Hello to All,

The title of this post is:

"Induced or increased mental illness due to 12 step exposure."

I attended the ACA Conference in San Marcos this last week-end. My
primary purpose was to support a woman I sponsor who is becoming
aware of her childhood trauma, (alcoholic mother), whose recovery
was sketchy, having been exposed to an Alano Club 30 years ago in
the Palmdale/Lancaster area, which is tantamount to a VFW Hall
without alcohol.

The inconistency of this conference was in, "Professional therapists
using the ACA community to futher book sales, their own therapeutic
practices, etc." They were not there for the conference. The need
for those attending was a connection, someone who would listen and
validate their stories. I saw little of this.

I found it abhorrent that Bill Wilson, (a sexual abuser who never
addressed his issue), would be consistently be used as the, "banner
for any recovery," especially at a group where there are many
surviving severe trauma.

The conference continues to lose attendees. This is the last one I
will attend.

General Consensus to those I spoke with:

1. The conference lacked fun, play and connection.
2. Too much clinical detail.
3. No emphasis on community until the last hour of the conference.

My belief: Inhumane treatment of people who are in pain.

Beth