Hope Dealing 101: Giving a Great Speaker Meeting

What is a speaker meeting? A speaker meeting is done after someone reaches a year clean. In other programs, it is called a testimony and done after specific objectives have been attained.

What is the purpose of a speaker meeting? The speaker meeting is done to give hope to others that recovery is possible. 

What if I am nervous about speaking in front of others? You are the foremost expert on your story. No one can find fault with what you are saying. That is not why they are there. People come to gain hop. Remember to Breath! Take your time and build in pauses. Don’t worry if it is not perfect, you are not a paid speaker. Finally, don’t worry about the length. If it goes long, that is okay. If it goes short, that is okay as well. The floor is all yours!

How do I give a great testimony? I have been to some great speaker meetings and heard some amazing testimonies. They all had several things in common:

1.    Everyone knows how to be a great at their addiction. They are experts at that. What they are not great at is getting better and staying that way. Your testimony should be no more than 25% your past, with the other 75% being how you got into recovery, how you have stayed that way and your plans for the future.

2.    Never be afraid to share your struggles or talk about major negative events in your life. You never know whose life might be saved by hearing you talk about them.

3.    Take your time. It is hard for people to understand you if you are going 90 to nothing. Like I said earlier, build in pauses and don’t forget to breath.

4.    Don’t just look at one person. Let your gaze wander so everyone feels like you are talking to them.

5.    Be excited about your recovery. If you aren't excited about the changes in your life, how can you expect anyone else to be.

6.    Share hope! Talk about all of the great things recovery has added to your life, what you have regained that you once lost and how you will continue to grow then let them know how they can apply it to their lives.

7.    Talk about why the steps were important to you, what you got out of working them and why they should be done by everyone!

8.    End with a call to action by challenging those in attendance to take a positive step forward. Outline it, then turn it on them.

Remember, recovery is awesome and so are you. Never be ashamed of your past because it made you who you are today, and today you are a hope dealer and a stigma killer!! Keep up the great work because there is a better life in recovery!