Step 5: The Power of Honesty and Healing

“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

• At The Men’s Home, May is a month of honesty, humility, and healing. Step 5 is where the light starts to break through—where the pain we’ve held inside begins to lose its grip. This step can be one of the hardest. It asks more than reflection. It asks us to speak—to bring our past into the open, not for shame, but for freedom.

• The journey through Step 5 is deeply personal, but never walked alone. Residents prepare for this step with care, spending quiet time with their inventory, reflecting not just on what they’ve done—but who they want to become. The Twelve and Twelve (page 55) reminds us: “Few steps are as difficult to take, but none is more necessary to long-term sobriety and peace of mind.” At The Home, we take that seriously.

• There’s a sacredness in the act of sitting down with a sponsor or mentor and saying, “Here is what I’ve carried.” In those conversations, the weight begins to lift. Not all at once, but enough to breathe again.

• The Men’s Home offers a safe and judgment-free space for that process. Whether it’s under the porch light after a long day, at the kitchen table over coffee, or in the quiet of a Sunday afternoon meeting, Step 5 becomes real through shared courage. It’s not about perfection. It’s about the willingness to be seen.

• As flowers bloom and spring deepens, so does our commitment to healing. Step 5 reminds us that secrets lose power when they are spoken—and that we are never as alone as we think. This work takes guts. It also takes support. Thanks to your generosity, the men in our program have the time, space, and structure to take these steps at a pace that’s real. Recovery doesn’t rush—it roots. And Step 5 is where that rooting begins.

• We invite you to walk with us this May as our residents dig deep, speak freely, and find that truth really can set you free.