The 12 Traditions
- Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on EA unity.
- For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority: a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
- The only requirement for EA membership is a desire to become well emotionally.
- Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or EA as a whole.
- Each group has but one primary purpose: to carry its message to the person who still suffers from emotional problems.
- An EA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the EA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every EA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
- Emotions Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
- EA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
- Emotions Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence, the EA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Emotions Anonymous’ Twelve Traditions, Steps, and Promises were adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc.
