Blanche M Al-Anon workshop at a Texas Roundup, 1995. This is session 2 of 4.

Blanche M Al-Anon workshop at a Texas Roundup, 1995. This is session 1 of 4.

Blanche M, an Al-Anon pioneer, leads this four-part workshop originally recorded in 1995.

I absolutely love Blanche. She was part of the first generation of Al-Anon members and, in her words, "we were the blind leading the blind". Blanche was not officially Fr Tom's Al-Anon sponsor, but she was in practice. If you're ever listening to a Fr Tom Al-Anon workshop, you're listening to her legacy. 

My “Light Into Dark Places” series is to pay tribute to the speakers who carried light into my very, very dark years. Many don't resonate with me today, which is fine. I don't need them today like I did 13 years ago. In gratitude, I want to share their stories with you. 

My “Light Into Dark Places” series is to pay tribute to the speakers who carried light into my very, very dark years. Many don't resonate with me today, which is fine. I don't need them today like I did 13 years ago. In gratitude, I want to share their stories with you. 

My “Light Into Dark Places” series is to pay tribute to the speakers who carried light into my very, very dark years. Many don't resonate with me today, which is fine. I don't need them today like I did 13 years ago. In gratitude, I want to share their stories with you. 

I loved this conversation with Sabrina and I’m very happy to share it. It’s definitely part of my Deep Dive series, where the conversation dives into deeper, darker waters because that’s our story. 

We need to share our “causes and conditions” and “Capital T trauma” stories. If we don’t, we can feel like we’re more fucked up than our fellows and recovery won’t happen for us because we’re irreparably damaged.

Ours is a disease of isolation that operates like a perpetrator and the first thing a perpetrator needs to do is get you alone. My hope is this series will let you know you are most definitely not alone.

My “Light Into Dark Places” series is to pay tribute to the speakers who carried light into my very, very dark years. Many don't resonate with me today, which is fine. I don't need them today like I did 13 years ago. In gratitude, I want to share their stories with you. 

This speaker pitch is an AA classic known as either Headtrips or Vulture on the Bedpost.

This a voice memo I sent to a bestie. I’m sharing it in case it helps anyone else.