12 Reasons to Give Back in Service

• It steadies us. When we show up for someone else, it helps us step out of the fog of our own mind for a while.
• It builds belonging. Service reminds us we are part of something bigger than our pain.
• It heals isolation. Carrying the phone line, moderating, or even reading a piece pulls us out of the old belief that we’re alone.
• It gives shape to recovery. Service keeps recovery from being just “talk”—it becomes action we can feel in our bodies.
• It returns dignity. Taking a role in fellowship shows us that we are capable, trustworthy, and needed.
• It interrupts the old story. Instead of repeating cycles of being silenced, service gives us a voice and a way to be heard.
• It strengthens tools. Every time we serve, we practice boundaries, humility, patience, and courage—skills that grow only when used.
• It balances receiving. We were given a safe place freely; giving back keeps the circle of healing alive.
• It plants hope. When newcomers see survivors serving, they see living proof that healing is possible.
• It deepens our own recovery. Service pulls lessons from the head into the heart—what we give away anchors more deeply inside us.