Hi GYE community,

I thought of something that I think many people on the forum could benefit from. Right now we have these SA groups where there's a sponsor and sponsees on the call going through the 12 steps. It is great for anyone who wants to go through the steps. I am doing that, but I am also doing something else that I think has helped me tremendously. I call in on a non Jewish phone group. They dont have a sponsor run the call. They have people like me and you, in recovery. Theres a literature and they red questions and go around to people on the call and answer the questions. Everyone has like two minutes maximimum to answer each question. I think this would be a great idea for us to do. we could make our own support group. where we just answer the questions and everyone gets to speak (if you want you can just listen, but the call is based on people speaking up). These people do it every night but we dont have to. We could do it any set number of times per week. If anyone has interest in this then reply on this thread with your amount of interest (not at all, somewhat, very, YES YES YES, etc.), how many times a week you would the call to take place, and which days it should take place. I personally would want like 3 times a week. Thursday, Motzei Shabbos and maybe Monday but thats all flexible.

Have a great day everyone!

-Yiddle

It sounds interesting. Can we get some more details when and where and how it works?
What time is the call?

We could make the call anytime we want. I just want to know if there are enough people on the forum to make our own call. I would probably want to do it at night.

-Yiddle

Hey Yiddle,

Just after the call I was thinking about the same thing. Here are my thoughts:

Speaking freely and openly without any prompts or anyone joining in can be very intimidating for us. On the call we participated in, because we all come from different background, that removes some of the fears. I mean, what do I care if some random guy (goy) is listening in to my (detailed) story? I just can't see that happening with us guys. It's easy to talk about the 12-Steps. But to talk about your personal story in front of people who might know you (or can easily figure out who you are by the details worth sharing), that's an entirely different thing! Some of us have shared our stories and our personal thoughts and ideas here on the forum. I find that this works better being that it's more impersonal and more controlled.

Just a thought.

2B

Dunno. Maybe. Need more info.

But I gotta alot of work getting thru step 4, maybe 5 will be hard, too. Dunno about the extra time per week. Also if it's not guided, how safe is it? Do I wanna hear someone else's story that might have triggers?

Go for it. This sounds like a GREAT idea!  :D

Steve:

The call will be safe. There will be rules to what one can and cannot say on the call. obviously everyone has different triggers, but if there are certain words like "sex" and "masturbation" that really trigger you then you probably should not be on the call. I dont think anyone would get triggered by what goes on in the call, but if they do my apologies.

I think the best time for the call to take place would be over the weekend maybe 2 or 3 calls. I find that the weekend is when we have most of our free time and we all know how the Yetzer Hara feasts on free time. I always like to say that the weekend is a black hole. It sucks everything and sucks the life out of it. Lets fill the void of the black hole with a couple of phone calls.

This would not be a 12 step group so a commitment is not a 13 week thing. Its a support group where people can get their stories and feelings out in a structured manner. I personally find it difficult to do this on DC's calls and when I've done it on non Jewish calls it feels great.

Maybe it would be best if we had one test run call where people commit to come to one call and we see how it goes. You dont have to commit for life, juts for one one hour phone call where you can express yourself in a structured manner. Everyone has two minutes maximum to answer each question so everyone will get a chance to speak.

So which brave soles want to join?

I think Sunday afternoon should be a good time for this like 12:00 o'clock NY time. Is there a call at that time scheduled?

The trial thingy sounds good. Count me in. I love talking about myself.

Oh, and i wasn't really worried about LUST triggers. I'm more afraid of words like

Ice cream
Chocolate
Potato Chips

oh NO!! I said them!! AAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!

SOMEONE HIDE MY KEYS!! DON'T LET ME GO TO THE COVENIENCE STORE!!! 

STOP ME!!!

"Hep me, massa, I is stuck in here...."

Steve,

Thats twice in like five minutes (personal joke). Skoyach Steve!!!

LOYNATA

Nothing is scheduled yet but its good to know when you can do it. Thanks LOYNATA!!

Ok so thats 3 we have right now for a test run call. Any other hol Jews care to join our battleship?

-Yiddle

Any other Jews willing to do the task of going on a call and being open with people on a phone? Lets get off the cyberspace, the thing that we are Pogem through, and get into a more personal setting. This is what the program demands of us. Rabbosai, I am not asking you for money so I am not sure why people are shying away. I am asking you for an hour of your time that can aid in your recovert as well as other people's who are listening! WHO WILL JOIN THE ARMY OF HASHEM AND MAKE A DRASTIC STEP TOWARDS SOBRIETY? Who will join the support group call???

-Yiddle

Yiddle,

I know, I know, I shoulda started working, and now it's call time. But...

I hate to bring this up, but we had an issue from the past with having both men & women talking on the Calls themselves, which still feel a little more protective beacuse they are moderated. It was decided that the girls could listen but not participate. For me, personally, I understand the need to keep the voices separate, even tho' I'm glad they're on the call to benefit. But I feel for them that they don't have a verbal forum like the call for themselves yet. I know I benefit a lot from the other guy's perspectives, especially because they are male oriented, there's that common ground without the subconscious YH talk going on in the background trying to imagine the female perspective. I asked Guard about setting up something form the girls, and there is movement afoot for that.

Sooooooo, I think that it would be a good idea to continue that mehalach. No offense ladies, please, but it's important for ALL of our recoveries if we keep up that mechitzah in voice groups.

But if this new idea for GYE is a good process, maybe you and Guard can find someone to lead the ladies' group discussion. Why should they miss out?

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have alreasy brought this up with Reb Guard and he concluded that women should not be on the call. I personally do not have a problem with it. I ahve been on calls with women before and as long as no one is so graphic then its ok with me but I completely understand where you are coming from and the conclusion is that women will not be on the call.

-Yiddle

okeedokee

timing is everything now, once u get a group maybe we'll give u our best choices and you'll be lucky to set it up.

Maybe... But wen need more PEOPLE TO JOIN!!