The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Welcome Amber, yes, I believe there are members who sponsor 'on-line'. I personally am not in a position to offer to undertake this service at the moment because of personal circumstances.
I've been in Alanon 6.5yrs and was very fortunate to find a sponsor from one of the face-to-face meetings here in my home town in the UK. I worked the Steps with her and now am privileged to pass on what I learned to someone I sponsor.
As you know, we don't give advice in Alanon but can only pass on our experiences. Alanon is a gentle programme and we work it at our own pace. There is no hurry to 'work the Steps'. It took me two years before I found a Sponsor and another two years to complete my Steps 4 and 5.
If you don't get a direct offer from someone reading your post and can't get to a meeting in your home area, then go into the Chatroom, listen to the shares in the meetings, read the responses to messages posted on this Board and when you find someone you feel you relate to,then approach her directly. she can only say yes or no. and if she says no.... don't take it personally. It may mean she has too many commitments - it's nothing personal.
I hope you can find a meeting accessible to your home. This is a wonderful website and has helped me many times. I've made good friends here, but I see it as the icing on the cake. Try and get to a local meeting.
Good luck, and keep coming back. Sheila H. [she123]
Hi Amber! I found that going to meetings on a regular basis was the most important way to get a grip on what the Al-Anon program can do for you. It also helps to give one a sense of who seems to have a good program and is making the most sense (something I had to let my heart rather than my head decide). Going to different meetings could be important too, as they tend to have their own particular "flavor" or style, even though the principles are the same and the help you get is real. In this way, it became clearer to me what a "sponsor" could do, and I was ready to work with one. I've never actually worked with an online sponsor, although I'm sure that would also be a good thing, but even just posting here and reading the replies could constitute a kind of "sponsorship", I would think. If I felt the need for something more personal and closer to home, I'd definitely look for a person at a meeting I regularly attend. Sometimes I have used a "sponsor" for specific parts of the program. For example, I'm working my way through a Fourth Step inventory at present (there's a nice wirebound version of "Blueprint for Progress" that helps you do this), and when I am finished, in a few weeks, I've asked someone who also has a long time in the program if she would be willing to let me share this material with her, and thus complete a Step Five as well.
Hello , yes we do have on-line sponsors usually u try and find someone that you can relate too as u listen in chat or at the meetings you will find someone u trust. then you can ask for help. Keep commin back u will find what u need , but in the mean time keep going to meetings and looking for a f2f sponsor. Louise
I believe, it depends on what and who you want to believe to what and who is a sponsor. I have not had an A.A. sponsor for the 18 years that I have been dry and several years that I have had a semblance of sobriety. However, true sponsorship for me, has been much abundant in my life. Why, I am not sure. That is perhaps because of my God loving me no matter my crimes. How awesome.
I wish to have a face to face sponser, but I'm still rather new. I'm taking my time in that department. I believe it's important to have a sponser who works well with you & one who you work well with too. It goes both ways.
Anyway I'm also online. The online is different from the face to face, but all in good ways. So, I also wanted an online sponser. After several posts of my subjects & responses to others, I then posted a request for a sponser & received my answer. In this way your future sponser can see who you are in personalitiy, to see if you're compatible. I was honest about who I was, what I was looking for. That's important. Good luck.
-- Edited by De Anna at 17:07, 2005-04-23
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Come back when you need us, come back, we need you.
Your friend, ~De Anna~ 8-D
Yes there are such things as online sponsors. I infact have online sponsees, however having a person that you can look eye to eye to is a lot more of personable then just writing back and forth to on the computer. I am lucky enough to have a sponsor that I can reach f2f and online. One sponsee has me as an online sponsor and a f2f sponsor as well, and I know that other members do that as well. If you can't get a hold of one you still have the other that way. When it comes to working the steps, the importance of having a real live person f2f was and is very important to me. To share with and be able to get a real hug to see just how much the love of this program can be in someones eyes as well as their words is very touching.
