Scripts:
Regular
Workshop
Step Zero
Noting too heavy
IFS
Poetry
Step Zero Meeting Script
Welcome to the Coming Home Phone Line, an Intergroup of Survivors of Incest Anonymous. My name is _____________ and I am a survivor.
All the meeting readings, including this script, are on our website, SIAcominghomephoneline.org
This meeting is for adult women and men who were abused as children. This is a place to work on healing the wounds of incest.
SIA is an anonymous fellowship. Everything that is said here in the telephone meeting, and member to member, must be held in confidence. When we feel safe, we can honestly share what’s in our hearts, which is how we truly help each other in SIA.
In order to get to know each other, let’s all introduce ourselves by our first names, and if you want, where you’re calling from. I'll start. My name is _________________ and I am calling from ________________.
Who else would like to introduce themselves? To unmute, press *1.
(Welcome each person.)
“Welcome everyone.”
If you are a newcomer to SIA or new to our phone line, we welcome you. At the close of the formal meeting, we open the line for any questions you may have.
Please keep your phone muted except when reading or sharing. To mute and unmute, press *1. Also, due to phoneline sound issues, only the moderator thanks the reader or speaker.
Would someone please read The Twelve Steps of SIA for us? (Thank the person when they finish). We read one Tradition per meeting, and all the Traditions at Group Conscience and Business Meetings. The Tradition that I’d like to share with the group today is Tradition # ______. (Read a Tradition of your choice.)
By group conscience of the Coming Home Phone Line Intergroup it has been decided that other than the 12 Steps and one Tradition, the only other reading that must occur is the 12 Guidelines for Safe Sharing at Phone Meetings. However, if anyone would like to have The Definition of Incest, The Legacy of Incest or The Solution read, we can do so. Would anyone like to have one of these other three readings done before going to the 12 Guidelines for Safe Sharing at Phone Meetings? (If someone requests a document, ask that person to read it or for another volunteer to do so).
Would someone please read the 12 Guidelines for Safe Sharing at Phone Meetings? You only have to read the actual Guidelines, 1 through 12, but if you want to read the first three paragraphs and the last paragraph of the document as well, that’s fine. Is there someone who could read the 12 Guidelines for Safe Sharing or the first half?
I have an abbreviated version of the last paragraph that I’d like to share:
What to do if Guidelines for Safe Sharing are Not Followed:
We strive for meeting safety with our Guidelines, yet practice grace by providing a protocol for when Guidelines are accidentally crossed or forgotten about. The Moderator will come in after the share is completed and gently remind everyone of the Guideline by rereading it. If the Moderator is unable to reread the Guideline, any member may gently request that the Moderator do so. If the same Guideline is crossed more than twice at the same meeting, a Group Conscience Safety Check, may occur, the format of which is detailed on our website, SIAComingHomePhoneLine.org.
(Introduce the focus of the meeting [i.e. Inner Kids, Open Share, Step Study, workshop, etc...])
This is a Step Zero meeting where we explore the opportunities and challenges of building a Safety/Support Network with other Survivors to prepare us in our Journey of working the 12 Steps of SIA. We will be using the Step Zero material from the SIA Step Study Workbook. The SIA Step Workbook is only available in Draft form at this time and, John, who moderates on Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30am ET would be the best person to ask during announcements how to go about getting that document.
The format of this meeting is as follows:
A volunteer or myself will read a paragraph. Each paragraph will be read twice with a brief pause between readings. Then, I’ll make space for as many 4-min. shares as needed before moving on to the next paragraph. If a volunteer reads, they have the option of sharing first on the paragraph. If no one wishes to share, the next paragraph will be read. Also, we may share on previous paragraphs, even if they were not the last ones read.
Step Zero has 5 sections and the fifth section is a Recovery Goals Inventory which lists a sampling of Recovery Goals put forth by other Survivors. We will be incorporating our own recovery goals into our weekly meeting by leaving some time near the end of each meeting to state a specific Recovery Goal we have. Remembering why we are doing this often-painful work can help us to keep moving forward when feeling hopeless or discouraged. Please limit the sharing of your Recovery Goal to a few sentences or 1-minute maximum.
A few final notes before sharing:
We allow the moderator to thank the last speaker before we request to share. If more than one person asks to share at the same time, the moderator will decide who shares first and will place only one person into the waiting queue. Finally during meetings, shares must be confined or directly tied-in to issues related to recovery from childhood sexual abuse.
Please limit your share to 4 minutes.
Would someone like to be our Spiritual Timekeeper? (When someone volunteers, thank them.)
At 3 minutes, the Timekeeper will say “One Minute.” At the end of 4 minutes, they will say, “Time.” Please acknowledge when you hear them.
(Otherwise, if no one volunteers) Okay, we will self-time for 4 minutes.
Note to Moderator: (The following list of the 5 parts of Step Zero is not to be read out loud; they are listed so the Moderator can more easily keep track of where we are each week)
Why it’s Important to Create a Safety/Support Network Prior to Beginning Step Work
Giving Ourselves the Gift of Gentleness when Working the Steps
Finding and Connecting to the Loving Inner Parent that Exists in Each of Us
Understanding, Connecting and Working with the Different Parts that are Commonly Found in Survivors (wording here was changed by Susannah: it reads on the original document “that Make Up Every Survivor”)
and a Recovery Goals Inventory
Today we are reading from (state current Section) of Step Zero which is (see above list) “_____________________”on p. _____ (found under the heading, or whatever). Is there anyone with the document who would like to read the first paragraph? (If a volunteer reads, offer them the opportunity to share on it first if they wish. If no one steps up, say, “Okay, I’ll begin.”)
Who would like to begin the sharing?
Note to Moderator: At about 25 minutes before the end of the meeting say:
“We have now come to the Sharing-of-Recovery-Goals portion of our meeting. Stating one’s positive intention can be a powerful tool for our recovery. Please limit your Goal to a few sentences or up to one minute. I’ll read a few examples from the Recovery Goals Inventory for inspiration, but please feel free to create your own. (Read several examples from last part of Step Zero document).
“My current Recovery Goal is to:
To learn to trust myself
To discover and honor my needs
To learn how to play, let go and have fun”
We’ll open the floor first to those who have not had a chance to share yet today. Is there anyone who has not shared yet who would like to say their current Recovery Goal? (If no one answers, say:) “The floor is now open to anyone who would like to share their Goal. Who would like to share?”
(If no one speaks up, Moderator can share theirs.)
This is _______________. My current Recovery Goal is to ______________________.
Who else would like to share a Recovery Goal?
Note to Moderator: There may or may not be time for the Next-to-the-last Share or The Last Share of the Day, depending on how many people choose to state their Recovery Goal. Guide the meeting accordingly. Start the closing at about 10 minutes before the end of the meeting.
The Next-to-the-last Share, by group conscience, is for anyone who has provided service at the meeting, or checked in at the beginning of the meeting who did not have a chance to share. Is there anyone who did service or who has been at the entire meeting who would like to take the Next-to-the-last Share?
(If no one wishes to share, open it up again for anyone.)
The Last Share of the Day is the Newcomer Share. A Newcomer is someone who has shared 6 or fewer times on the line. Is there a Newcomer who would like to share at this point or simply come in and introduce themselves?
(If no Newcomer wishes to share, sharing is opened up again for anyone.)
The 7th Tradition: SIA is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please consider sending a dollar contribution for each meeting you attend on the phone line to the World Service Office. To make a contribution through PayPal, please go to the World Service Office web site at SIAWSO.org.
Will someone please read the Twelve Promises?
I’d like to thank all who read, all who shared, our timekeeper and all who held space by listening. (Moderator may choose to thank those who read by first name) Those who read, were _______________________.
A gentle reminder: The opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest.
Remember, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.
Whatever your problems, there are those among us that have them too. Talk with one another, reason things out, but let there be no gossip or criticism. Instead, let the love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time.
For all those who would like to, please join me in saying the Serenity Prayer. Press *1 to unmute.
Now it’s time for Announcements:
To begin with, welcome to the Newcomers. At the end of these announcements we will take any questions you may have about SIA phone meetings.
· On the Coming Home Phone Line, there are daily meetings or workshops, morning, afternoon and evening. For information about meeting topics, times, and which meetings have moderators, please go to the website, SIAcominghomephoneline.org.
· What to do if the moderator is unable to be present: Anyone may start the SIA meeting if the scheduled moderator is unable to do so. All the meeting scripts are on our website SIAComingHomePhoneLine.org
· If you’d like to be an active member of the Coming Home Phoneline notification list for special workshops, meeting marathons and SIA World Service events, please ask your meeting moderator to pass your information along to the intergroup volunteer who manages that list and sends out announcements. (Liz P)
· Meeting moderators serve 3-month lengths of service. If you’d like to serve as moderator, co-moderator or back-up moderator, please let any meeting moderator know of your willingness to be of service in this way. After 3 months of service as a moderator or co-moderator, you are eligible to represent your meeting at the Intergroup level. All members are welcome at Intergroup meetings.
Are there any other announcements or requests for phone numbers or would anyone like to give out a phone number?
Are there any newcomers with questions about SIA Coming Home Phone Line or SIA in general? If you would like someone to contact you with more information please let us know. (Direct them to website or get phone numbers.)
Because SIA is a peer-led support group, there are no professionals to mediate safety issues that arise outside of structured meetings and workshops on this line. As a result, by unanimous vote of the Coming Home Phoneline Intergroup, it was decided to end all fellowship before and after phoneline meetings and workshops. We realize that sometimes meetings end before all who want to share have a chance to do so. Therefore, attendees of any meeting may continue to share if someone agrees to step up and serve as moderator. After the meeting’s announcements have been made, and questions answered, anyone may volunteer to step in and serve as moderator until everyone who wants to share has done so. At that point, the extended meeting will close with the Serenity Prayer. Please remember, from this point forward, the phoneline is for meetings and workshops only. If you would like to have a back and forth conversation with a fellow survivor, you may exchange contact information and continue sharing offline.
Is there anyone who would like to moderate an after-meeting today?
Okay, thank you, _____________. I’m going to turn the meeting over to ______________.
Thank you all for being here. Bye for now. (Or, if no one):
Okay. Thank you all for being here. Bye for now.