The most real, honest, and challenging aspects of working the 12 steps is taking inventory of yourself and making amends to those you have wronged. Old timers refer to steps 8 & 9 as what separates the children from the adults, figuratively speaking.

Step 8 says to make a list of the people you have wronged in your addiction. Step 9 involves making direct amends whenever possible. These steps help you become accountable for your past. Steps 8 & 9 help you confront past wrongs and genuinely apologize. Taking responsibility keeps your side of the street clean. Guilt and shame can keep you trapped in the cycle of active addiction. Steps 8 & 9 involve releasing guilt and shame.

Making a list of your wrongs isn’t easy. Getting completely honest with yourself may not feel good at first, but this is a necessary part of working through the 12 steps. There is an old adage in the 12-step rooms that says, if nothing changes nothing changes. This means that in order to allow recovery to change you, you need to do something different. Taking responsibility for the past and making amends is part of changing.

Because step 8 is so raw and honest, the 12-step program believes that you should work through these steps with the guidance of a sponsor. Talking about past pains and wrongs can bring up a lot of challenging feelings like regret and guilt. Working through the steps with a sponsor will help protect you from your own negative feelings.

Step 9 is making direct amends to the people you have wronged. This step is is recommended to be done in person, if possible. After you complete step 8, your sponsor will help you figure out a plan to begin making amends to the people you can. Some of your amends making will be with family, or friends, or possibly even strangers. There have been stories of 12-steppers who have given cash to store owners because they stole from the store decades prior. The point of this step is to right your wrongs and have a clean slate.

At The Kimberly Center, we care about your recovery. The Kimberly Center can help you get started on the 12-steps and teach you how useful the program can be for your recovery. Call us now at 855-4-KCENTER. We are committed to putting you and your recovery first. At the Kimberly Center, our clients are in trusted hands.