FAQs

Registering for the Recovery Support Tool opens up additional functionality of this site, which is not available to unregistered visitors, including: Finding a sponsor/co-sponsor, finding a study group, listing yourself as available for these functions, access to recovery discussion forums, as well as other recovery support tools. All personal information, except your site (or "avatar") name are kept confidential.

Additional reasons to register include:

1. To help find support working the ACA steps
2. To be of service in ACA
3. To enable fellowship support with a book or step study
4. To take a step out of isolation

We hope you'll join us!

While the goal is to be in a one-on-one relationship with a sponsor, we offer an overview of ACA sponsorship experience that includes other methods as well.* This site supports 4 types of sponsorship:

1. Sponsor: An experienced ACA member guides a sponsee through the Twelve Steps and helps them understand the ACA recovery process. This site allows fellow travelers who have completed the Steps to list themselves as being available as a traditional sponsor.
2. Co-Sponsor: Two ACA members with similar program time and experience support each other’s continued recovery. This model seems to work best for ACA members having significant time and experience in the program. This site allows fellow travelers to list themselves as available for co-sponsorship.
3. Book-Study Group Coordinator: A group of Fellow Travelers that meet regularly to work the Steps together can provide indirect sponsorship. This site facilitates a fellow traveler to coordinate the creation of a book-study group using various ACA sanctioned books.
4. Sponsee or Book-Study Group Member: Someone wishing to find a sponsorship connection. While not, strictly speaking, a type of sponsorship, this is the type you should select if you are looking for a sponsor, a book-study group to join, or just want access to the site forum or resources. Members of this type will not be listed anywhere on the site.

The above types are selected during the registration process. Each member must select one, and only one, sponsorship type. You can change your sponsorship type at any time by modifying your Account information, which you can access from the pull-down menu (your login name) in the upper right corner of your screen. It is the responsibility of fellow travelers seeking a traditional sponsor, a co-sponsor, or a book-study group, to contact fellow travelers listed on this site, and determine if there is a good match.

* From the BRB p374

You must have registered with this site and be logged in to find a sponsor. Pull down the Sponsorship Menu item and select Find A Sponsor and Traditional Sponsors, to see a list of available sponsors. Select individual sponsors to find out more information about them. If you find someone you think may be a good fit, then select the "Message" button to start a conversation.

You must have registered with this site and be logged in to list yourself as someone wanting to be a sponsor. As part of the registration process you will be asked under which type of sponsor you wish to be listed. Select either Traditional Sponsor or Co-Sponsor. You can also change this type at any time by modifying your Account information, which you can access from the pulldown menu (your login name) in the upper right corner of your screen. Once you have selected a sponsor type and filled out your associated profile, you simply wait for other members to contact you via the anonymous message system.

* Willingness to read Chapter 11 in BRB, pgs. 365 -390

p. 373

“It takes kindness, caring, and an abundance of patience and nurturing.”

“I became an ACA sponsor after eighteen months in the program. It was a decision I mulled over for three months. I was not sure I was ready. I was not sure I had anything to give, and I was not sure that what I had to give was worth giving. I read a sponsorship trifold. I talked with my own sponsor. Then I took a long, searching look at myself as a candidate and made what I now consider my most healing decision.”

“To do it well, I try to maintain healthy boundaries between my sponsees and me in order not to take on their pain or try to fix them.”

p. 374

. . . “Being an ACA sponsor means aiding a sponsee in that fight until they can stand up to whatever problem in its less intimidating, basic form. When they can’t do it alone, they learn to reach out and get the necessary emotional support and information to see their problem can be solved, how to solve it and then solve it.”

. . . “As a sponsor I try to be a guide, not a teacher. I make it a point to praise the good work my sponsees do because validation is always important.” . . .

You must have registered with this site and be logged in to find a co-sponsor. Pull down the Sponsorship Menu item and select Find A Sponsor and then Co-Sponsors, to see a list of available co-sponsors. Select individual co-sponsors to find out more information about them. If you find someone you think may be a good fit, then select the "Message" button to start a conversation.

You must have registered with this site and be logged in to list yourself as someone wanting to start a book-study group. As part of the registration process you will be asked under which type of sponsor you wish to be listed. You can also change this type at any time by modifying your Account information, which you can access from the pulldown menu (your login name) in the upper right corner of your screen. Once you have selected a sponsor type and filled out your associated profile, you simply wait for other members to contact you via the anonymous message system.

You must have registered with this site and be logged in to join as step study group. Pull down the Sponsorship Menu item and select Find A Sponsor and then Step Study Groups, to see a list of available members wishing to start a group. Select individual listed members to find out more information about them. If you find someone starting a group that you think may be a good fit, then select the "Message" button to start a conversation.

The BRB p. 193 states: "In Step Five, we talk about what happened, and we trust another person to hear us without judgment. We feel the feelings that come up with the help of our ACA support group and a sponsor or counselor." The BRB p. 631 Appendix B or the yellow book Twelve Steps of Adult Children p. 184 Appendix, Hearing a Fifth Step, describes "there are others who can hear a Fifth Step. These people can include counselors, spiritual advisors, and members of other Twelve Step fellowships. A person should not ask a spouse, parents, relatives, friends or old lovers to hear his or her Fifth Step... In Step Five, the ACA member trusts another to hear his or her life story without judgment... Trust of another person is one of the spiritual principles of Step Five."

Those registered to "Find a Sponsor" (see FAQ "How do I find a sponsor?") may use the Sponsorship Tool provided on the Colorado ACA Intergroup website at their discretion to find a fellow traveler registered to be a sponsor who can hear their 5th step. It is suggested to review Step 5 in the BRB and the BRB Appendix B or yellowbook Appendix "Hearing a Fifth Step" for guidance when choosing someone to trust to hear a 5th step.

Find your username in the upper-right corner of the screen. Hover over it, then hover over Account, then select Delete Account.