Long Island Co-Dependents Anonymous (LICoDA)

LICoDA Meetings Map • Call: 516-500-CoDA

Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other codependents, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The CoDA World “Sponsorship Page”

The CoDA World “Resources for Sponsors” Page

Email SponsorshipTeam@CoDA.org for additional information, and see the list of

CoDA Sponsorship WhatsApp Groups below for more Sponsorship opportunities.

The CoDA UK “Sponsorship Materials” Page

⮘ CoDA Sponsorship Is Always FREE — A few words on sponsorship from CoDA's Healthy Meetings Subcommittee. ⮚
CoDA Sponsorship Is Always FREE (CoDA UK) — A few words on sponsorship from CoDA's Healthy Meetings Subcommittee.

What are Sponsors?

“Sponsors are people within the CoDA program who help guide us through the Twelve Step recovery process. These people are recovering codependents whose personal recovery is their first priority. They continue to learn how to live happy and fulfilling lives and are willing to share their experience, strength and hope with us. They’ve usually walked the road of recovery longer than we have. They’re who we call for help when we’re confused or overwhelmed. They can also be friends who work the program with us. Sponsors are able to remain objective and detached from feeling responsible for our happiness and recovery. They also refrain from behaving in abusive, critical, or controlling ways that can result in fixing, rescuing, acting as therapist, sexual manipulation, or personal gain¹. Sponsors are role models for recovery, sources of loving support, and respectful of our anonymity and individual pace in working the program…”

— excerpt from the CoDA Book (Co-Dependents Anonymous), (3rd ed., ch. 5, pp.99-100)
¹Editor's Note: also known as 13th Stepping.

This page is dedicated to the question: How do I find a sponsor?**

Types of Sponsorship^²
²excerpts from the CoDA booklet “ Sponsorship: What's in it for Me??” ³Editor's Note: Also see, Power of Five (Po5) groups below.
Traditional Sponsorship “Traditional sponsors are companions on the recovery journey who guide sponsees through CoDA’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. We model the tools we use in coping with life on life’s terms; i.e., writing and journaling, reading CoDA literature, learning about service structure, and meeting protocol.”	Temporary Sponsorship “Temporary sponsors serve on an interim basis until permanent sponsors can be found or until it is mutually agreed that the relationship will continue. Temporary sponsorship is useful as a trial period while sponsors and sponsees get to know each other.”
Long Distance Sponsorship³ “In circumstances where local sponsorship is not available, prospective sponsees may choose a long distance sponsor. In this instance, sponsors communicate with sponsees via email, snail mail, telephone, or other communication technology. To maximize recovery, it is preferable to take advantage of face-to-face sponsorship if available.”	Co‐Sponsorship³ “When CoDA was first organized, cosponsorship evolved as a solution to the scarcity of willing sponsors familiar with the CoDA Twelve Steps. In co-sponsorship, two members commit to help each other work through the CoDA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and support each other’s recovery. In early recovery, co-sponsorship perhaps seems less risky, but may lead to role confusion and boundary violations. It perpetuates the core belief that many codependents have—that we must give in order to receive. Currently, CoDA has passed the twenty-year mark. Since more members are stepping forward to sponsor, traditional sponsorship is strongly encouraged.”

Characteristics of CoDA Sponsors^²
Place recovery first	Share their own thoughts and feelings with us
Commit in word and action to their own recovery	Respect our right to confidentiality
Have more recovery than we have	Listen with compassion and understanding without rescuing or giving advice
Actively work the CoDA Twelve Steps	Help us identify codependent behavior in a supportive, non-shaming manner
Know the CoDA Twelve Traditions and apply them in their lives	Accept that we might be working more than one program
Guide us through the CoDA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions	Respect and accept our pace
Exhibit a recovery program we want for ourselves	Provide loving support for us and encourage us to reach out to others
Are people with whom we identify	Provide loving support for us and encourage us to reach out to others
Are the same gender as we are	Communicate clearly and directly
Are not sexually attractive to us	Ask us questions for clarity, not to control, judge, or manipulate us
Maintain personal boundaries in a non-aggressive manner	Use sponsorship relationship to grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally
Are emotionally present	Walk the talk
Are open minded	Have a sense of humor
Accept themselves and accept us	Know how to play
Are equals and treat us as equals	Listen actively without interrupting

**When SPONSEES are willing to be SPONSORS the search becomes easier.

Groups for CoDA Sponsorship & Co-Sponsorship
Complete the attached “CoDA Sponsorship Sign-up Form” If you want to join the CoDA.org Sponsorship WhatsApp Group	CoDA Co-sponsors Group For information or support, message: Sponsorship @ CoDAUK.org
Everything You Need to Know about Po5 Groups (drive.google.com/file/d/1QG6umk88KdsNTQqyY0oA1tUrS7eTTP1B/view?usp=sharing)	Power of 5 (Po5) WhatsApp Group (chat.whatsapp.com/KK5J0lC4cDgHqkqCZFqD0V)

CoDA Sponsorship Documents View/Download FREE for individual personal use* ‐ Documents in this area are available for purchase^§
*Sponsorship in CoDA	^§Sponsorship in CoDA (individual), or bundle of 50
*Twelve Tips for Sponsors	^§Sponsorship: What’s in It for Me?
Getting Started Working Steps 1, 2 & 3 Using the 30 Questions* For One-on-One Sponsorship and Power of 5 (Po5) Groups	Working Steps 4 & 5 Using the 40 Questions* For One-on-One Sponsorship and Power of 5 (Po5) Groups
Helpful Questions for Setting Sponsor/Sponcee Relationship Boundaries From the “Codependents Anonymous Sponsorship Booklet*,” p. 12, ©2003 (No longer in print)

‡PLEASE NOTE: at this time “*The CoDA ‐ Australia First 14 Days Workbook” & “*First 14 Days Questions” are not CoDA Service Conference (CSC) endorsed literature.

*NEWS FLASH* Australasia plans to present a Motion at the
2025 CoDA Service Conference (CSC) asking for Conference
endorsment of NEW updated versions of these documents:
The First 14 Days: Temporary CoDA Sponsor Workbook
and The First 14 Days Sponsee Workbook.

You can search CoDA.org for “First 14-Days” or call or write to Long Island CoDA for information on finding a First 14 Days Workbook Study Group.

Also, please let this site know about any Study Groups in your area that are using the Australasia “First 14 Days Workbook for Sponsees.” Thank you.

Links & Email Addresses for Additional Sponsorship Information

Inmate Sponsorship (US Only): inmatesponsorship @ coda.org	United Kingdom: communications @ codauk.org
CoDA Canada Sponsorship Information Resources for Sponsors at CoDA Canada	CoDA Italy: comitato.sponsorizzazione @ codipendenti-anonimi.it If no reply, try CoDA general email: info @ codipendenti-anonimi.it
CoDA Ontario: ontariointergroup @ gmail.com	CoDA France: bureaucodafrance @ gmail.com
CoDA Latvia (use for all contacts): info @ coda.org.lv
Don't Forget to remove the “spaces” around the “@” sign before sending a message to these email addresses.

Do you have CoDA Sponsorship Information you would like added to this page? Send an email to: info @ licoda.org. – This page was updated on 9/11/25

Information on this page may not have been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by Co-Dependents Anonymous Inc., or Co-Dependents Anonymous UK.