Current Enthusiastic Sobriety Group Members
We are here for you.
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We loved The Group.
Had you asked most of us when we were in The Program, we would have told you that we have found our purpose. We had made the closest of friends, had the most fun, laughed till we cried, and finally felt unconditional love and freedom.
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We thought it saved our lives.
We were told these programs are in the life-saving business and no other method or approach to sobriety would work for us. We also became increasingly scared that leaving meant to relapse, and to relapse was to die.
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We didn't want to leave.
Most of us never wanted to leave, because leaving meant complete exile from our only friends, and we watched so many others lose the battle to suicide and overdoses. It made us believe that the program’s threats about leaving were right.
But the survivors have been telling a different story.
And there is life outside The Group. A life where you can be an individual, listen to the music you like, have boundaries and privacy, friends who don’t need you to confess every thought, and relationships that aren’t under the influence of someone else.
We are here to help.
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How to Make Friends After The Group
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t leave is the fact that they know they will become isolated and alone. Not anymore, there is an entire support system that’s here for you and ready to help when you want it.
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Sober Alternatives
There is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to addiction recovery. Whichever treatment path you choose, be sure that it has everything you need to help you achieve a successful recovery. Recovery should enable your world to get larger, not smaller.
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Is The Group a Cult?
A cult is a group or movement held together by a shared commitment to a charismatic leader or ideology. It has a belief system that has the answers to all of life’s questions and offers a special solution to be gained only by following the leader’s rules. It requires a high level of commitment from at least some of the members.
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Sexual Assault in The Group
Have you been told “No Victims, Only Volunteers” or have been encouraged to “own your part” in sexual abuse?
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Disordered Eating in The Group
Do you feel like you haven’t been given adequate treatment for eating disorders in The Group?
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Chronic Illness in The Group
Has Staff discouraged you from medication or have shared questionable medical opinions in The Group?
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Racism in The Group
Have you noticed Staff and Group members normalizing racial slurs or perpetuating harmful stereotypes in The Group?
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Homophobia in The Group
Have you noticed Staff and Group members normalizing homophobic slurs or perpetuating harmful stereotypes in The Group?
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Religious Bullying in The Group
Have you noticed Staff and Group members normalizing religious slurs or perpetuating harmful stereotypes in The Group?
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Grief & Loss in The Group
Have you known people in The Group to die by suicide or overdose? Did you struggle to find appropriate support for grieving in The Group?
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Mental Health in The Group
Have you struggled with your Mental Health since joining The Group? Were you taken off your medication and have struggled since?
Things we wish we knew in The Group.
Parents can’t kick a minor out of the house.
Parents or guardians who care for minor children have a legal responsibility to protect the children and ensure they are not exposed to harm. When such an adult deserts or abandons a child, that behavior is often a crime.
All of the counselors are mandatory reporters.
Counselors need to report incidences of assault, sexual assault, suicide attempts, molestation, and rape. Especially if any of these events occurred when the person was a minor. Giving someone the “option” to report isn’t fulfilling their ethical requirements to report. Putting it on the victim of the abuse to decide whether or not their perpetrator should be kicked out of The Group or reported is not fulfilling their duties by law.
You have client rights.
In your client records, there are a list of rights for receiving treatment. Some of those include: A patient is treated with dignity, respect, and consideration; A patient is not subjected to: Abuse; Neglect; Exploitation; Coercion; Manipulation; Sexual abuse; Sexual assault; A patient either consents to or refuses treatment; May refuse examination or withdraw consent for treatment before treatment is initiated.
Are you experiencing homelessness in The Group?
Please visit our homeless youth support page if the Program’s drug abuse counselor has directed your parents to kick you out of the house. If you are a minor, this is illegal - and we have resources to help.
A Positive Experience in The Group
Why Some Members Only Have a Positive Experience in The Group
Enthusiastic Sobriety Abuse Survivor and former Staff member explains the spectrum of experiences in The Group and why some people do not consider it a harmful institution.
Information on the Meehan Institute for Counselor Training
Learn more about the secretive experience of counselor training at The Meehan Institute. Read and download a copy of the Training Application Packet, Training Manual and the Prelude to Intervention, written by Mike Weiland.
You’ll also find Bob Meehan training videos, training notes from Staff, what Staff credentials actually require, as well as learn the salaries and hours of Staff.
Are you pregnant or a young parent in The Group?
If you are currently in The Group and pregnant or a young parent - we have provided information and resources for you to make your own decisions and figure out what is best for you. Feel free to contact us and we can connect you with an Enthusiastic Sobriety Survivor who has been in your position.
If you would like help leaving The Program
Please contact us. We will be happy to walk you through strategies, talk with your parents or connect your parents with another parent survivor.
info@esaalliance.org