This week’s reading assignment:
Yellow workbook pages 83-84, under the heading “Exercise Four: Abandonment Inventory” OR BRB pages 169 – 170
Red Book pages 10-11, the “Trait 1” section
Red Book page 162, #2 “Abandoned”
Red Book page 486, the three paragraphs starting “There is not always violence . . .”
Recommended weekly reading:
“The Laundry List” or “The Problem,” “The Solution,” and “The Promises” on pages 587-591 of the Red Book or in the first several pages of the yellow workbook;
“The Twelve Steps” on pages 91-92 of the Red Book (also on pages 1-2 of the workbook); and
“The Twelve Traditions” on page 592 of the Red Book
Tradition Three (the tradition for the month of March) in depth starting on page 503 of the Red Book
Suggested supplemental reading:
Bradshaw, John, “Bradshaw On The Family,” pages 103-106. See ACAWSO’s Literature Policy: “It has always been accepted that ACA should remain eclectic in choosing literature. That is, ACA meetings may draw from various sources without censorship.”
Engel, Beverly, “Healing Your Emotional Self,” pages 35-40. See ACAWSO’s Literature Policy: “It has always been accepted that ACA should remain eclectic in choosing literature. That is, ACA meetings may draw from various sources without censorship.”
Suggested supplemental text for 4th Step work:
The AlAnon workbook titled “Blueprint for Progress: Al-Anon’s Fourth Step Inventory,
Revised” (copyright date 2004, with the black text and deeper blue-and-white-checked cover; available from AlAnon or on Amazon.com.) See ACAWSO’s Literature Policy: “It has always been accepted that ACA should remain eclectic in choosing literature. That is, ACA meetings may draw from various sources without censorship.”
Multiple sections of the AlAnon workbook are useful for in-depth Fourth Step work. Meeting members who have already completed a yellow workbook Step Four may wish to expand your 4th Step work by journaling on the “Blueprint for Progress” questions.
This week’s step study questions:
Yellow workbook page 84, “Abandonment List”:
List the times you felt abandoned by your parents or care giver. List your age, the location of the abandonment, and any other details you can remember.
© Adult Children of Alcoholics World Service Organization
Deep Dive questions:
A. Was it safe to be me in my childhood home?
B. Was I loved as myself or as the self my childhood family demanded I be?
C. Did my childhood family acknowledge me for my accomplishments or for being me?
D. Do I now see myself as my childhood family saw me or as I really am?
© David Richo’s book, Triggers: How We Can Stop Reacting and Start Healing
ACA Workbook Study 