Community

We invite you to explore the free peer support groups offered within the WFS community. If none of these is a fit for you, the WFS New Life Program was designed to be effective when used individually as well as in groups. WFS welcomes all expressions of female identity to participate in our peer-support resources.

Regional meetings

Women for Sobriety meetings, also frequently referred to as “in-person” groups, are available in the United States and Canada. Please visit the Meeting Finder page to locate a meeting near you. WFS meetings are limited to women who are personally engaged in recovery from problematic drug and/or alcohol use; women in recovery from other types of addictive behaviors are encouraged to find other sources of support. WFS embraces all expressions of female identity and welcomes our sisters from the LGBTQ+ community. Anything discussed at a WFS meeting is confidential. The identity of members is not revealed outside the group. It is up to the discretion of each woman whether she wants to break her own anonymity as a member of WFS.

Meetings are held at least once a week and are typically one hour to ninety minutes. WFS meetings use a discussion format, so chairs are usually placed in a circle and the ideal size is six to ten women. This provides every woman a chance to be involved in discussions if she wishes. To reduce distractions and allow everyone to feel heard, participants try to refrain from handwork, eating, and side conversations. Triggers are reduced by refraining from using specific names/brands of alcohol or drugs, not telling drinking or using stories, and coming to meetings sober, without having ingested any alcohol and/or drugs the day of the meeting.

All WFS meetings follow a structured format:

• At the beginning of the meeting, the 13 Acceptance Statements and the Mission Statement are read out loud and the Certified Facilitator (CF) may remind the group about the guidelines. Typically, each member of the group reads one of the 13 Statements and then the entire group reads the thought-action (italicized portion).
• Each woman introduces herself by saying, “My name is __ and I am a competent woman.” She then shares a positive action (how she handled a situation differently) or a feeling (she was able to identify and/or respond to differently) and selects one of the 13 Statements to which it relates.
• If a participant has an urgent need for support, feedback, or encouragement, she will have an opportunity to share.
• A topic will be introduced, typically based on a piece of WFS literature, and the discussion portion of the meeting begins.
• At the end of the meeting, participants stand in a circle (if possible) with joined hands and recite the WFS Motto: “We are capable and competent, caring and compassionate, always willing to help another, bonded together in overcoming our addictions.”

A silent donation is collected at meetings. The suggested donation is $2 – $5 (more if possible, less if necessary); however, no one is turned away from the meeting if they are unable to give a donation. These group donations are sent directly to the WFS office to help support the organization’s services. The organization provides free literature and support to our groups in the community.

Groups are run by a WFS CF who has established a minimum of one year of continuous sobriety and is thoroughly acquainted with the New Life Program and its philosophy. The certification process includes having read Turnabout, Goodbye Hangovers, Hello Life, or Beginner’s Collection, demonstrating knowledge of the New Life Program when filling out the CF application, and receiving approval from the organization. CFs are then provided with a Facilitator’s Manual and other training materials.

While CFs have demonstrated a certain level of knowledge of the New Life Program, participants should remember that they are not skilled professionals. CFs are peers in recovery who serve as volunteer stewards of the New Life Program by coordinating meeting logistics and sharing their knowledge of the program. They may sometimes need to refer a woman to additional supports if the woman’s needs exceed the capacity of the group.

Sometimes two CFs run a group together, or they may identify other helpers as appropriate. If you have any concerns about how a WFS meeting is run, please contact the office or a Board member.

• Regional Meeting Guide – Digital
• Regional Meeting Guide – Print

WFS Online

Our online community of women comes together in virtual meetings and community groups to use the New Life Program in overcoming substance use disorder. Women share their experiences and find support in their recovery in affinity and special interest groups. Dozens of virtual meetings occur each week on Zoom. All WFS online meetings are led by Certified Facilitators well-versed in the WFS New Life Program and with at least one year of continuous sobriety.

There is no fee to join. Women age 18 or older seeking sobriety are welcome. As with all peer-support resources here, all expressions of female identity are welcome and participation is limited to women seeking support for overcoming addiction.

After completing the registration form, you will receive a verification email. If you do not receive this verification email, be sure to check your spam folder. Once you complete verification, you will receive a welcome letter from the Community Care Group that you are approved to access the WFS Online site.