Everyone has the personal choice of what
this power may be; because of this, the EA
program works for those with formal
religious beliefs and for those with noreligious beliefs.
Emotions Anonymous is a non-profit
organization supported by the voluntary
contributions of its members. No financial
support is accepted from outside sources.
Donations are collected at each meeting tocover the expenses for maintaining the EAI
offices in St. Paul, Minnesota which manages
the website, publishes and makes literature
available, and operates all the day-to-day
activities required of a global nonprofit
organization.
This program has helped thousands of people
since it was founded in 1971. Today
Emotions Anonymous can be foundthroughout the United States and in manyother countries. We hope you will give thisprogram a chance to be helpful for you byattending our meetings. We encourage
attending several meetings before deciding if
Emotions Anonymous can give the supportand help you may be seeking. If there are noface-to-face meetings close to you, we offerchat, Skype and phone meetings as well. That
information is available on the website.

The Twelve Promises
1. We realize a new freedom and happiness.
2. We do not regret the past or wish to shutthe door on it.
3. We comprehend the word serenity, and weknow peace of mind.
4. No matter how far down the scale we havegone, we see how our experience can benefit
others.
5. The feelings of uselessness and self-pitylessen.
6. We have less concern about self and gaininterest in others.
7. Self-seeking slips away.
8. Our whole attitude and outlook upon lifechanges.
9. Our relationships with other people improve.
10.We intuitively know how to handle situations
which used to baffle us.
11. We acquire a feeling of security within
ourselves.
12. We realize that God is doing for us what we
could not do ourselves.

Welcometo a New
Way ofLife
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannotchange, courage to change thethings I can, and wisdom toknow the difference.

These may seem like extravagant promises, butthey are not. They are being fulfilled among us,
sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

Adapted with permission of Alcoholics
Anonymous, Big Book, p. 83-84.

P.O. Box 4245
St. Paul, MN 55104-0245© 2008 Emotions Anonymous International —Item #28
EA-approved literature. This pamphlet may be
reproduced for free distribution.

www.emotionsanonymous.org
651-647-9712

Welcome !
Emotions Anonymous International (EAI) isa fellowship of people of all ages andbackgrounds who come together to sharepersonal experiences and hope as we work
toward recovery from various emotionaldifficulties. We learn how to live a new
way of life by using the Twelve Steps of
the EA program to help us find serenityand peace of mind.
Everyone is welcome to attend EA
meetings. The only requirement formembership is the desire to become wellemotionally. EA might have just what you
need at this point in your life.
You may be surprised to meet many
happy, healthy, well-adjusted people here,
yet no one first attended a meeting
because he or she was happy! Somepeople came to EA because life was simply
uncomfortable and they were looking for abetter way. Others have been in thedepths of despair, been in therapy or
perhaps hospitalized.
What all members have in common is that
this program works to change their lives.
Our program has worked miracles in thelives of many who suffer from suchemotional problems as excessive anger
and resentment, depression, low selfesteem, guilt, grief, anxiety, obsessive andnegative thinking, panic, phobias,
compulsive behaviors or similar issues.
As an anonymous organization, theconfidentiality of our members always
respected. It is entirely up to us to decide
what we tell other members about
ourselves. This anonymity also gives us thefreedom to share our thoughts andfeelings at meetings because what is said
during a meeting is not to be repeated toanyone else.
Participation during an EA meeting isvoluntary. No one is required to talk or togive personal information. If we wish to,
we share about our own personal
experiences and feelings and how we use
the program. EA provides a warm,accepting group setting in which to sharewithout fear of criticism. Through theweekly meetings we discover we are notalone in our struggles and we find caring
individuals to support our recovery.
At our meetings we do not discuss religion,politics, national or international issues, orother belief systems because EA has noopinion on any outside issue. We avoid
discussing the problems of others orcomplaining about people in our lives. We
discuss only the EA program. It is up to
individual members to determine whatcourse of action may or may not beappropriate for themselves regarding any
religious belief, therapy, medication, or
mental health issue.
Emotions Anonymous is not a medical or
psychiatric service, nor does it provide
personal or family counseling. Our
meetings are conducted by EA members,
not professionals. Medical, social service,or religious professionals do not manage
meetings but may attend and participate
as fellow EA members. Management ofthe group meetings rotates among themembers. The person managing themeeting during any particular day only
functions to keep the meeting on task, notto serve as any kind of authority, expert,
or leader of the group. Decisions for thegroup are made by all the members
through a process we refer to as “groupconscience.” No one person—regardless of
how long they have attended the meetingor been part of EA as a whole—is ‘incharge’ of the group.
As a spiritual program, there is anemphasis on a personal Higher Power, apower greater than ourselves, to whom
we may turn for direction in our lives.