12-step facilitation therapy actively engages clients in joining a support group and becoming involved in 12-step groups to maintain their sobriety. The 12-step approach believes in a “higher power”, not necessarily God but a divine thought or being that holds more power than human beings and can help individuals overcome their substance use disorder. The three main phases include acceptance, surrender and active involvement. Acceptance involves admitting that the individual has a substance use disorder and does not have the willpower alone to overcome the disorder.
12-Step Facilitation Therapy
Surrender involves giving oneself over to a higher power and accepting the support and fellowship of others in the community. Active involvement pertains to attending 12-step meetings and using the resources and research that is involved to overcome the substance use disorder. There are 12 specific steps to complete in the 12-step program that are guidelines towards recovery. Individuals can revisit these steps at any time throughout their recovery process.
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs–that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Higher Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of a Higher Power.
- Took an inside look at our actions, our decisions and ourselves.
- Admitted to a Higher Power, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have a Higher Power remove all these defects of character
- Humbly asked a Higher Power to remove our shortcomings
- Made a list of persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with a Higher Power, praying only for the knowledge of a Higher Power’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.