12-Step Principles and Sober Living

"Life can be enjoyed, and living can be more exciting when it is shared with people who understand the way an addict or alcoholic thinks. Meetings, sponsorship, and working the steps are what make 12 Step programs work and why so many individuals finally succeed in living a life of recovery."

For those early in recovery, the phrase 90 in 90 applies. Each new resident at Project SOAR is required to attend 90 meetings (AA or NA) in 90 days. While there is still a great deal of misinformation with regards to the guiding principles of AA, the Steps are a spiritual, not a religious approach, to living a healthy life: emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally.

Spiritual concepts do not entail acceptance to a specific religious order. Instead, the concept of a higher power, God, or a universal power reinforces the reality that we do not control everything. We can only hope to be in control of our thoughts, actions, and feelings. When alone, the accuracy of one’s thoughts and feelings leave us vulnerable to self destructive behaviors.

Sponsorship and the 12 Steps allow us to step back from our thoughts and feelings, which in turn give us a moment to reflect before resorting to self-destructive behaviors. The 12 Steps rely upon personal responsibility and honesty. When our residents listen to what others share in meetings, inevitably, they hear others who have gone through the same or similar experiences. They hear how drugs and alcohol have derailed lives. They hear how meetings provide a much needed release from isolation, guilt, anxiety and stress through the support of everyone who attends the meetings.

Everyone is there for a common purpose regardless of time sober and clean.The 12 Steps provide every resident the opportunity to reflect back on a daily basis. This affords a quiet, non-judgemental moment to see where we handled or mishandled a situation, where we stepped up and took responsibility for a wrongdoing or did not. These daily inventories help release negative thoughts and feelings, deal with resentments and provide the ability to take a different action. Each day, new lessons about oneself can be obtained.

For more information about our program, or to arrange a tour, please call  our program specialist. We look forward to speaking with you.