Aileen's story will strike a responsive chord for many AA members: Tough upbringing punctuated with violence and abuse; early use of drugs and/or alcohol just to survive home life; difficult and dangerous relationships in adulthood mired by alcoholism of one or both parties; self-loathing and despair; and ideations of suicide. Like many, Aileen’s story looked hopeless. In the end, it took in-patient mental health treatment, private therapy, and the guidance of a good mentor to lead Aileen into AA and other 12-step recovery. Even then, she slipped after being sober 15 months, but thankfully made it back in just a couple of weeks. Thoroughly beaten by the disease, in early 2009 she returned to AA and finally got down to seriously working the Program with the sponsor who never gave up on her.

Like my other guests, Aileen’s story is cautionary, but quite hopeful for anyone facing the kind of challenges she has met and overcome. Today, she demonstrates her commitment to staying sober by virtue of the service she does with the women she sponsors. Her dedication to AA is also apparent in her role as secretary of the meeting in which we first met. What’s more, Aileen practices the principles of the Program in her own community by staying actively involved with organizations that address the myriad of mental health issues facing women in need. The importance of Aileen’s story cannot be understated. In this 30th interview of my podcast series, thanks for sharing the next hour of AA Recovery Interviews with my friend and AA sister, Aileen C.

Visit the AA Recovery Interviews website for more information and to contact me, Howard L.

Check out Howard’s Big Book Podcast, the complete unabridged audio version of the First and Second Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Big Book Podcast is an engaging cover-to-cover, word-for-word reading of all 11 chapters and Personal Stories, many of which were left out of the Third and Fourth Editions. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or listen on https://bigbookpodcast.com

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To contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, visit aa.org.

[Disclaimer: In strict adherence to A.A.’s traditions, my anonymous guests and I speak for ourselves only, not for Alcoholics Anonymous at large. We share only our personal experiences with A.A. recovery. We acknowledge that AA’s sole concern is the recovery and continued sobriety of those alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. As members of AA, our primary purpose is to stay sober and to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. – Howard L.]