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Family of Origin

In the context of Alcoholics Anonymous, the Family of Origin topic examines the foundational psychological and emotional landscapes that often precede the onset of drinking. These speaker tapes highlight the significance of identifying early-life patterns—such as a profound sense of inadequacy, the feeling of being an outsider, or a perceived separation from parents—which contribute to the alcoholic neurosis. Core principles explored in these recordings include the recognition of maladaptive coping mechanisms developed in childhood, such as performance-based identity, deceit, and the taker mentality. Speakers recount how early experiences of fear and self-consciousness created a void that alcohol was later used to fill, often masking a deep-seated feeling of being less than others. Listeners can expect to hear deeply personal narratives regarding the intersection of childhood environment and adult addiction. The accounts detail the struggle to reconcile early behavioral patterns, such as lying and stealing to fit in, with the rigorous honesty required by the Twelve Steps. By analyzing the genesis of their dysfunction, these speakers demonstrate that recovery involves moving beyond the external drama of the past to achieve an internal shift toward connection, accountability, and selfless service. This collection serves as a vital resource for those seeking to understand the root causes of their disease and the path toward emotional sobriety.

446 tapes

All Tapes

Tim T.
Turn the Penny Over and It Says In Higher Power We Trust — That’s the Entire Third Step – Tim T.
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Bill D.
Tenth Step Is the Cheat Sheet to the Fourth — Four Defects, Three Instincts, Seven Sheets of Paper – Bill D.
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Allie M.
57 Resentments and Not One of Them Was Alcohol — Everything I Blamed Was a Person – Allie M.
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Anne E.
Not Unable — Unwilling to Be Honest with a Single Person Alive for a Decade – Anne E.
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Marshall S.
Step 4 Without the Fourth Column — Eight Years of Pointing Out What Everyone Else Did Wrong – Marshall S.
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Russ M.
Not Forgiving Yourself Is Putting Yourself Above Higher Power — That’s What Kept Me Out Ten Years – Russ M.
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Steve B.
Walked into That 7-Eleven Six Foot Eight and Came Out Four Foot Six — the Tenth Step Will Do That to You – Steve B.
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Scott R.
Eighteen Years of Psychotherapy Is Showing Up at a Gunfight with a Knife Once a Week – Scott R.
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Polly P.
Ninth Step Forgiveness Gave Me Back the Sons My Drinking Nearly Destroyed – Polly P.
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Larry T.
Fronting the Program Means Wanting the Results of Step 9 Before You Do Step 1 – Larry T.
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Kay S.
Contempt Prior to Investigation as the Operating System of the No-Person Alcoholic – Kay S.
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Jack B.
Ten Cents Worth of the Program Is All Most of Us Ever Ask For – Jack B.
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Keith L.
You Can Do Anything as a Member of Alcoholics Anonymous If You Prepare Properly – Keith L.
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Jack Q.
White-Knuckle Sobriety as the Most Insane Period of an Alcoholic’s Life – Jack Q.
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Joe C.
I Ain’t Got the Luxury of Resentments and I Ain’t Got the Luxury of Rationalizing
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David B.
My Sponsor Put His Foot on My Throat in the Front Yard and Said Good That’s Step 1 – David B.
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Barb C.
I Worked the Steps in Order with Someone Who Had Done Them Before Me and Had a Psychic Change
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Angie D.
You Cannot Plug Your Higher Power Into Another Human Being – Angie D.
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Jay P.
I Can’t, He Can, I’ll Let Him — and the Amen Doesn’t Come Until Step 7 – Jay P.
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Rose E.
Why Staying Sober Is Harder Than Getting Sober — Emotional Sobriety Behind Bars – Rose E.
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Bob E.
Self-Acceptance and What Love Actually Means to an Alcoholic Who Grew Up Without It – Bob E.
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Penny C.
Alcohol Was Just the Disinfectant for Internal Wounds I Refused to Name – Penny C.
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Keith L.
If You’re Right About Everything You’re in a Hell of a Lot of Trouble – Keith L.
★★★★★5(1 vote)
Bob E.
Self-Love Is in the Big Book but I Kept Skipping the Pages With Roman Numerals – Bob E.
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Loretta S.
No Resentment for Thirteen Years Was the Biggest Resentment of All – Loretta S.
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