How do I Counsel a New AA Member?

Counseling someone new to the group Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) takes education and a desire to help others. Counselors are different than A.A. sponsors. Sponsors are also members of A.A. and provide sponsoring as part of their service back to the A.A. institution. They are not professional counselors and get their experience from having alcohol problems and being active members of an A.A. group. Counselors, on the other hand, are professionals who can become certified as A.A. Counselors or A.A. Therapists.

Instructions

• 1

  A.A. Counselors usually have undergraduate degrees in a complementary medical field.

  Get the right education. A.A. counselors need to have at least a bachelor's degree in a complementary field, such as substance abuse, social work, addiction therapy or mental health. Previous work in any of these areas is helpful. The laws governing certification as an A.A. Counselor vary by state. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs as an A.A. Counselor or A.A. Therapist are expected to grow 34 percent in the next few years.

• 2

  Knowing how A.A. works is essential in counseling new A.A. members.

  Know the 12 Steps. These steps are the basis of the tenets of A.A. People who are new to A.A. are required to go through the steps if they want to successfully complete the program. Each step is completed in a time frame that only the A.A. participant can set; the steps are not designed to be hurried through, and some take longer to complete than others.

• 3

  Being available at all times to the new A.A. member is a commitment.

  Be compassionate. A good counselor has the patience to metaphorically hold a new member's hand and be able to listen to very personal life stories. This requires a certain comfort level on the part of the counselor. The A.A. Guidelines report that it is "professional skill and experience, not A.A. membership, which qualifies one for professional positions."

• 4

  Understand the A.A. Traditions. According to the A.A. Guidelines, A.A. counselors need to read the books "Alcoholics Anonymous," "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions," and "A.A. Comes of Age," in order to be familiar with A.A. counseling services, especially when counseling a new member.

• 5

  Be available. Many new members are filled with anxiety as they embark on a life without alcohol, and need to know someone is there for them at all times. New members may have overwhelming desires to begin drinking again, and may reach out to the counselor at all times of the day and night.