FAQs
Are sponsors available at virtual meetings?
Many virtual meetings ask available sponsors to identify themselves. These meetings may also have lists of available sponsors. You ask someone if he or she would be willing to be your sponsor. You may ask anyone whether or not he or she identifies himself or herself as a sponsor.
How do I find a sponsor?
What is a sponsor?
Sponsors are OA members who are living the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to the best of their ability. They are willing to share their recovery with other members of the Fellowship and are committed to abstinence. Ask a member who has what you want from the program and how he or she is achieving it. A member may work with more than one sponsor and may change sponsors at will (adapted from Tools of Recovery). A sponsor will work with you through the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous.
When am I ready to sponsor?
Sponsoring can begin at any time. Simply sponsor up to the level of your experience, sharing as much recovery as you have. It may be helpful to discuss sponsoring with your own sponsor first, then begin sponsoring when you both feel it’s right. Ask your group to introduce you as a new sponsor or identify yourself as one. We have found that sponsors are most effective when refraining from compulsive eating. Many of us believe clarity of mind comes with abstinence. Having a sponsor is the best way to learn to be a sponsor; we learn by example. We also learn to sponsor by doing it (adapted from A Guide for Sponsors). The Sponsorship Kit contains helpful resources to get you started
Why have a sponsor?
The Twelve Steps are simple but are not easy. It helps to have a guide on the journey. A sponsor is someone who is abstinent (which means they are not eating compulsively) and who can help you learn what the Twelve Steps are all about. We say to look at your meetings for someone who has what you want (a sparkle in their eyes, a great sense of humor, compassion, full of life—you’ll know it when you see it) and ask them to sponsor you. One of the tenets of the program is that you can’t keep it if you don’t give it away. So sponsoring is an important part of living the Twelve Steps.