PROTECT YOUR ANONYMITY! This site, the chat/meeting room and message board is viewable by the general online public. When registering on the message board use only your first name and last initial to identify yourself. On both the board and in the chat room, use a nickname that others outside of Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families do not know you by.
...Came to believe that a power greater than myself could offer me hope.
Who or what this power could be? Divine essence? The Lord? The leg on the kitchen chair.
Group members, including myself?
Tony A was a primary ACA thinker. He said that any higher power could not restore sanity. Because there was never ever any sanity.
This is an interesting point... well worth thinking about. Was there ever a break in my family system- where it was perfect?
I have never really had any trouble getting my head around a higher power. I realise that a lot of people do- or they seem to.
It can be problematic trying to explain the programme to others... if they are resistant to higher power concepts.
The solution, for me, it so have wide ranging discussions around the topic. That our own primary view, or stance is the most important.
In the USA people will try and get a sponsor- right from the get go.
ACA suggests a "fellow traveller" route too. This is one that I favour...
...but having said that- I always say- so steps 1,2, and 3 in a group, if possible. I believe that the rite of passage through a group will help break down isolation.
Doing this online is just as good as F2F, in my view... sharing about a belief system. Not so much the personal stuff in steps 4,5,6,7...
removing the impediments to steps 2 and 3 is a good start to me... ...