboo topic and still is very taboo.
Reaching Out to Professionals Within the Church
Bishops, priests, and nuns throughout the Catholic Church are becoming increasingly aware of SA and supportive of recommending that parishioners with lust addiction contact the program for help. The Europe and Middle East Region (EMER) has recently been experiencing the fruit of focusing special attention on this outreach for the past several years and promoting the sharing of experience among its fifteen intergroups.
The More You Know About Me, the Freer I Am
“But I don’t want to share that …” “Then you won’t get well!” That was my sponsor’s response to most of the fears I experience. I cannot get sober in isolation. Nor can I get it if I don’t give it. The SA group I got sober in was very strong in service. That’s where I was introduced to “Hospitals and Institutions.”
Israel’s Public Information Committee Is Very Active
From the moment I started to take this program seriously and work the Steps with a sponsor who works the Steps with a sponsor of his own (and so on) it has been crystal clear to me that our main focus and primary purpose is the Twelfth Step—carrying the message.
