Finding a Power Greater Than Ourselves: Reflections on the Role of Spiritual Practices in the Recovery Stories of Alcoholics

Abstract

Bonnie-Ann L. Baisi McMaster Divinity College Hamilton, Ontario Doctor of Practical Theology, 2026

This dissertation explores how spiritual practices support recovery from alcohol use disorder and help people rebuild lives marked by meaning, integrity, and hope. Using qualitative narrative inquiry, the study draws on the stories of thirty-two individuals who shared their experiences of addiction, recovery, and healing. Their narratives offer insight into how recovery unfolds over time and how spiritual practices support sustained sobriety in everyday life.

Several core themes emerged from the participants’ stories. Many described recovery as a gradual rediscovery of meaning, direction, and a renewed sense of identity. Forgiveness was repeatedly named as essential to healing and moving forward. Participants also emphasized the importance of community, identifying supportive relationships as a source of accountability, belonging, and encouragement. Helping others, whether through sponsorship, service, or simple acts of care, consistently strengthened participants’ own sobriety and affirmed their sense of worth.

Across the narratives, daily spiritual practices played a central role in sustaining recovery. Practices such as prayer, meditation, Scripture reflection, gratitude, and mindful awareness provided structure and stability, especially during moments of stress or uncertainty. These practices helped participants remain grounded, respond more thoughtfully to challenges, and resist returning to alcohol. Many described a quiet but steady awareness of God, or the sacred, accompanying them through daily life.

The narratives are analyzed using a biopsychosocial-spiritual framework that attends to the whole person. Recovery is understood as a process that reshapes the body, mind, relationships, and moral vision over time. Functional, ontological, and epistemological dimensions of spirituality are woven throughout participants’ experiences, revealing recovery as both a practical and deeply formative journey.