The ACA Twelve Steps

THE ACA 12 STEPS

ACA 12 Steps (Taken From The Fellowship Text)
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  1. We admitted we were powerless over the effects of alcoholism or other family dysfunction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God.
  4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, to our selves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  7. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
  11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve 
our conscious contact with God, as we understand God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry it out.
  12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others who still suffer, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

TONY A.'S 12 STEPS

Tony A.'s 12 Steps (From "The Laundry List: The ACoA Experience" by Tony A and Dan F)
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  1. We admitted that we were powerless over the effects of living with alcoholism and that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could bring us clarity.
  3. We made a decision to practice self-love and to trust a Higher Power of our understanding.
  4. We made a searching and blameless inventory of our parents because, in essence, we had become them.
  5. We admitted to our Higher Power, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our childhood abandonment.
  6. We were entirely ready to begin the healing process with the aid of our Higher Power.
  7. We humbly asked our Higher Power to help us with our healing process.
  8. We became willing to open ourselves to receive the unconditional love of our Higher Power.
  9. We became willing to accept our own unconditional love by understanding that our Higher Power loves us unconditionally.
  10. We continued to take personal inventory and to love and approve of ourselves.
  11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power, praying only for knowledge of its will for us and the power to carry it out.
  12. We have had a spiritual awakening as a result of taking these steps, and we continue to love ourselves and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Secular ACA 12 Steps

ACA 12 Steps – Agnostic/ Secular (An alternative to the traditional ACA 12 steps as approved by Portland Intergroup)
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  1. Admitted we were powerless over our family dysfunction and that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe the wisdom of the ACA program and its members could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to follow a path of recovery.
  4. Made a searching, fearless, and honest inventory of ourselves and our families of origin.
  5. Admitted to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our past.
  6. Became entirely ready to work at nurturing and transforming ourselves.
  7. With the assistance of others and our own firm resolve, we transform negative aspects of ourselves and cultivate positive ones.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and those who had harmed us. Then became willing to make amends and open to letting go of the shame and blame we hold for ourselves and others.
  9. Made direct amends and forgave such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure ourselves or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  11. Sought through meditation to improve our conscious contact with our highest selves and to find integrity in all areas of our lives.
  12. Having had an awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others like us and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
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