Moving Beyond the 12-Steps to a Second Stage Recovery: A Phenomenological Inquiry

ABSTRACT

This research study sought to interpret and strove toward understanding the lived experience of 10 recovering individuals who left the 12-step fellowship and found themselves embarking on a second-stage recovery process. Through a phenomenological inquiry, 11 clusters of themes were illuminated. These themes highlighted the initial importance of the 12-step fellowship, participants break with the fellowship, the identification and working on dry-drunk issues, the process of charting an independent recovery, and the benefits of maturing in second stage recovery. Clinical implications from this inquiry suggest that second stage recovery may be a necessary step for individuals who are no longer growing in the 12-step fellowship and for those who sobriety is strong, but want a more autonomous and diversified recovery program.

KEYWORDS:

• 12-step fellowship
• dry drunk
• phenomenology
• second stage recovery

We gratefully acknowledge the research grant support of the Research Excellence Envelope, provide by the Province of Alberta, Canada.