Clinical Case Referral Coordinator Eugene Lombardo and Campus Chaplain Sister Susan Becker are creating a peer support group for Pace University students struggling with drug or alcohol addiction.

The group, Friends of Bill, is named after William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. The group is not affiliated with any Pace office or department.

Friends of Bill gives students who are struggling with issues of substance abuse a place where they give advice and share their experiences confidentially.

“People tend to feel safer talking about things that feel uncomfortable if they know other people in the group have the same struggle,” Lombardo said.

While Lombardo and Becker are both trained therapists, they do not want to control the conversation, only offer advice.

“I think how we can best serve people and help them is give them a safe space to talk about what their problems are, and make some helpful suggestions based on our collective knowledge on how to remedy some of their problems related to drugs or alcohol,” Lombardo said.

The group is also meant to help students struggling with addiction get in touch with what Becker describes as their “spiritual side,” or their core values.

“This [group] is addressing one of the things I struggle with on this campus, which is getting students to look at their spiritual selves, not their religious selves, what their values are, what makes them tick,” Becker said.

They hope that student attendees have input from their experiences to help their peers.

“I think the reality is going to be that people sitting in this group are not going to be completely unfamiliar with the situation, they might live in a house hold where someone in their group is in recovery,” Becker said.

While not finalized, Becker and Lombardo are considering modeling the structure of the discussion after the 12-Step Meeting used in Alcoholics Anonymous.

“The 12 steps are a very progressive formula for whole living, not just addicts. It should be mandated in kindergarten,” Susan said.

The meetings are planned to start taking place Friday afternoons beginning on February 12 at 2 p.m. and last for around an hour. They will be located in the meditation room in the top floor of Willcox Hall next to the Pace Chronicle and WPAW offices.

As of now there has not been much interest in the group, but Lombardo and Becker are still committed to running it.

“The reality is nobody may show up, but we’re going to do it anyway,” Becker said.