Forever Non-professional
There are several misunderstandings about the Eighth Tradition. The first misunderstanding is the most common. Many people have come to R.A. from other programs. They often do not know that there are two versions of this tradition. Some people are aware that there are two versions. However, they sometimes do not know that both versions are still active. They do not know that the long form of this tradition is at the back of both the current Big Book and A.A.'s 12&12.

	Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire.

    The long form of the Eighth Tradition was first published in April 1946. It says, "Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics where they are going to perform those services for which we might otherwise have to engage non-alcoholics. Such special services may be well recompensed. But our usual A.A. '12th Step' work is never to be paid for."
    R.A. has graciously been granted permission by A.A. to adapt their Twelve Traditions. In R.A., we completely embrace this long version of the Eighth Tradition. R.A.'s experience is that reading the long form of most of the other traditions usually helps clear up misunderstandings about these traditions. However, this is not the case with the long form of the Eighth Tradition.
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    R.A.'s experience is that the long form of the Eighth Tradition can actually cause a misunderstanding. The first sentence has a phrase that is familiar. It says that the program should "remain forever non-professional." However, the meaning of the second sentence is not clear. It says, "We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire."

'Counseling alcoholics for fees or hire' only refers to being paid for Twelfth Step work.

    In R.A., we believe that the pioneers' definition of the word "professionalism" confuses many people. "Counseling alcoholics for fees or hire" only refers to being paid for Twelfth Step work. This means that someone can be paid for counseling an alcoholic. They just cannot be paid for taking someone through the Twelve Steps. We can be certain of this because doctors and hospitals played an important role in the early days of the program.
    Dr. Bob was a co-founder of the program. Dr. Silkworth was a physician who was the Director of the Charles B. Towns Hospital. He treated Bill and gave him the concept that alcoholism was a physical illness. Dr. Harry M. Tiebout was the first psychiatrist to publicly endorse the Twelve Step program of recovery. All these medical professionals counseled alcoholics. However, they did not charge for Twelfth Step work.
    In A.A.'s 12&12, starting on page 135, Bill describes an offer he received. Bill had been recovered for three years. Charlie Towns, the owner of Towns Hospital, heard that Bill was not doing well financially. He offered to pay Bill to bring his work with alcoholics into the hospital. He would be paid to be a "lay therapist." Bill considered the offer. However, when he discussed the matter with others at a meeting, they pointed out the problems that could result if Bill became a professional counselor. They also pointed out that it would not be good to tie the program to Towns Hospital. Bill declined the offer. He continued helping others without charging anything for his Twelfth Step work

	All these medical professionals counseled alcoholics. However, they did not charge for Twelfth Step work.

    Both Towns Hospital and Dr. Silkworth were paid for their services. However, they did not do Twelfth Step work with their patients. Bill and the other members of the New York group did the Twelfth Step work. They were not paid for their efforts. Dr. Bob also was not paid for his Twelfth Step work. We can read about Dr. Bob in A.A. Comes of Age, on page 7, in the second paragraph. It says that from 1939, until his death in 1950, Dr. Bob helped over 5,000 people to recover.
    Dr. Harry M. Tiebout was a psychiatrist. In A.A. Comes of Age, on page 3, in the bottom paragraph, Bill tells how Dr. Tiebout learned about the Twelve Step program of recovery. Bill says that, in 1939, Dr. Tiebout had two patients who were very difficult for him to work with. Their names were Marty and Grennie. They are described as being both alcoholics and neurotics. However, after a short time in the program, it appears that they both had a spiritual experience. This resulted in an amazing change in their view of life and in their attitude regarding it. They both had permanently recovered. Bill says that Dr. Tiebout was now easily able to counsel these patients. However, while Dr. Tiebout was paid for his services as a psychiatrist, he did not do any Twelfth Step work with his patients.
    Today, hospitals, treatment centers, correctional facilities, and rehabs often play an important role in someone's recovery. So do counselors and therapists. They all deserve to be paid for their services. However, the Eighth Tradition makes it clear that no one should ever be paid for doing Twelfth Step work.
    This is a preview of the chapter about the Eighth Tradition that will be in "R.A.'s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Revealed" which will be published in the coming year.

The Miracles Revealed:
R.A.’s Journal of Recovery
The page to the right is from R.A.'s second book, "The Miracles Revealed: R.A.'s Journal Of Recovery." This book will give even the most experienced person a fresh look at the program. You can read it like a daily journal, or you can read it straight through. R.A.'s Journal will help everyone come to a deeper understanding of our program of recovery. If you enjoy this sample, please visit R.A.'s web site and download a copy of "The Miracles Revealed: R.A.'s Journal of Recovery."
A Story of Recovery
Our experience is that the stories in the original Multilith Big Book were written to validate the pioneers' "clear-cut directions" for working the Twelve Steps. To help your recovery, we encourage you to visit R.A.'s web site and get "The Original Way Out Revealed: R.A.'s Annotated Multilith Big Book" and read all of these original stories. The following passage is from the story "A DIFFERENT SLANT." In R.A.'s Annotated Multilith Big Book, in the personal story section, on page PS5 it says:
"I probably have one of the shortest stories in this whole volume and it is short because there is one point I wish to get over to an occasional man who may be in my position.
"Partner in one of this country's nationally known concerns, happily married with fine children, sufficient income to indulge my whims and future security from the financial standpoint should paint a picture in which there would be no possibility of a man becoming an alcoholic from the psychological standpoint. I had nothing to escape from and I am known as a conservative, sound business man.

This time, though, I found I could not taper off, I could not stop and I had to be hospitalized.

"I had missed going to my office several times while I tapered off and brought myself to sobriety. This time, though, I found I could not taper off, I could not stop and I had to be hospitalized. That was the greatest shock I ever had to my pride. Such a blow that I made the firm resolve to never again taste as much as one glass of beer. Careful thought and analysis went into that decision.
"The doctor at this hospital told me vaguely of the work of a group of men who called themselves Alcoholics Anonymous and asked if I wanted one of them to call upon me. I knew I needed no outside help, but in order to be polite to the doctor and hoping he would forget it, I assented.
"I was embarrassed when a chap called at my house one evening and told me about himself. He quickly sensed my slight resentment and made it plain to me that none of the crowd were missionaries, nor did they feel it their duty to try to help anyone who did not want help. I think I closed the talk by saying I was glad I was not an alcoholic and sorry he had been bothered by me.

	Within sixty days, after leaving the hospital the second time, I was pounding at his door, willing to do anything to conquer the vicious thing that had conquered me.

"Within sixty days, after leaving the hospital the second time, I was pounding at his door, willing to do anything to conquer the vicious thing that had conquered me.
"The point I hope I have made is — even a man with everything from the material standpoint, a man with tremendous pride and the will power to function in all ordinary circumstances can become an alcoholic and find himself as hopeless and helpless as the man who has a multitude of worries and troubles."

A Newcomer Asks
"I'm a psychologist. After many years of struggling in other programs, I have finally recovered in Recoveries Anonymous. However, I now have a dilemma. When I am with a client, I want to tell them about R.A. I want to share the details of this wonderful program with them. Would doing this be a violation of the Eighth Tradition? Can I still accept payment for my services when I am talking about Recoveries Anonymous with my clients?"
In R.A., we believe that the Eighth Tradition is clear on this issue. Your clients are paying you to be their therapist. They would need to pay you for your services even if you were not in a Twelve Step program. You are free to talk to them about anything you would normally talk to a client about. This includes Recoveries Anonymous. However, while you can charge for talking to them about the program, you cannot charge for sponsoring them. You cannot charge for taking them through the Twelve Steps.

Dr. Jung and the other medical professionals who saw Roland were all paid for their services. Paying them did not violate the Eighth Tradition.

In R.A.'s Multilith Big Book, on page 12, in the second paragraph, the pioneers share a story. They say, "A certain American business man had ability, good sense, and high character. For years he had floundered from one sanitarium to another. He had consulted the best known American psychiatrists. Then he had gone to Europe, placing himself in the care of a celebrated physician who prescribed for him."
This "American business man" was Roland H. He was a member of a well-known Rhode Island family. He had "consulted the best known American psychiatrists." He then traveled to Europe to see Dr. Carl Jung, a distinguished Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist. Dr. Jung and the other medical professionals who saw Roland were all paid for their services. Paying them did not violate the Eighth Tradition.
In R.A.'s Multilith Big Book, on page 12, in the seventh paragraph, Roland's story continues. Dr. Jung told him, "You have the mind of a chronic alcoholic. I have never seen one single case recover, where that state of mind existed to the extent that it does in you." In the next paragraph, Roland asks Dr. Jung, "Is there no exception?"
In the ninth paragraph, the pioneers share Dr. Jung's answer. "'Yes,' replied the doctor.'" He then continues by saying, "'there is. Exceptions to cases such as yours have been occurring since early times. Here and there, once in a while, alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual experiences. To me these occurrences are phenomena. They appear to be in the nature of huge emotional displacements and rearrangements. Ideas, emotions, and attitudes which were once the guiding forces of the lives of these men are suddenly cast to one side, and a completely new set of conceptions and motives begin to dominate them. In fact, I have been trying to produce some such emotional rearrangement within you. With many individuals the methods which I employed are successful, but I have never been successful with an alcoholic of your description.'"

	Although Dr. Jung described the results of working a spiritual program with Roland, he did not do what is now called Twelfth Step work.

Dr. Jung is describing a spiritual experience. In R.A., we have a spiritual experience as the result of thoroughly following the pioneers' path. We follow the pioneers' "clear-cut directions" to work all Twelve Steps. These directions are now detailed in R.A.'s Multilith Big Book.
Although Dr. Jung described the results of working a spiritual program with Roland, he did not do what is now called Twelfth Step work. He did not take Roland through the process that we call the Twelve Step program of recovery. Therefore, Dr. Jung was only paid for his services as a therapist.
In R.A.'s Multilith Big Book, on page 61, the pioneers also address this issue. They do this in the first full paragraph, starting with the second sentence. They say, "God has abundantly supplied this world with fine doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds. Do not hesitate to take your health problems to such a person. Most of them give freely of themselves, that their fellows may enjoy sound minds and bodies. Try to remember that though God has wrought miracles among us, we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist. Their services are often indispensable in treating a newcomer and following his case afterward."
In R.A., we believe that this passage makes a clear point. Someone in the program should not hesitate to go to "doctors, psychologists, and practitioners of various kinds." The pioneers say that these professionals give "freely" of their time and energy. However, they also say that the services these medical professionals provide are "indispensable." Therefore, there is no question that they deserve to be paid for their time and effort. This is true, even if they are also members of the program.

...a medical professional, can volunteer their services if they wish. However, they can also choose to be paid for their services. This is not a violation of R.A.'s Eighth Tradition.

Someone who is an R.A. member, as well as a medical professional, can volunteer their services if they wish. However, they can also choose to be paid for their services. This is not a violation of R.A.'s Eighth Tradition. It is not important if an R.A. member is a psychologist or is in any other profession. They should be paid for their services the same way a person who is not in R.A. should be paid for their work. Nonetheless, they cannot charge a fee for taking someone through R.A.'s Twelve Steps. There can never be a price tag for doing Twelfth Step work.
    This is a preview of the chapter about the Eighth Tradition that will be in "R.A.'s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions Revealed" which will be published in the coming year.

R.A.’s “How To Begin…” Guides
To find out more about our Twelve Step Fellowship, and how you can get started working the Twelve Steps of our Solution Focused Program of Recovery, we suggest that you visit our web site and Download R.A.'s "How To Begin…" guides. This includes R.A.'s Newcomer Guide, "How To Begin Living In The Solution."

R.A.’s Solution Focused Books
Move up to the next step in your search for recovery by downloading and reading the PDF versions of R.A.'s Solution Focused Books. We do not charge for the PDF versions of our books. Instead, we give the passwords needed to open our books to thank those who support our efforts to help others. You can show your support by making a small, one time, tax-free contribution to R.A., or, if you truly cannot afford to make a contribution at this time, by filling out our Feedback Form.
    If you are reading this, you have probably spent a lot of time and energy trying things that did not work out the way you hoped they would. Doesn't it make sense to invest a little more time and energy in this time-proven method of finding the recovery you've been seeking? As the pioneers promise in the Multilith Big Book: ''It works—it really does. Try it.''

R.A. Is Self-supporting
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Recoveries Anonymous
For more information about our Twelve Step Program Of Recovery visit our web site at www.R-A.org