The Five Keys: 12 Step Recovery Without A God

The author just window dresses his own “spiritual” convictions with musings to pretend he is not professing a deity is required. Just another pusher of what makes the 12 steps difficult for so many who strongly believe a deity does not intervene in their lives … his bottom line is no different than I have heard in meetings … “just have an open mind”.

Good examples of the core principles of the 12 steps from a secular perspective. PracticalMy one “beef” ( and this goes for almost all recovery oriented adjunctive literature ) is its focus on AA literature ( ignoring NA). I amin the early stages of writing a book that I hope will begin to fill that gap

I have always struggled with the religious context of AA and OA. I found Voxx's nuetral 12 steps to be very helpful. I also found the historical basis of recovery treatment very interesting. A quick read but quite helpful.

12-step programs come from a religious history, and many newcomers can find "the God stuff" off-putting. But modern 12-step programs are quite workable with a range of secular "higher powers", including things like your home group or a set of universal principles.This book does a wonderful job explaining how the 12-step process can be approached from an atheistic/non-religious viewpoint -- I highly recommend it to anyone who's interested in 12-step but put off by "the God stuff"! (And yes, atheists really are welcome -- I have *never* had anybody criticize my choice of Higher Power at a meeting. You may come across the occasional bad meeting, but any good meeting will respect your right to choose your own HP.)

Good quick read that helps support recovery with history to help you understand the philosbut supporting you to do you! Gives some ideas that can help you understand the road you need to take.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in 12 Step Recovery. If you are just starting out on your journey into recovery and are put off by the "God stuff" in the 12 Steps, this book will help put all of that in perspective. Archer does a brilliant job explaining how the steps can be worked from a purely secular perspective. We use this book at my home group and it makes for interesting discussion and I think it's particularly helpful to the newcomer.

This is a direct and accessible look at the AA program through a non-theistic lens. It is clear, concise, and practical. Members or prospective Members new or long term, religious or secular will find much understanding that will be very useful in relating to those members who hold different beliefs. As a 29 year sober member I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Many books about secular recovery have disrespectful language about religions and people of faith. I am an Atheist, and I also believe in respecting other's beliefs. This book has a beautiful approach to the 12 steps. I bought one for my 17 year old when he headed to therapeutic boarding school. He is a non-believer and I didn't want the 12 steps to give him trouble. This book was just perfect.

Not what I thought it would be

No shocking new revelations are made but this is a cohesive thesis. While I like a little more stats and facts in my reading, this short and straight forward essay is like talking with someone after a meeting over coffee and asking him about his view of 12 Step recovery.This wouldn't hurt anyone new to recovery of any worldview but it will be particularly comforting to fellow atheists that there is a message far more profound and universal that the literal wording. "God could and would if he were sought," may be cheap theatrics and somewhat polarizing but there is a message behind pomp that is worth exploring.There is a wealth of great secular literature that tells the 12 Step story that dates back to A Skeptics Guide to the 12-Steps by Philip Z. That one may have been before it's time because there is a bumper crop of worthwhile books now available. The Five Keys is one of them.