Recovery · Recovery
Sponsor Check-In Worksheet
A printable page to bring to a sponsor or sponsee call
About this worksheet
A page to bring to a sponsor or sponsee call so the important things actually come up instead of dissolving into surface chat. The format covers the boring-but-vital basics (days clean, last meeting), two short self-ratings (cravings, honesty), current step work, a moment to be proud of, a moment that wasn't, the stuck thinking (resentments, fears, grandiosity, self-pity), one thing the writer specifically wants the sponsor's honest take on, and the action items for next call. The worksheet exists because sponsorship calls drift. Without structure, the call becomes a thirty-minute update on the week's weather and traffic. With it, the same thirty minutes covers the things that actually matter — and the sponsee leaves with concrete action items instead of vague encouragement. Sponsors also benefit: the page lets the sponsor see at a glance where their sponsee actually is, not where they perform being. Useful for clinical clients working a 12-step program in parallel with therapy; bringing the sponsor-call page to session gives the therapist a window into the parallel recovery work without requiring formal coordination.
When to use it
- Weekly sponsor calls in any 12-step fellowship.
- Sponsees in early recovery learning to use accountability deliberately rather than reactively.
- Sponsors who want a consistent format across multiple sponsees.
- Clinical clients whose recovery work happens partly with a sponsor — bring the page to session.
How to use it
- 1Fill it out before the call
Ten minutes before, not during. The point is to think first, talk second.
- 2Lead with the ratings
Cravings and honesty. Two numbers that orient the rest of the call.
- 3Share the moment you're not proud of
This is where the work is. The pride moment is for orientation; the not-proud moment is the call.
- 4Be specific about the stuck thinking
Name the resentment, fear, or grandiosity. 'I'm fine' is the default that hides the work.
- 5Leave with action items
Concrete, dated, small. 'Call X by Friday' beats 'work on resentment toward X.'
Frequently asked questions
What does a sponsor do in AA?+
A sponsor is a more experienced member of the fellowship who guides a newer member through the 12 steps, takes their Step 5, helps plan amends, and provides between-meeting support. Sponsorship is unpaid, peer-based, and bidirectional — sponsors also benefit from the relationship, which is why the program is sometimes described as 'sponsoring to stay sober.'
How often should I check in with my sponsor?+
Most early-recovery sponsorship involves daily contact for the first 30–90 days, then a weekly scheduled call once the client has stabilized. The specifics vary by fellowship and sponsor; the principle is contact frequent enough that drift is caught early.
What's the difference between a sponsor and a therapist?+
A sponsor is a peer in recovery who has worked the steps and helps a newer member do the same — unpaid, mutual, focused on the program. A therapist is a trained clinician treating mental health concerns including but not limited to addiction. The two roles complement each other; most people in long-term recovery have both at some point.
Can I be sponsored without going to meetings?+
Generally no — sponsorship is built around shared participation in the fellowship, and the steps assume meeting attendance as part of the recovery rhythm. Some online recovery groups have created sponsorship models that don't require in-person meetings, but the underlying structure is the same.
How do I find a sponsor?+
Standard advice: go to meetings for 30–90 days, listen for someone whose recovery you'd want, ask after a meeting. Sponsors are expected to say yes when asked unless there's a clear conflict (gender match in many traditions, capacity, geographic distance). If asked and declined, ask someone else.
Related worksheets
Worksheet — Sponsor Check-In Worksheet — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.