I just received a phone call from a woman who was handed a FAR brochure recently and called to volunteer her services. She has been in recovery for many years. As we talked she expressed the opinion that the teaching of life skills was needed. She had gone to, and continues to go to AA, but that something else is needed that sponsors cannot be expected to fulfill. I mentioned that Al-Anon did that for me. She said that she had gone to Al-Anon for a while and agreed that she got more life skills from that.
As I reflected on her comments I realized that it was a theme I had heard from others in recovery. How astute of them.
Maybe after working the 12 steps and having some significant recovery-time, that people should graduate from AA into another level of learning and working on life skills. That next level could keep AA lessons as part of it, but then go on to an Al-Anon type meeting.
I, personally, and know others who have greatly benefitted in all areas of their life from Al-Anon. I’ve started reading Lawrence Peltz’s book about mindfulness and I think it is along the same lines.
What do you think?
– Peg
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