The Role of an Sponsor

The  sponsor fulfills a number of useful functions including:

• This is an individual who will usually have more experience in the program than the sponsee. This means that they will be able to share their wisdom and experience.
• Most sponsors will tell their sponsee to contact them at any time of the day or night if it is an emergency. The urge to relapse can come at any time, and having somebody to contact can make all the difference.
• A sponsor can just be a good friend. One of the things that people worry about when they first enter recovery is that they will never be able to form meaningful relationships without their chemical crutch. What they learn is that friendships in sobriety can be stronger than anything they have ever experienced previously. One of their most important relationships may be with their sponsor.
• This is an individual who will provide encouragement and provide praise for achievements.
• A sponsor should be able to provide honest feedback.
• A more experienced person in recovery will be able to spot the warning signs of an approaching relapse. They may be able to guide the sponsee back to safety.
• This is someone who can be a good role model for their sponsee
• It is the job of the sponsor to help the sponsee work their way through the 12 steps quickly.