Extract
from our forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/aacultwatch
under thread: “TLM in Alanon UK?”
“I
don’t know the situation with Al-anon, but the Last mile Foundation
is active in AA in South East England. The Last mile foundation also
goes under the name of “Stepnahead” and “Step’n Ahead into
Emotional Sobriety”. I was handed a “Step’n Ahead into
Emotional Sobriety” workshop flyer, distributed in an AA meeting in
Sussex. The workshop was in London, September 2009, with Workshop
speakers Wayne B and Tina A. (Los Angeles, CA). Last year I acquired
a 12 step workbook produced by the foundation called “We are…
Step’n Ahead” from someone who was involved with Primary Purpose
groups in the South East.
There’s
something about a retreat in Scotland on the Last Mile foundation’s
website, in a testimony by a guy called Lawrence D:
“My
first 'in person' experience with the Step'n Ahead workshop was in
Scotland, and it provided me with immense hope. When I attended the
Scotland workshop, I was blown away with the information they
espoused about The ISM Factor, the Faulty Emotional Dependency
Syndrome……” https://thelastmilefoundation.org/Lawrence_D.html
Lawrence
also says in his testimony: "I was six months sober when I left
London England. I had completed the first 9 steps with my sponsor. I
immigrated to Perth Australia. I started a new group at two years
into my sobriety.....”
To
follow the story of “Step’n Ahead” in Perth Australia, see this
article on aacultwatch:
On
the last mile foundation’s website home page, it can be seen that
it targets its business at AA members for them to refer other
members, especially those who might be considering professional
medical help or counselling, (in other words, the vulnerable) to the
Last Mile Foundation’s business.
This
is from the Last mile Foundation website’s home page:
“..We
need your help on two fronts: Referrals and donations.
1]
We want and we encourage AA members to refer alcoholics to us who fit
our
demographic, especially those who are talking about going on
medication or into a treatment program or talk therapy; most
importantly, before they do so.
2]
We want to ensure that those who suffer from symptoms of The ISM
Factor in alcoholism in sobriety -- regardless of an ability to pay
-- has an opportunity to attend Step'n Ahead.
In
addition to our affordable fees, we will fund our program through
tax-deductible donations from Friends of Step'n Ahead, small business
owners, corporations, individuals, government grants, and other fund
raising efforts.”
Links
to the Last mile Foundation:
I
don’t think having an opinion on this matter is breaking Tradition
Ten. The opposite is true. These things have to be taken seriously.
Tradition Ten is not the relevant Tradition, this is a matter of
upholding Traditions Four and Six, and also the General Warranties of
Conference (Concept 12, warranties Five and Six) It is a matter
regarding the affiliation to, or endorsement of, related facilities
or outside enterprises. In this case, where a business is operating
in AA, to call it an outside issue is a misunderstanding of
traditions. AA has to protect itself from businesses which attempt to
merge their activities within AA. Traditions Four, Six and Concept
12, Warranties Five and Six are clear The AA name cannot be lent to
any outside enterprise; they must be entirely separate. There is a
responsibility for AA members to see this is done by actively
upholding AA Traditions and General Warranties of Conference.
(Concept 12) This is not having an opinion on outside issues; it is
having an opinion on an outside interference in the affairs of AA. It
is something which AA members need to address at all levels.
I
wouldn’t be surprised if it is targeting Al-anon as well, it
doesn’t make much business sense to only make money out of one
fellowship when you can make it out of two.
I
have seen a retreat business under a different name advertising
retreats in the USA, Ireland, England and Scotland, targeting its
business at AA, Al -anon, NA, and their families.
I
think for a newcomer to be “blown away with information they
espoused” as stated by Lawrence D, which excite feelings of
euphoria followed by emotional attachment to the mission could be
interpreted as brainwashing, especially if they are in a particularly
emotionally vulnerable state which ought to be treated by a medical
professional or counsellor instead.
I
think the workbook is complicated and absolute nonsense in places. In
some places I can't work out it out at all. If I'd had to work
through it in early recovery it would have made me feel inadequate to
the point of being neurotic.
I hope this info. helps
P.S. This edit applied 04/07/12 [US date order] . It appears Wayne has changed the wording on the Last Mile Foundation website from:
"1]
We want and we encourage AA members to refer alcoholics to us who fit
our demographic, especially those who are talking about going on
medication or into a treatment program or talk therapy; most
importantly, before they do so."
to:
"We invite referrals of alcoholics and abnormal drinkers (and their loved ones) to our workshop program who fit our demographics."
Maybe there's a higher power at work. All he needs to do now to respect AA Traditions is to remove all other references to "AA" and "Alcoholics Anonymous" which might give an actual or implied connection between his workshops, his book and the Alcoholics Anonymous program. “
Cheers
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
Later this year we will be adding a "Conference Questions"
section to our forum to permit a more wide ranging (and less censored)
discussion (and with a facility for members to message each other,
which is currently unavailable on the AA GB forum)
