Tradition 8: Counselors
From time to time this tradition causes problems for those AA members who are "Two Hatters". Part of the problem may be a misunderstanding of the second sentence in the Long Form of tradition 8: "We define professionalism as the occupation of counselling alcoholics for fees or hire." which should be read in the context of the whole rather than reading it in isolation and taking it out of context.If an alkie gets sober, goes to school and gets educated in the alcoholism field and then gets a job or works as a private professional, s/he may get some well intentioned but ignorant criticism for "selling the Program" or for "charging for twelfth step work" and for being "in violation of tradition 8".
Some people like to call AA "Therapy" but it is not therapy in the strict sense of the word. When a professional in the alcoholism field, even one who is in the fellowship, does real therapy with a person who has not yet attended AA, or hasn't completely dropped the rock of denial, or is continually relapsing or who is in early stages of the program, this is NOT "paid 12th step work".
It is entirely appropriate for that AA member who is also a therapist to encourage attendance at AA or to discuss sobriety progress within the framework of the steps with the alcoholic within therapeutic sessions.
I know of an alcoholism counsellor who has been pushed, shoved, defamed and hounded out of attending AA meetings because the sick alkie who was being given therapy told others that the counsellor "invoiced (billed) for 12th step work"! At meeting level I have heard that the counsellor is alleged to have "charged for talking about AA in the meeting parking lot"!
This seems to have been an incorrect interpretation of what the former alkie patient had allegedly said to another member and had been elaborated upon as it travelled from one AA gossip to another.
Of course the hapless counsellor, unlike the person who had been in therapy, was bound by strict rules of professional confidentiality and couldn't say anything or even set the record straight unless given written permission by the person or unless ordered to divulge by a court of law!
Some self righteous aggressive self appointed 'AA tradition police' had to be reminded by an oldtimer of a few of the choice words of wisdom of Bill W in Warranty five contained in Concept XII. There are not supposed to be any official or unofficial tradition vigilantes in AA.
Of course what the full context of this tradition is saying is that AA itself, as an organisation, doesn't hire any paid counsellors to go out and do "OUR usual twelfth step work".
We say that we have to be friendly with our friends in the treatment community, even those who don't completely agree with our methods. But what about our own "two hatters"? Do we need to take a bit of organisational inventory about how friendly we are to the recovered alcoholic doctor, shrink, social worker, counsellor or therapist who is in AA and is also a worker in the alcoholism field? IMHO we sure do!
Aussie Chuck
More about Tradition 8
Tradition 8: Giving It Away
There is a saying in the 12 step groups, "In order to keep it, you must give it away.Nonprofessional
"Matters of money can spell trouble for the fellowship."A Gift
"This very important Tradition is the very rock on which the freely-given program is built."Special Workers
"Somebody has to answer the phone while the rest of us get on with our regained lives."
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