How Sanctuary Honors the Traditions
This document exists because we take the Traditions seriously — and because we want to explain clearly why Sanctuary's public mission does not violate them. Written by people in recovery, for people in recovery.
Every family that Sanctuary serves began with someone who believed recovery deserves support.
Why This Document Exists
This document exists because we take the Traditions seriously — and because we want to explain clearly why Sanctuary's public mission does not violate them. We are not looking for loopholes. We are applying the Traditions faithfully, as they were written and intended.
"Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films."
"Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."
These words matter deeply to us. They are not obstacles to work around — they are principles we live by. Everything Sanctuary does is built with these Traditions in mind.
Historical Context
In 1946, Bill Wilson published a landmark article in the AA Grapevine addressing the question of anonymity. At the time, several well-known public figures had openly identified as AA members in the press. When some of those individuals relapsed publicly, it created a crisis of confidence in the fellowship itself.
The lesson was clear: when a single person becomes the public face of AA, their personal struggles become AA's public struggles. Anonymity protects the program from being represented — or misrepresented — by any one individual.
This was never about shame. It was about wisdom. The Traditions recognize that no single person can carry the weight of representing a spiritual program to the entire world. Anonymity keeps the focus on principles, not personalities.
What the Traditions Actually Say
Who the Traditions Bind
This distinction is not a technicality. It is fundamental to how the Traditions were designed. AA's own literature makes clear that the Traditions govern AA members and AA groups — not the entire world.
Three Things People Confuse
A tradition binding members of AA and NA at the level of press, radio, and films. It means a member does not publicly identify themselves as a member of a specific fellowship in media. It is a spiritual principle about humility and protecting the collective.
An individual's right to keep their health information private. This is HIPAA territory — federal privacy law — not a fellowship tradition. A person's medical and behavioral health records are protected by law regardless of whether they attend any fellowship. Sanctuary fiercely protects this privacy for every person we serve.
This is advocacy, education, and stigma reduction. Saying "recovery is possible" or "people in recovery deserve support" has nothing whatsoever to do with the Traditions. This is public health communication. Organizations like SAMHSA, Faces and Voices of Recovery, and countless advocacy groups do this daily.
These three things are not the same. Conflating them serves no one — least of all the people who need help.
The One-Sentence Test
"Does this action identify a specific person as a member of AA or NA at the level of press, radio, or films?"
If the answer is no, it is not a Traditions issue. This test is simple, clear, and faithful to what the Traditions actually say.
Practical Scenarios
What Sanctuary Does and Does Not Do
A Note to Friends in the Fellowships
We get it. They saved our lives. If you have questions or concerns about how Sanctuary interacts with the Traditions, we welcome that conversation. We are not here to undermine what saved us. We are here to help people who need what these programs offer — and who also need legal support, peer advocacy, and a system that does not punish them for having a disease.
We believe that honoring the Traditions and advocating for recovery are not in conflict. In fact, we believe they serve the same purpose: helping more people find and sustain recovery, while protecting the integrity of the programs that make recovery possible.
If you see something we are doing that concerns you, tell us. We will listen. We will explain. And if we have made a mistake, we will correct it. That is what living in recovery looks like — accountability, willingness, and service.
We encourage anyone with questions about the Traditions to read these source materials directly. The wisdom in them is profound, and it supports — rather than contradicts — the work of advocacy organizations like Sanctuary.
When you get better, your children get better.
We welcome the conversation. Reach out to us directly — we will listen, explain, and respond in good faith.
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