ACE's TOO HIGH and the 12-steps

Linda Schiller-Hanna 4/6/174:34 AM

I have attended 12-step groups off and on for years including Adult Children of Alcoholics, Codependents Anonymous, Adults Molested as Children, Al-Anon, Overeaters Anonymous.

Has anyone had success in introducing ACE questions into their sharing? Because it is not "sanctioned 12-step literature"....I took a "verbal beating" for doing such at last week's meeting. I handed out the questionnaire and resilience questionnaire too....before the meeting had started, but the questions started to come and then it overlapped into normal meeting time, and I got "pinged" for not following format. I love both things, but I'd like advice on a safe and appropriate way folks can share this. For several months I've mentioned my "high ACE score ...(I'm 9/11) with the briefest of reference to how I found it...but I could see members "not picking up on the details".

I know the 12-step format is sacred but I feel the ACE score perfectly informs our walk into wholeness. I'm grateful for any insights from folks who have been able to bridge these two terrific gifts to our lives successfully.

Does it need to be random? I've thought of trying to put together an event outside of our meeting.....maybe I'm just too ahead of my time!?

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Christine Cissy WhiteIt's not trauma-informed unless it's informed by trauma survivors.

Hi Linda:

I applaud you. It makes me wonder what and who makes something "sanctioned material" and maybe working with that person / process sharing and explaining and educating more. I'm sorry you got the response you did. I think person to person sharing and consciousness raising is super effective and maybe for now just having people talk to you personally who are more interested or maybe talking about ACEs in your own personal story if you are ever a speaker in a meeting.

I also think sharing how it's not anyone selling anything. I know people are protective about sacred spaces and I get that.

I'll be following this to see what others suggest, think or experience.

Cis

4/6/178:31 AM

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