1. I acknowledge and accept that I am powerless over my past and my adoptive experiences, and that trying to control or change the past makes my life unmanageable.

2. I have come to believe that only a power greater than myself can restore order, hope and sanity to my life and allow me to move forward emotionally.

3. I made a decision to turn my will and my life, past, present, and future, over to the care of this Higher Power, God, as I understand Him.

4. I made a searching emotional and moral inventory of my life to assess the impact of adoption upon me, and my subsequent actions toward others.

5. Using this inventory as a guide, I admit to myself, to God, and to one other person, the exact nature of my pain and the wrongs that I committed in response to that pain.

6. I became entirely ready to have my Higher Power heal my pain and remove the defects of my character.

7. I humbly asked my Higher Power to remove my shortcomings and teach me to properly relate to myself and others.

8. I made a list of all persons, institutions, and situations which harmed me and became willing to forgive them. I also listed all those whom I had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. I forgave each person, institution, and situation which harmed me and made amends to each person on my list whom I had harmed except where to do so would cause further harm or pain to them.

10. I continue to take personal inventory and when I am wrong, I admit it.

11. I seek through prayer and meditation to improve my relationship with my Higher Power, God as I understand Him, asking only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry it out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening, as the result of the 12 Steps, I reach out to others who are hurting and practice these principles in all areas of my life.