Multiple programs, multiple sponsors?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 770
I did and I had different sponsors . It can get complicated.
When they say one sponsor I think they mean for one progrsm. It would have been very difficult to find a sponsor for all the different programs I worked (in my area we called it "cross pollination")
but I did have one sponsor for just aa and al anon. when it came to other addictions I had to get a separate sponsor bc I couldn't find one that would have worked for all programs
what is your gut telling you to do?
When they say one sponsor I think they mean for one progrsm. It would have been very difficult to find a sponsor for all the different programs I worked (in my area we called it "cross pollination")
but I did have one sponsor for just aa and al anon. when it came to other addictions I had to get a separate sponsor bc I couldn't find one that would have worked for all programs
what is your gut telling you to do?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: TX
Posts: 481
Originally Posted by Recovery999 
Is anyone here in more than one 12 step program? Do you have a sponsor for each program?
On the other hand, I was able to beat back a healthy drug addiction using my AA program about 30 days after kicking the booze. But they are both chemicals and in that respect very similar. With overeating, gambling, or in my case, a sexual addiction, the details are different enough to have a different program, sponsor, and working of the steps.
If all goes well, I'll have 10 months in my SA program Sunday. Where I couldn't put together more than a week or two trying to use my AA program to combat this other self-destructive means of escaping reality.
Use the right tool for the job.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 770
Tbh I never achieved food abstinence in oa and I binged and did the most damage to my body was while attending meetings.
. BUT it was nice to speak to others who under stood food and body issues. especially bc "eating sweets" was highly recommended in my aa meetings . Even when I spoke of my health issues ppl would say "we'll I never drove drunk and got a dui afer eating cake .
, my fourth step in oa was extremely healing and eye opening . My sponsor taught me a lot about body acceptance and I learned more about the way I do relationships in oa then in any other program I attended (even al anon or slaa). But that is just my experience. I really liked the oa literature too. It talked about how we cut off our intuition or our direct line to god when we eat compulsively. Really beautiful it spoke to me a lot.
. BUT it was nice to speak to others who under stood food and body issues. especially bc "eating sweets" was highly recommended in my aa meetings . Even when I spoke of my health issues ppl would say "we'll I never drove drunk and got a dui afer eating cake .
, my fourth step in oa was extremely healing and eye opening . My sponsor taught me a lot about body acceptance and I learned more about the way I do relationships in oa then in any other program I attended (even al anon or slaa). But that is just my experience. I really liked the oa literature too. It talked about how we cut off our intuition or our direct line to god when we eat compulsively. Really beautiful it spoke to me a lot.
Recovered
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,129
I am blessed in that my AA sponsor has many ISMs that we can do the steps on together (food, sex, relationships, etc). I was told early on by a therapist that I needed to go to all the different 12-step meetings and get sponsors in each. It just wasn't feasible for this sicko.
*Grateful*
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,619
I go to AA and OA. I only have one sponsor and she is an OA sponsor. That being said however, we are an OA group who exclusively only uses the AA book. It really isn't an alcohol issue, as alcohol is but a symptom (as is compulsive overeating) it is a living problem. She is awesome and is a the best AA sponsor I have ever had!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 69
When I first read the title of this thread I thought it said multiple orgasms. On a more serious note, no I do not have multiple sponsors. I occasionally attend NA and just the other day I spoke at an NA rehab speaker commitment but I stick to the program of AA as far as the steps and sponsorship goes. The steps are pretty much the same but I think having two sponsors would be confusing. However, AA and NA pretty much deal with the same issue of substance abuse. Maybe it would be different with eating disorders, gambling, or sex addiction.
Guest
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 600
Originally Posted by Lily
I go to AA and OA. I only have one sponsor and she is an OA sponsor. That being said however, we are an OA group who exclusively only uses the AA book. It really isn't an alcohol issue, as alcohol is but a symptom (as is compulsive overeating) it is a living problem. She is awesome and is a the best AA sponsor I have ever had!
I was told I only need to work the steps once. The solution and the steps are the same for every single addiction. Our addiction is only a symptom.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: De
Posts: 1,333
I did both AA and NA when I first came in and had a sponsor for both programs. But , that was back before the NA's Basic Text was written so we used The Big Book and 12'12 in NA.. We I went off to college full time there were no local NA meetings so it's just been AA since then. unfortunately, my NA sponsor relapsed and I lost contact.
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,902
I had a guy in a halfway house ask me to sponsor him years ago.He also was told to go to NA and get a sponsor.He had a guy at the house to answer too.He had a counselor to answer too.
he couldn`t handle it all and left and no one has seen him since
One good big book sponsor is all I need
he couldn`t handle it all and left and no one has seen him since
One good big book sponsor is all I need
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