My sister is a member of AA. She is the sponsor for a lady. This lady was chairing yesterday AA meeting and many participants of the meeting realized that she was drunk. They asked her about it and she said that she visited a dentist and received an injection with anesthetic.
She left immediately after the meeting.
She does not call her sponsor (my sister) for some time.
My sister said that the lady is working her program for six months and during that time she began to drink alcohol again for three times.
Now, my sister who is a sponsor of this lady does not know how to continue to work the Steps with this lady. She believes that this lady must return to Step 1, despite the fact that she is now at Step 4.
Also, my sister does not know whether she should confront this lady about her drinking or just keep working with her on the program. My sister lives in Russia and does not speak English so she asked me to ask you in this forum.
That's a good question. My sister says that her sponsor is temporarily unavailable. Actually, I am Al-Anon member and do not want to get involved much in this issue. I have my program, and my sponsor dont encourage me to take on the issue. So I just asked about your experience. That's all.
If I was the sponsor, and I felt like the person was drinking or did relapse, I would ask the person. But if the person says No, then what? At that point, if the person is continuing to go to meetings, attempting to work the program, I would continue to be their sponsor. "The only requirement is a desire to stop..." You hope for the best, and turn it over to HP, it's his/her/it's plan.
Our local AA meetings have a protocol in that if the attendee has been drinking they are to listen only and not speak to the assembly. They get that protocol from their first meeting. For me when a sponsee continues to drink, knowing how alcohol alters mind and mood, I will break off the relationship. Obviously my ESH isn't helping. I am a double, a member of both Al-Anon and AA. I use my Al-Anon program always when dealing with the alcoholic Sponsee as it helps me set workable boundaries and also can pass tools on to the sponsee at the same time. Same steps and traditions ..different focus. (((((hugs)))))
Our local AA meetings have a protocol in that if the attendee has been drinking they are to listen only and not speak to the assembly. They get that protocol from their first meeting.
I've heard of this approach, prohibiting speech or sharing of certain members. Is this just one meeting, JF, or several meetings in your area that do this?
So I just asked about your experience. That's all.