I LOVED the book The Real AA by Ken Ragge. I definitely recommend reading it to help in your deprogramming AA journey.

I've compiled a list of all the deprogramming books I recommend here:

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Timestamps:

00:00 The Real AA intro

01:24 Jack Trimpey Forward

02:18 The Real AA Book

04:55 New Recruits Are Recruiting

07:19 Dr. Silkworth's Opinions

12:30 Anonymous Manipulation

15:50 Bill "Kicked Out" of Oxford Group?

16:30 Disease Theory Is Learned Helplessness

19:28 Critical Thinking Manipulation

23:05 Psychology of The Pawn

28:02 Doubting The Program

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)

Let’s get f*cking free.

Today we're unpacking the AA slogan and line from the 12th tradition, "Principles Before Personalities."

We'll cover what this is, how it happens in the rooms, what it can sound like, the control pattern (a textbook propaganda example), why it can hurt after you leave and what moving forward can look like.

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free

Jon barely survived 12 step. His courageous story highlights the harm inherent in 12 step ideology and the importance of trying something different if the "treatment" you are in is making you worse.

Since leving NA he's created a "life beyond his wildest dreams." Truly an inspiration and I'm thrilled he's just begun his dissenting journey to help others recover from recovery and discover a life truly worth living.

You can vibe with Jon here:

Jon's Deprogramming YouTube

Jon's other YouTube

Troubled Teen "Attack Therapy"

From Recovery to Discovery FB Group

Timestamps:

00:00 From Recovery to Discovery

02:47 Childhood Abuse Conditioned Fast Indoctrination

08:10 Therapist Recruits Him to NA

14:42 18 Months In, 5 Years Out, Still Deprogramming

20:40 Getting Shunned, Distrusting People + Making Friends

26:46 Deconstructing 12 Step Mythology

33:19 Mental Health Professionals Are Told To Recruit to 12 Step

35:00 Misdiagnosis in AA + NA

39:02 Can't + Won't Go Back to 12 Step

42:43 12 Step Takes Lives

59:27 Leaving NA + Reconnecting With Joy

1:07:29 Healing After 12 Step

1:19:12 Finding Healthy Communit6y + Connection

1:25:20 Advice For Those Leaving 12 Step

1:28:00 Stanton Peele's Life Process Program

1:32:33 Synanon Based Troubled Teen Cult

1:45:06 When the "Treatment" is Harmful

1:56:12 Calling Addiction a "Disease" is Offensive

2:01:00 Telling a Loved One 12 Step is Harmful

2:05:57 Plans For Dissenting

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

🌀 Deprogram AA Course (free your mind at your own pace)

Let’s get f*cking free

Today on Burnie + Bestie Live we are exploring the movie The Business of Recovery.

I'm joined today of course by my cohostest Burnie aka Tara Grace from Burn The Stigma.

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free

A lot of us can feel shocked or shell shocked after leaving AA or 12 step. Today we're going to unpack what shell shock is, how it applies to leaving AA, post cult trauma and post cult symptoms that people may experience according to cult expert Margaret Singer's work in her book Cults in Our Midst.

Of course this isn't medical advice and if you need support, find a professional who can help support you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Feeling Shocked After Leaving AA Intro

04:44 What is Shell Shock?

09:24 How Shell Shock Applies to Leaving AA

15:35 Post Cult Trauma

33:25 Post Cult Systems

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free

Timestamps

00:00 AA Shutdown Playbook Intro

03:10 1 - Make It Personal Immediately

06:28 2 - Assume Motive You Can't Know

10:09 3 - Invoke Slogans As Sacred Truth

15:48 4 - Announce Sober Time

19:46 5 - Reduce AA to the Big Book

22:33 6 - Ignore Harm Entirely

27:48 7 - Turn Anecdotes Into Universal Laws

33:20 8 - Claim Superiority Through Suffering

35:08 9 - Label Dissent As Denial

37:46 10 - Declare Never A "Real Alcoholic"

40:22 11 - Truth Claims Without Data, Evidence, Citation

42:46 12 - End With Righteousness

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free

Today we are exploring AA's "It Works If You Work It" mythology.

We'll bring in thoughts and research from experts (you know I like to read a little from deprogramming books on these pods!), Burnie aka Tara Grace from Burn The Stigma will share her perspective, I'll share mine (it's me, Kirsten, Sobriety Bestie). Then we crowd source for comments to see what everyone else thinks.

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free

Happy New Year!! Woot woot 2026.

Today we're exploring "New Freedom and New Happiness" from the AA promises and what that looks like in deprogramming.

I'll share my version of "The Promises" for leaving AA. Then we'll crowd source other people's thoughts and ideas about The Promises when they were in AA and what their creating now that they've left.

Resources for deconstructing AA:

👉 Deprogram Lounge (community, Zooms, book club, Escape Kit + more)

📚 Deprogram Book List (my fave deprogram, cult recovery and critical thinking books)

Let’s get f*cking free