Question

A client is preparing to attend at Gamblers Anonymous meeting for the first time. The prototype used by this group is the 12-step program developed by Alcoholics Anonymous. Number in order of priority how the steps would be addressed.

1) Admitting to oneself and to another human being the exact nature of one's wrongs
2) Acknowledging that one is entirely ready to have his or her defects of character removed
3) Admitting that oneself is powerless over gambling and that one's life has become unmanageable
4) Making an effort to practice the 12-step principles in all affairs, and to carry out this message to other compulsive gamblers
5) Making direct amends wherever possible to all people that have been hurt, expect when to do so would further harm them or others

Answer 1

The sequence of the 12-step program for a client attending Gamblers Anonymous begins with admitting powerlessness over gambling, then acknowledging wrongs, readiness to change, making amends, and lastly, practicing and spreading the principles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking a question related to a 12-step program similar to that used by Alcoholics Anonymous, but tailored for those with a gambling problem. As a part of Gamblers Anonymous, the steps of the program must be addressed in order of priority, as they represent a specific sequence of actions necessary for recovery.

This order reflects the progressive nature of the steps, starting from the personal acknowledgment of the problem, then moving onto readiness for change, making restitution for past actions, and finally, continued practice and peer support. The sequence of the 12-step program for a client attending Gamblers Anonymous begins with admitting powerlessness over gambling, then acknowledging wrongs, readiness to change, making amends, and lastly, practicing and spreading the principles.