Quality Sponsorship

Evaluating the Quality of Sponsorship and other Peer Guidance Relationships
Twelve Step recovery fellowships have a system through which older members in successful recovery help orient new members to their particular recovery program. AA has formalized this process through the practice of sponsorship.
Having a sponsor is an important indicator of intensity of mutual aid participation, with greater intensities of involvement being linked to improved long-term recovery outcomes
Sponsoring others appears to be a particularly potent ingredient with some long-term post-treatment follow-up studies noting over 90% remission rates in persons who sponsored others throughout the follow-up period. Some recovery support fellowships do not have formal sponsors, but informal mentoring and guidance occurs within these groups.
Given the importance of peer guidance in recovery initiation and maintenance, it is important to look at factors that can be used to select a sponsor/guide or evaluate how well an existing sponsor/guide relationship is going. You may wish to consider the following seven factors in those processes.

Quantity of Sobriety Has this person been successful enough in his or her own recovery for a long enough period that I can trust his or her guidance?
Quality of Sobriety & Personal Character. Does this person live his/her life in a way that I would like to achieve? Are his or her core values congruent with those I have or would like to develop? Is this individual...

Source: Recovery Is Sexy.com - December 4, 2013 Category: Addiction Authors: Sparrow Tags: 12 Step Fellowships Alcoholics Anonymous Recovery Sponsorship orient new members Peer Guidance Source Type: blogs