A sponsor is a person in recovery who has worked the Twelve Steps and offers guidance, support, and accountability to someone newer in recovery. This relationship provides personalized mentorship that complements professional treatment.
A sponsor guides their sponsee through the Steps, shares experience, is available during difficult moments, provides honest feedback, and models sober living. A sponsor is not a therapist — they are a fellow recovering person offering what was freely given to them.
Attend meetings regularly and look for someone whose recovery you admire. Good qualities include solid recovery time, active step work, availability, honesty, and willingness to be direct. It is perfectly acceptable to ask someone, and equally acceptable to find a different fit.
Sponsorship benefits both parties. For the sponsee, guidance and accountability. For the sponsor, reinforcement of their own recovery and a sense of purpose. At ORTC, we encourage exploring sponsorship as part of long-term recovery planning.
If you or someone you love is struggling, ORTC offers confidential, compassionate treatment. Call us today.