“We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
Step 6 of the Alcoholics Anonymous & Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA) program marks a profound shift in the recovery journey. From a psychotherapist’s perspective, it represents an essential psychological and emotional turning point: the willingness to change. It is not about perfection but about readiness—readiness to let go of the patterns, behaviours, and defences that once served as survival mechanisms but now block personal growth and sustained recovery.
At our rehabilitation centre, this willingness is seen as a courageous and necessary step toward long-term transformation.
Understanding Step 6 Through a Clinical Lens
In psychotherapy, we often speak of defence mechanisms, coping strategies, and maladaptive behaviour patterns. These “defects of character” in AA language often correspond to what clinicians might recognise as deep-seated traits or behaviours developed in response to trauma, attachment disruptions, or chronic stress.
Step 6 does not demand immediate change, but rather the development of a sincere openness to transformation. This is where therapeutic work and 12-step philosophy align beautifully. Both acknowledge that lasting change requires self-awareness, emotional vulnerability, and an internal decision to move toward a healthier, more integrated self.
Readiness: The Psychological Pivot
“We were entirely ready…” is not a passive statement. In therapy, we frequently assess readiness for change using models such as the Transtheoretical Model of Change (Prochaska & DiClemente), where readiness exists on a continuum—from pre-contemplation to action. Step 6 corresponds to the contemplation and preparation phases, where the individual is beginning to loosen their grip on entrenched behaviours.
It’s not uncommon for clients in recovery to recognise destructive patterns yet still feel ambivalent about surrendering them. Anger, control, manipulation, or dishonesty may have served a purpose. Readiness means acknowledging both the usefulness and the destructiveness of these traits—and consciously choosing to let them go.
The Role of Humility and Surrender
Therapeutically, Step 6 also invites humility—an acknowledgement that change requires more than willpower. From a psychodynamic or even existential perspective, this step confronts the ego’s need to be in control. In AA, this surrender is framed spiritually (to a “God of one’s understanding”), but in therapy, it can be seen as yielding to a process of transformation beyond the self’s old narratives.
This depth of surrender is what we witness every day at our rehabilitation centre, a shift from control to healing.
Clients often struggle with shame as they come face-to-face with their character defects. A psychotherapist helps by holding a nonjudgmental space, recognising that these defects developed for a reason and that letting go of them is not an indictment of the self, but a courageous act of healing.
Emotional Work Behind the Step
Step 6 is not a single decision but an ongoing emotional process. It invites the recovering individual to:
- Sit with discomfort.
- Accept that change may feel like a loss.
- Reflect on their identity apart from their defences.
- Trust in a process larger than their immediate emotional landscape.
In therapy, this might involve working through childhood experiences, challenging cognitive distortions, or identifying how certain traits (like people-pleasing or avoidance) served to protect against deeper pain.
Integration with Therapy
Step 6 can be profoundly enhanced in a therapeutic context. While the 12 steps focus on spiritual growth, therapy complements this with:
- Tools for emotional regulation.
- Techniques to challenge irrational thoughts.
- Development of new interpersonal skills.
- Processing of trauma that underlies certain defects.
Together, therapy and the 12 steps provide a holistic framework for healing, not just from addiction but from the emotional wounds that sustained it.
For many who enter our rehabilitation centre, this combination of therapeutic support and 12-step philosophy offers a lifeline toward real, lasting recovery.
Step 6 is often underestimated in its power. From a psychotherapist’s point of view, it is one of the most transformative stages in recovery—not because it achieves change, but because it lays the emotional and psychological groundwork for it. It’s the gateway to deeper healing, inviting individuals to stop fighting with themselves and to step into the discomfort of growth with courage, honesty, and readiness.
“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” In Step 6, the readiness for change is, itself, a victory.
Ready to take the next step? Ocean Bay Recovery is a safe, compassionate rehabilitation centre ready to support your healing journey. Contact us today and begin your path toward lasting change and recovery.
