Going beyond AA

I went to the retreat center in 2018 and returned this year. These last two months in Costa Rica I had the opportunity to work, heal and learn in the Choose Again residency program that I am very grateful I was accepted into. 

In my experience I prayed and worked very hard in a program [AA] that I Love and owe my life to, but I was not able to surrender my character defects (my mistaken beliefs). I really could not fathom how to get rid of them or how to live without them. My “not good enough, fear of loss, my belief that I was a victim, guilty and deserving of rejection and punishment “ showed up and had a party with me, if only in my head. The Six Steps have shown me what the belief was for and how to change the stored belief and return to a state of Joy. This (the six steps) is very similar to the other program (AA) - we work the steps. We make a decision, we decide we will go to any length and most importantly - We are worth it!

- Y.C.S, 2018, 2022 Choose Again retreat participant and resident