Episode 1138: Sponsors, Disciplers, & MentorsEpisode 1138: Sponsors, Disciplers, & Mentors
Take 12 Recovery Radio
In this episode of the Came to Believe Recovery Podcast, we explore the vital roles of sponsors, ...
1:19:23•7 Oct 2026
Sponsors, Disciplers & Mentors: Who Should Guide Your Recovery?
Episode Overview
- Working through the Twelve Steps with guidance is recommended, even though doing them alone may be possible in theory.
- Effective sponsors have experienced a spiritual awakening through the steps and focus on guiding others through that same process.
- Sponsors, disciplers and mentors should encourage prayer, inventory and amends while avoiding taking over decisions or becoming a higher power.
- Healthy recovery support includes accountability and honest challenge without control, coercion or dependency on meetings for every problem.
- Over time, formal sponsorship can give way to mutual accountability and friendship, with community playing a key role in long-term growth.
“One of the greatest dangers in recovery is trying to figure everything out by yourself.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction and then stuck around to guide others? This episode of Take 12 Recovery Radio’s *Came to Believe Recovery Podcast* looks at sponsors, disciplers, and mentors, and why trying to go it alone can be risky.
As Monty Dale Meyer (the Monty'man) and Tom Williams put it, "One of the greatest dangers in recovery is trying to figure everything out by yourself." You’ll hear them break down what a sponsor is actually meant to do: guide someone through the Twelve Steps, model a recovered life, and then support ongoing growth through Steps 10, 11, and 12.
They challenge the idea that just anyone with time in the rooms should raise their hand to sponsor, stressing that "if you haven't had that experience, you have no experience to offer." The chat gets very real about over-controlling sponsors, gender issues in sponsorship, and the popular belief that you must keep a sponsor forever. Instead, they talk about growing into accountability partnerships and friendships, where both people can challenge and support each other without becoming someone’s higher power.
They also touch on discipleship in a faith context, mentoring in everyday life, and the practical difference between guidance and control. Light humour pops up throughout, from trivia about slugs’ noses to a blues song about a wise dog, but the message stays clear: people can guide, challenge and encourage you, yet your deepest dependence belongs somewhere else.
If you’re wondering what to look for in a sponsor or mentor—and what red flags to avoid—this conversation might get you thinking about who you allow to speak into your recovery. So who’s the “dog” in your life, and are you listening?
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