Small actions. Big promises. One addict's honest, spiritual guide.
Understanding the 12 Steps and living them are two different things. Reading an instruction doesn't teach you how to use it in a real moment. What helped me was watching sponsors and people in the rooms actually work the 12 Steps in their own lives, not just being told what the Steps were. I'm not here to hand you answers or preach at you. I walk beside you, the way others have walked beside me.
For the one who has decided to work the Steps, for the first time, or the fifth.
For the one years sober, with the same old disease quietly resurfacing in a new corner of life. That's not failure. That's the program asking you to go deeper.
For the one who understands a Step but hasn't figured out how to actually live it.
For the one working through the source literature who wants its old language to finally make sense.
For sponsors and sponsees doing a Big Book study together and wanting a companion for that work.
For anyone recovering from any kind of addiction, not just alcohol.
Words of Wisdom, a word-by-word breakdown of what each Step is actually asking.
Every principle, promise, and prayer hidden in each Step, most people only know the famous ones.
Dig Into the Literature, a built-in Big Book study for every Step, so you and your sponsor can go deeper together.
Step Into Action and Daily Practice, concrete exercises and small actions for wherever you're starting from: the first time through a Step, coming back to it, or simply living it now.
Step 4 laid out step-by-step, plus the cheat sheets I still use myself.
Prayer and meditation practices open to any spiritual background, including none at all.
Specific page references throughout, so you always know exactly where to look deeper.
This isn’t a replacement for the Twelve Step program, a sponsor, or the literature. It's the companion that walks you back to all three.
Recovery Book
Addicted? Start Here
A simple, useful tool to recover from addiction—especially when Dry January, “cutting back,” or willpower haven’t worked.
This book is for anyone quietly wondering, “Do I have a problem?”—and not sure what to do next. It’s a flip‑and‑find companion for early recovery: short readings, visual tools, and practical suggestions you can use right away, even on your hardest days.
What You’ll Find Inside Addicted? Start Here is a 12 Step–inspired companion that makes early recovery more understandable and less overwhelming.
Simple, practical tools for early recovery that you can use today.
35+ visual tools—flowcharts, checklists, timelines, comparison charts, warning‑sign charts, worksheets, and prompts—to make recovery concepts easier to grasp.
34 foundational “solutions” you can flip to in any order when you’re in crisis, confused, or just need the next right step.
Plain‑language guidance on what addiction really is, and why willpower alone often isn’t enough.
Real-life insight from someone who tried and tried again before finding a way to stay sober.
This isn’t a replacement for a Twelve Step program or a sponsor. It’s a companion for the hard moments—a guide between “something is wrong” and “I’m ready to try recovery.”
Ready to go deeper? Recover! Step Work, Book 2 in the series, picks up once you've decided to work the Steps. Learn more ↑
Not Sure Where to Start? Flip to Any Page. Find Hope.
35+ Visual Tools • 34 Practical Solutions For Day 1 or Day 100
If you're here... questioning it, then...this book was written for you.
recovering from addiction
An invitation to lay down the burdens that weigh you down and walk in happiness, joy and freedom!
Message from the Author
Becoming an Author
I never set out to write a book. In fact, the very idea of putting my story—and my recovery—into something so public was far outside my comfort zone. But like much of my journey in sobriety, this book came into being through a series of unexpected, often painful events that pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined.
What began as personal notes became something more—a guide, a companion, a bridge. Addicted? Start Here isn’t a replacement for the Twelve Step program or a sponsor. It is written to be a complement to the program—a way for someone to pick it up, flip to any section, and find something useful right away.
If this book finds its way to your hands—or to the hands of someone you love—I hope it offers what those early meetings gave me: a reason to stay, the courage to try, and the beginning of something new.
Years into recovery, life came apart in ways sobriety alone couldn't fix. What I learned is that there's a second surrender, not from the addiction, but from the grip of control I thought I'd already let go of. That's what Recover! Step Work is about: going back to the Steps, not because I'd failed, but because the program kept asking me to go deeper.
— Kaylee, Anonymous member of a Twelve Step fellowship
About Us
A Walk in Recovery
A Walk in Recovery is not just a tagline—it's an invitation. To lay down the burdens that weigh you down and receive grace. We can walk in happiness, joy and freedom!
Walking implies action! It is a response and a movement. When we walk in recovery, we naturally share what we’ve been given—it’s too good to keep to ourselves. Recovery changes our lives, and now we get to pass that hope on to a neighbor, a friend, or anyone who’s searching for a way out.
A Walk in Recovery is here to help you take those steps, one day at a time, and to remind you that you never have to walk alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if a Twelve Step program is right for me?
If you're questioning your relationship with alcohol, substances, or other behaviors—and wondering if things could be different—that’s enough. You don’t need to hit a specific “bottom” to belong. Twelve Step programs are for anyone with a desire to stop and live a different way.
What happens in a meeting? Will I have to speak?
Most meetings involve people sharing their experience, strength, and hope in a safe, non-judgmental setting. You’re welcome to just listen—no one will pressure you to speak or share before you’re ready.
Many people come in unsure and skeptical if this will work for them—and find something they didn’t expect: connection, relief, and a path forward. The 12 Steps are not about being perfect. They’re about progress, one day at a time, with support.
Do I need to read the books in order?
No, each book stands on its own. Addicted? Start Here meets you at the very beginning, when you're still wondering if you have a problem. Recover! Step Work is for once you've decided to work the Steps. Start wherever you actually are.
"Why not give it a try? We can always refund your misery."
