The 12 Steps

The Family Foundation School adheres to the principles of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, viewed by some as a sophisticated stress management program. We use the Steps to address not only alcoholism and drug abuse, but the full range of teen problems.

When faced with the pressures of growing up, teenagers have always been prone to escape, and in today's society, the escape routes are endless: alcohol, drugs, sex, food, power, anger, violence, destructive relationships, fantasy, depression, money, gambling, the Internet and more. For many, what begins as an escape from the stresses of adolescence quickly becomes a pattern of destructive behavior with many of the same characteristics of alcohol addiction-which the 12 Steps were originally designed to treat.

The 12 Steps incorporate spirituality and reliance on a Higher Power, teaching students responsibility, accountability, and how to live life on life's terms with honesty, unselfishness and love. The program addresses the issues troubling these teens, and offers them a new way of coping with conflict in their lives.

At The Family Foundation School, the spiritual work called for by the 12 Steps is not tied to any particular religion. Indeed, the spirituality at the heart of Alcoholics Anonymous and all other 12-Step recovery programs is strictly non-sectarian, invoking "God as we understand him." To encourage students in their 11th Step ("Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God..."), organized prayer time and multi-denominational chapel services are part of daily life at the school. The services are a way of exposing students to a variety of religious traditions while helping them develop or strengthen the spiritual awareness that can assist them in their healing.

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