Our 12th Step encourages us to “carry the message to others.” How have you done that? How can we reach out to sufferers who don’t even know about Al-Anon?
Spencer and Eric talk about our experiences with public outreach, roughly following this outline.
- How did you first get involved in public outreach?
- What have you or members of your group done as part of your public outreach?
- What resources are available to help you in doing outreach?
- Why do you believe that public outreach is important?
- How have you preserved your anonymity “at the level of press, radio, TV, and films”?
- How have you cooperated with other recovery groups and programs in your area to carry the message?
- Have you been involved in other forms of service? In your district? In your group(s)? Personally?
- How does service help to carry the message?
- How have all these forms of service supported and enhanced your recovery?
We mentioned many resources for outreach. Here are some of them:
- Statement about public outreach from Al-Anon/Alateen of South Ontario.
- Public outreach materials from the Al-Anon bookstore.
- Public outreach from Al-Anon of Wisconsin.
- Media files for outreach from Al-Anon.
- Al-Anon flyer about outreach.
Upcoming topics include worry, obsessive thinking, and caretaking. Please call us at 734-707-8795 or email feedback@therecoveryshow.com with your questions or experience, strength and hope. Or just leave a comment right here.
Music from the show
Jazon Mraz: 3 Things
Brandon Heath: Give Me Your Eyes
John Mayer: Shadow Days
Spencer,
I found the podcast because you have Al Anon in the description. Please keep it if you can.
Eric was very motivational. Outreach is something I want to incorporate into my program and this is a great “how to” cliff notes version. I still can’t believe that he has been able to get Alanteen into schools. That’s amazing. One of my meetings had a member’s 14 YO niece attending for a while. Having her there seemed to soften me up at bit and get me out of myself. I used to feel uncomfortable in meetings because I seemed to be the youngest one there. To look at her and imagine how she felt, it took guts to sit through the meeting, smile, and share at her age.
I’m feeling very codependent at the moment because of some things that are happening in my life and the way I have chosen or programed myself to respond. Looked up Episode 66 – Co-Dependency – and gave it a listen. Really identified when you were talking about trying to figure out what was going on in someone else’s head, anticipate what they might “need,” and then doing things before I had been asked. Looking at it now, it seems like I was trying to act like the bell-boy from Moonrise Kingdom – always anticipate and not be seen or heard. Realized that I had some triggers in this situation based on some old stuff that I guess I need to work on. Had a topic idea, but it escaped me. Guess its time to do that self-care thing and go to bed.
Appreciate what you do.
Brian J.
I remembered the topic suggestion as soon as I laid down: taking it personally. That seems to be an expression of my codependency.