Here at The Magdalen House, we encourage women to recover out loud. We use our full names when identifying ourselves and are proud to represent our community as recovered alcoholic women. So why is it important to use our full names?
Recently, someone reached out to me through Facebook, where she found me by searching for my full name. She shared with me that she had been on a road trip to south Texas to make amends. She was super anxious and uncomfortable about it. She searched The Magdalen House podcast for Step 9 and found mine. She thanked me for essentially riding with her and giving her encouragement along the way.
She searched The Magdalen House podcast for Step 9 and found mine. She thanked me for essentially riding with her and giving her encouragement along the way.
She said the amends went better than expected and was grateful for my honesty and openness. She found me because I used my last name and what a shame it would have been if she couldn’t find me because she only knew me as Kady.
Many people get confused when it comes to anonymity. In which instances do we use our last name? The Magdalen House is an entirely separate entity than any 12-step program and we’re not an “AA group.” We do, however, use the same spiritual principles as tools in our curriculum because they’ve been proven to work. We’re not representing ourselves as members of a fellowship when recovering out loud. We’re expressing ourselves as recovered alcoholic women and community members of The Magdalen House.
We’re not representing ourselves as members of a fellowship when recovering out loud. We’re expressing ourselves as recovered alcoholic women and community members of The Magdalen House.
We recently published a blog titled “Why is Alcoholic is a Bad Word” and I want to refer back to it here. In this blog, our Executive Director, Lisa Kroencke, talks about reframing the mindset of what it means to be an alcoholic. At Maggie’s we’re choosing to be vocal about that title just like a doctor would be vocal about theirs. I genuinely agree with Lisa when she says that being an alcoholic is the best thing that has ever happened to her! If we don’t live out loud, if we choose not to talk about it, if we keep it a secret from others, then we contribute to the the stigma around alcoholism and it continues to thrive. Alcoholism thrives in the dark and in isolation. The moment we step out from behind the curtain and own that identity, the greater the chance that others will see the spiritual transformation within us and take that step to start their own journey to life long recovery.
The moment we step out from behind the curtain and own that identity, the greater the chance that others will see the spiritual transformation within us and take that step to start their own journey to life long recovery.
To be a Maggie’s woman and a part of our community you’re not going to be required to post your name on some registry somewhere. We’re only asking for you to consider living fully in the Sunlight of the Spirit so that when someone needs your help, and they finally get the courage to reach out, you are easy to find!
