Helpful Information

The 12 Steps of Recovery

The 12 Steps of recovery, originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), provide a framework for individuals recovering from addiction, whether its substance use or behavioral. The steps offer a structured approach to personal growth, emotional healing, and spiritual development. Here’s how they can help someone in recovery:

Step 1 – Admitting Powerlessness

Purpose: This step helps individuals accept that they cannot control their addiction on their own. It fosters humility and breaks the denial that often accompanies addiction.

How it helps: Acknowledging powerlessness opens the door to seeking help from others, like a sponsor or support group, and it’s the first step in letting go of the idea of “self-reliance” to instead rely on a higher power or the support of others.

Step 2 – Belief in a Higher Power

Purpose: This step encourages individuals to believe in a higher power or greater purpose, however, they define it (spiritual or otherwise), to guide their recovery.

How it helps: It promotes faith that recovery is possible and that one is not alone in their journey. Whether a person believes in God, the universe, or just the strength of the collective group, this belief offers hope.

Step 3 – Turning Will Over to Higher Power

Purpose: Surrendering control to a higher power or the process of recovery itself.

How it helps: It encourages letting go of the need to control everything, which can be a major source of stress and self-sabotage. This is an important step for those who have tried to quit on their own but failed.

Step 4 – Self-Reflection and Inventory

Purpose: Taking a fearless and honest moral inventory of oneself.

How it helps: This allows individuals to confront their fears, resentments, and shortcomings. It’s a deep dive into personal issues that may have fueled the addiction, such as guilt, shame, and unresolved trauma.

Step 5 – Admitting Fault

Purpose: Admitting the exact nature of one’s wrongs to themselves, their higher power, and another person.

How it helps: This step is about letting go of shame and guilt. It offers a sense of relief because it’s often a first step toward forgiveness—not just from others but from oneself.

Step 6 – Readiness to Let Go of Defects

Purpose: Being ready to have defects of character removed.

How it helps: This step creates the awareness that certain behaviors, like dishonesty or selfishness, need to be let go for recovery to continue. It requires a mindset shift to embrace growth.

Step 7 – Asking for Help

Purpose: Humbly asking for a higher power to remove the character defects.

How it helps: It acknowledges that personal change can’t always be made on one’s own and asks for help in becoming a better person.

Step 8 – Making a List of Amends

Purpose: Creating a list of people harmed and becoming willing to make amends.

How it helps: This step focuses on forgiveness and healing relationships. It can lead to emotional relief for both the person in recovery and others they’ve wronged.

Step 9 – Making Amends

Purpose: Making direct amends to those individuals wherever possible, unless doing so would harm them or others.

How it helps: It encourages people to take responsibility for their actions and repair broken relationships, which can provide emotional closure and help rebuild trust.

Step 10 – Ongoing Self-Reflection

Purpose: Continuing to take personal inventory and promptly admitting when wrong.

How it helps: This step keeps individuals accountable, ensuring that they don’t slip back into old habits and that they stay on track with their recovery goals.

Step 11 – Spiritual Growth and Connection

Purpose: Seeking through prayer or meditation to improve conscious contact with a higher power.

How it helps: This encourages ongoing spiritual growth, whether through meditation, prayer, or other practices. It keeps the individual grounded and connected to something larger than themselves.

Step 12 – Carrying the Message

Purpose: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, sharing the message with others and practicing these principles in all areas of life.

How it helps: It provides a sense of purpose and responsibility. By helping others, individuals reinforce their own commitment to recovery. It also helps the person stay active in their recovery community, which is a key factor in long-term sobriety.

Why the 12 Step Program Helps:

Structure & Routine: The 12 steps provide a structured program that helps individuals know exactly what to focus on next in their recovery.

Community Support: Each step often involves group meetings or one-on-one work with a sponsor, making support systems a key component of the recovery process.

Personal Growth: The program encourages constant self-reflection, honesty, and change, which are essential for overcoming addiction.

Spiritual/Emotional Healing: By focusing on a higher power, surrender, and self-forgiveness, the program helps heal the emotional and spiritual wounds that often contribute to addiction.

In short, the 12 Steps offer a comprehensive way to address addiction by not just focusing on stopping the behavior, but also on changing the underlying thoughts, emotions, and relationships that fuel the addiction.

There Are No Shortcuts to Long-Term Sobriety

Recovery is not a quick fix. It’s not about just quitting a substance — it’s about transforming your life from the inside out.
So many individuals come into recovery looking for an easy way out, but what they find — if they stay — is something far greater: A new way of living!
You can’t rush healing.
You can’t bypass the pain.
You can’t fake the growth.
The truth is that you must show up and do the work every single day. And some days, that work is messy, painful, and uncomfortable. However, those are the days when the most growth occurs. Here’s what long-term sobriety takes:
Consistency — even when motivation is low.
Willingness — to be honest, to feel, to let go of old beliefs.
Courage — to face your past and rewrite your future.
Community — because no one does this alone. (CSTL, Palm House and Bohemian House is the largest sober living program in Sacramento, with 218 beds for men and women)
Faith — in something greater, in the process, and yourself.
The 12-Step program isn’t just about staying sober — it’s about learning how to live.
It offers tools to heal emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.
It gives a design for living that brings peace, purpose, and freedom.
If you’re tired of the chaos…
If you’re ready to stop running…
If you’re willing to take it one day at a time…
Then the journey to long-term sobriety can begin today.
No shortcuts. No hacks. Just real change — one honest step at a time. We’re here walking it with you.
Give us a call. We have open beds for females and males.
Clean and Sober Transitional Living (Coed) 916-961-2692 The Palm House (all male) 916-547-6552 Bohemian House (all female) 916-547-6552i

Setting Intentions for a Successful and Healthy 2025

As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect, reset, and set meaningful goals for the year ahead. For those in recovery, personal growth and well-being are central to staying strong and thriving. Here are a few thoughts to inspire your journey this year:

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Recovery is a journey, not a destination. When setting goals, remember they don’t have to be massive or overwhelming. Small, consistent steps lead to big changes over time.

Prioritize Your Health

Physical, emotional, and spiritual health are the foundation of a fulfilling life. Commit to habits that nurture your well-being, such as staying active, eating nourishing food, and practicing mindfulness or meditation.

Strengthen Your Support Network

Lean into your recovery community, reconnect with friends, and build relationships that uplift and support you. Remember, you’re not alone—share your goals and let others cheer you on.

Set Clear Intentions

What do you want 2025 to look like? Write down your aspirations, whether they’re related to careers, relationships, hobbies, or recovery milestones. Be specific and realistic, and revisit these goals often.

Celebrate Your Wins

Every victory, big or small, is worth celebrating. Reflect on how far you’ve come and give yourself credit for the strength and perseverance that got you here.

Give Back to Others

Helping others in their recovery journey can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Whether it’s mentoring, volunteering, or simply offering a listening ear, service strengthens your recovery and builds a sense of purpose.

This year is full of potential—take it one day at a time, stay grounded in gratitude, and keep striving to be the best version of yourself.

Here’s to a healthy, joyful, and successful 2025!

Your Holidays, Your Sponsor, Your Sobriety

As the holiday season approaches, maintaining your sobriety can become more challenging due to the unique pressures and triggers that often arise during this time of year. One of the most valuable resources in navigating these challenges is your sponsor. Their involvement is crucial to staying focused and supported throughout the holiday season.

Here’s why working closely with your sponsor during the holidays is essential:

Accountability and Support

The holidays are filled with triggers, such as parties, family dynamics, and emotional stress. A sponsor helps keep you accountable to your recovery goals, ensuring you stay focused when temptations arise. Regular check-ins provide a sense of responsibility and structure.

Guidance Through Triggers

Events like seeing old friends, attending substance-filled gatherings, or dealing with emotional family situations can be overwhelming. Your sponsor can help you identify potential triggers and create a personalized plan to navigate them, based on their own experience in recovery.

A Safe Space for Honest Communication

The holidays can bring up difficult emotions such as loneliness, grief, or frustration, increasing the risk of relapse. Your sponsor offers a nonjudgmental space to express these feelings openly, helping you process your emotions in a healthy way instead of turning to substances.

Practical Problem Solving

Family gatherings, holiday expectations, and time management can create logistical and emotional stress. Your sponsor can help you develop strategies, such as setting boundaries, creating exit plans for triggering situations or finding sober holiday events.

Preventing Isolation

Isolation is a significant relapse trigger, especially during the holidays when others may seem busy with family or friends. A sponsor helps prevent isolation by encouraging connection—whether through regular check-ins, inviting you to meetings, or suggesting sober activities.

Reinforcing Recovery Tools

During stressful times, it’s easy to neglect the recovery tools that have kept you sober. A sponsor ensures you stay diligent in attending meetings, working the steps, and prioritizing your recovery, even amidst the holiday hustle.

Key Takeaway

Your sponsor is a trusted guide and ally who has likely faced similar holiday challenges in their recovery journey. Leaning on their support and experience will help you stay strong, prepared, and focused on your sobriety, allowing you to enjoy the holiday season without compromising your progress.

Wishing you strength and support this holiday season!

Stay Strong During The Holidays

At Clean and Sober Transitional Living, we stress being diligent with your recovery program during the holiday season. This time of year often presents unique challenges that can test your commitment and put your sobriety at risk. Here are key reasons why staying focused on your recovery program is vital during the next several holiday weeks!

Increased Triggers

The holidays can bring emotional, social, and environmental triggers, such as:

Stress: Financial pressures, family conflicts, or busy schedules.

Substance Availability: Alcohol and sometimes drugs are more accessible at holiday parties and gatherings.

Emotional Triggers: Loneliness, grief, or unresolved feelings related to past holidays.

Why It Matters: At CSTL you can learn tools and strategies to manage these triggers effectively and support your resolve to prevent relapses.

Emotional Vulnerability

Holidays can evoke strong emotions, both positive and negative, such as:

Nostalgia: Reflecting on past mistakes or losses.

Social Pressures: Feeling obligated to join in drinking or using substances to “celebrate.”

Unrealistic Expectations: The desire for a “perfect” holiday can lead to frustration and disappointment.

Why It Matters: Our program helps you process these emotions constructively and maintain emotional balance.

Lack of Routine

Holiday schedules often disrupt daily routines, including work, meetings, and self-care practices.

Why It Matters: Recovery thrives on structure. Staying diligent with your program ensures you maintain healthy habits such as attending meetings, staying in touch with your sponsor, and participating in CSTL community events.

Higher Risk of Isolation

While some find the holidays overwhelming, others may feel isolated due to strained family relationships, distance from loved ones, or the absence of old friends.

Why It Matters: CSTL encourages connection and accountability, which are vital for combating isolation and staying motivated.

Strengthens Resilience

Consistently practicing your recovery program during the holidays builds resilience for future challenges. It helps solidify your coping mechanisms, improve your emotional regulation, and deepen your commitment to sobriety.

Why It Matters: The holidays are just one part of life; diligence during this season lays the groundwork for long-term recovery success.

Key Takeaway

Your recovery is the foundation of your health, happiness, and future. By staying diligent during the holiday season, you prioritize your well-being and reinforce your commitment to sobriety, ensuring you can enjoy the season without jeopardizing your progress. At Clean and Sober we have preparing our residents for over 35 years on how to deal with the holiday pressures and temptations in recovery.

Benefits of Transitional Living

Transitional living is critical after residential treatment because it provides individuals with a structured and supportive environment that eases the transition back into everyday life while helping to maintain long-term sobriety. Here’s why it’s so important:

**Continuity of Care:** It ensures that individuals continue to receive the support and guidance they need as they adapt to life outside of a treatment facility, reducing the risk of relapse.

**Structured Routine:** Transitional living programs often have daily routines that mimic real-life responsibilities, helping residents develop essential life skills and a sense of purpose.

**Peer Support:** Being in a community of peers who are also committed to sobriety provides a sense of belonging and understanding, which can be crucial for staying on track.

**Accountability:** Residents are accountable to the rules and expectations of the transitional living environment, promoting responsibility and helping to deter substance use.

**Coping Skills:** Transitional living programs often offer insights to help individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms and strategies for managing triggers and stressors.

**Time for Healing:** It allows for an extended period of healing and self-discovery, which is essential for addressing the underlying issues that may have contributed to addiction.

**Gradual Reintegration:** Rather than returning immediately to high-stress situations or environments that may have played a role in addiction, transitional living provides a gradual reintegration into daily life, reducing the risk of overwhelming stress and relapse.

In essence, transitional living acts as a supportive bridge between residential treatment and independent living, increasing the chances of maintaining long-term sobriety by equipping individuals with the tools, skills, and support necessary to navigate the challenges of recovery.

Attending 12 step meetings can be beneficial to achieve long term sobriety

CSTL believes attending 12 step meetings can be beneficial to achieve long term sobriety for the follow reasons:

**Supportive Community**:12 step meetings provide a supportive community of individuals who understand what it’s like to struggle with alcohol or drug addiction. Being around others who are on a similar journey can be encouraging and comforting.
**Accountability**: Regularly attending meetings can create a sense of accountability. Knowing that others are expecting you to be there can motivate you to stay committed to your sobriety goals.
**Learning from Others**: In 12 step meetings, members share their experiences, strengths, and hopes. Hearing others’ stories of recovery can provide valuable insights and inspiration for your own journey.
**Tools for Recovery**: 12 step meetings offer a structured program and a set of principles known as the 12 Steps. Working through these steps with the guidance of a sponsor can provide a roadmap for long-term recovery.
**Coping Skills**: Meetings often discuss coping strategies for dealing with triggers, stress, and cravings. Learning and sharing these skills can help you navigate challenges without turning to alcohol.
**Reducing Isolation**: Addiction can be isolating, but 12 step meetings offer a place where you can connect with others. Building a sober social network can help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
**Positive Reinforcement**: Celebrating milestones and successes, no matter how small, in12 step meetings can reinforce your commitment to sobriety and remind you of the progress you’ve made.
**Continuous Growth**: 12 step meetings encourage continuous personal growth and self-improvement. The program offers ongoing opportunities for reflection, learning, and development.

While 12 step meetings is not the only path to sobriety, many find these aspects of the program supportive and effective in maintaining long-term recovery.

The Dangers of Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is used medically to treat severe pain, typically in cases such as surgery or cancer. However, when misused or abused, it can have devastating effects on individuals and communities. While the immediate effects of Fentanyl can be intense and short-lived, its long-term effects can also be severe. It’s important to note that the duration and severity of these effects can vary depending on factors such as the individual’s tolerance, the dose, and the method of consumption. Here are some potential devastating effects of fentanyl misuse over two years:

1.**Physical Health Deterioration**: Prolonged use of Fentanyl can lead to serious physical health issues, including respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues, and weakened immune function. The risk of overdose is high, as Fentanyl is highly potent, and even a tiny amount can be lethal.

2. **Addiction**: Fentanyl is highly addictive. Over two years of misuse, individuals may become physically and psychologically dependent on the drug, making it extremely difficult to quit without professional help.

3.**Tolerance**: Tolerance to Fentanyl can develop rapidly, meaning that individuals need increasingly higher doses to achieve the same effects. This can lead to a dangerous cycle of escalating use.

4.**Withdrawal Symptoms**: When someone who has been using Fentanyl for an extended period tries to quit or reduce their use, they may experience severe withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include intense cravings, anxiety, depression, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain.

5.**Financial and Legal Consequences**: Maintaining a fentanyl habit can be financially ruinous. Individuals may spend large sums of money to acquire the drug, leading to financial instability. Additionally, the possession and distribution of Fentanyl is illegal in many places, which can result in legal consequences.

6.**Relationship and Social Impacts**: Fentanyl misuse can strain relationships with friends and family members, leading to isolation and social alienation. Individuals may prioritize their drug use over their personal and professional responsibilities.

7.**Risk of Overdose**: Fentanyl is responsible for a significant portion of opioid-related overdose deaths. Over two years of misuse, the risk of overdose increases substantially, especially if individuals are taking high doses or using it in combination with other substances.

8.**Physical and Mental Health Issues**: Fentanyl misuse can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and increased risk of infectious diseases if needles are shared for injection.

9.**Loss of Employment and Housing**: Maintaining employment and stable housing can become increasingly difficult for individuals who misuse Fentanyl. This can result in homelessness and further complicate the recovery process.

10.**Fatality**: Unfortunately, the devastating effect of fentanyl misuse can ultimately be fatal. Overdoses from Fentanyl are common, and even minor errors in dosing can lead to death.

It’s crucial for individuals who are struggling with fentanyl misuse to seek help as early as possible. Recovery is possible with the right support, including medical detoxification, counseling, and rehabilitation programs. If you or someone you know is dealing with fentanyl misuse, it’s essential to reach out to a healthcare professional or addiction treatment center for assistance.