Our Programs

Introduction

Almost without exception, anyone knocking on our door will have already proven several times that they cannot “stay sober”; although, most are in denial and very few of them will have actually admitted it. Staying sober is simple! There’s no trick to it! Either you still have the power to do it; or you have already begun to “lose the power of choice”.

The explanation of how our disease is progressive is addressed over and over throughout the Big Book. However, this information no longer applies to the majority today so it is  typically not discussed or explained in most meetings.

The Big Book says, “Once a certain point is reached, little can be done for him.”, “There is a complete failure of the kind of defense that keeps one from putting his hand on a hot stove.”, etc. Problem drinkers and those alcoholics and addicts who quit before they “lost the power of choice” cannot understand nor even start to provide a solution for something they have never experienced.

Our successful approach to recovery is to thoroughly follow the path of the first one hundred “incurable” alcoholics to ever recover from a “seemingly hopeless state of mind and body”. What worked for them seems to work for anyone who has become willing to go to any lengths! 

By practicing the principles of the original 12-Sep Recovery Program in all our affairs as a new "Way of Living", we get a “New Life” and that solves our real problem, which is “being sober”. “Alcohol was but a symptom.” When “being clean and sober” is no longer a problem, the “insidious insanity” of that first drink or drug seems to just disappear!

Two men sitting at a table with papers and books.
YOU TRIED AA

STRUCTURED RECOVERY PROGRAM

Research shows that the duration of stay in a structured recovery program with an alcohol and drug-free environment increases the odds of staying clean and sober over a lifetime. The Power House provides residents with role models, encouragement, direction, support, accountability, and a structured 12-Step recovery program proven to work even when everything else has failed

BEYOND THE BASICS

We have created our own Big Book 12-Step Recovery Program presentations and workshops titled “Beyond the Basics”©. These were initially used to supplement the nationally recognized “Back to Basics” 12-Step program (aabacktobasics.org) which we have continuously presented at the Power House since 2009. These recovery materials and others are presented in a structured time frame for new residents to complete the 12-Step program, receiving assistance from our recovery leadership team and senior residents.

OUR GOAL

The ultimate goal of our structured recovery program is to provide motivation and opportunity for residents to start trying to help others. “Helping other alcoholics ...will do more to insure sobriety than anything else.” This is the only way to ever actually “experience” a 12 Step Program of Recovery! It’s not a 12 Step Program without “Step 12” and the rest of the steps. Most of our residents have never tried this simple program as a new “Way of Living”. The age-old maxim, “for it is in giving that we receive”, has never proven more true than in cases such as ours!

Our program continues to undergo changes as we explore new ways
to better present the concepts of recovery in the Big Book.

A group of people sitting at tables in a room.

OUR RECOVERY PROGRAM

Our success in helping others comes from our dedication to revitalizing the original 12 Step Program of Recovery which first enabled over one hundred “hopeless” alcoholics to recover.

“You may like this program or you may not, but the fact remains, it works. It is our only chance to recover.”
(Texas AA Preamble, circa 1940)

Beyond the Basic’s - Every month we present
our own “Beyond the Basics©”

On the first four Sunday afternoons of each month since 2014, we present one of a four-part PowerPoint series originally created by us to supplement Back to Basics, but which later evolved from “Trust God, Clean House & Help Others” into four presentations: “Life Savers – Do or Die Directives from the A.A. Big Book.” (Another presentation is chosen from a variety of Big Book Topics when a 5th Sunday is available.)

A. A. Big book of life savers part 1 wake up
A. A. Big book of life savers part 2
A. A. Big book of life savers part 3
A black background with words and picture of a book.
  • Speaker Meeting - Sunday 7pm One of our recovery team members bring a Speaker to tell us, “What it was like, what happened, and what it is like today!” (The last Sunday is “Birthday Night!”)
  • Beyond the Basic’s – “Sponsor School©” Near the end of 2021, we began an initiative we call “Sponsor School” which is in operation but still evolving and improvements are made periodically. The goal of this program aims to have residents, some of whom have been “around the program for years”, actually practicing all 12 Steps as a “Way of Living” within a few days or weeks. For many it will be their first time to try a “12-Step” program; because it takes all 12 Steps to have one. The Big Book tells us to “pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet”, but most of us have only been handed one tool at a time! Step 12 is so vital that the Big Book devotes it an entire chapter. The first line of Chapter 7 titled, “Working with Others”, tells us: “PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail.”
A picture of two people sitting in front of each other.
A poster of aa recovery and the words " the joy is in the journey ".
  • Morning Meeting - Every Day 8am - read the first 164 pages! Every day we take turns reading about 6 pages of the Big Book which is followed by open discussion. This enables participants to complete a reading of the first 164 pages every month. We conclude the meeting with a brief reading and discussion from daily meditation books.
  • Noon Meeting - Every Weekday 12pm - Open Discussion Every weekday we have a small in-house Open Discussion Meeting for residents who are on the property and not working during the day.
A book cover with the word anonymous written in yellow.

Beyond the Basic’s - Mondays 7pm -
“Big Book Key Word Presentations©”

On every Monday evening at our 7pm Discussion Meeting we open the meeting with presentations created at the Power House beginning in 2020. We take turns reading about 12 slides with quotes from the Big Book that include the Key Word, ending with a summary on which we share our experiences. We now have a new presentation for every week of the year and most of them are already final drafts.

A picture of the big book 1 2 step recovery key word action.
A book cover with the title beyond the basic and a key word for desperation.
A picture of the big book 1 2 step recovery.
A blue and black background with the words " beyond the basic " in front of it.
A picture of the cover of the book beyond the basics.
A book cover with the title back to basics.
  • Alano Club Open Discussion Meeting - Tuesdays 7pm Members of the Alano Club have traveled across Houston every week for years to bring our residents one the best recovery meetings in the entire city.
  • Open Discussion Meeting - Wednesdays 7pm One of our recovery team members bring a Guest to lead a recovery meeting.
  • Open Discussion Meeting - Thursdays 7pm One of our recovery team members lead meetings each month on the 12 Steps. Week #1: Steps 1-3; Week #2: Steps 4-6; Week #3: Steps 7-9; Week #4: Steps 10-12
  • Back to Basic’s - Fridays 7pm - we present the Presentations On the first four Friday evenings of each month since 2009, we present and discuss one of the four-part PowerPoint presentations created by Wally P., based on his book, 1946 Back to Basics A.A. Beginners’ Meetings. (Our presentations have been edited)

START YOUR “NEW LIFE” IN RECOVERY TODAY

Contact the Power House Recovery Center today to learn more about our programs and how we can enable
you to find the Power you need to solve your problem. Call us now or fill out our contact form to get started.

Donate Now to Make a Difference

The Power House Recovery Center is a Texas Non-Profit Corporation and 501(c)(3) public charity. (PHRC)
Charitable Contributions are Tax Deductible!

Admissions & Fees

$125.00 per week with an initial $250.00 payment upon admission to cover the first two weeks of fees (However, we can work with each new resident depending upon their situation). All fees are Nonrefundable.