Experiences Leading Groups:
The Benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous and Group Facilitations
One of the most gratifying and transformative experiences in my life was going to my first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group meeting. AA is a support and recovery group that is entirely facilitated by former addicts. It is the original 12-step group format. The purpose of AA is to enable people to have a life in recovery and overcome the grip of their addiction. AA is based upon a commitment to abstinence. It is one of the oldest types of support groups of its kind. There is a bible, called the Big Book, which outlines the basic principles of the group, and which guides the facilitation of the group.
Some aspects of AA which are unique are that there are open and closed meetings. Open meetings are for recovering addicts, their families, friends, and people contemplating sobriety. Closed meetings are for members who are actively trying to stay sober (even if they have recently lapsed). Membership is anonymous. Group members go by first names and admit to powerlessness over alcohol. Participation is voluntary, although some people may come to the group based upon the pressures that they have...
…conclude with the serenity prayer.One of the great advantages of AA is its highly structured format. AA has lasted as long as it has, and has formed the core of other sobriety group therapies, because its format works. As a facilitator, a great deal of the work has already been done for me. Also, all members of the group share a common purpose, even though some of them may have varying levels of commitment, or may be struggling with personal issues with friends and family members. Sometimes issues may trigger very angry personal responses among group members, because there are common themes…
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international organization that was formed to help out individuals who have had drinking problems. The Alcoholics Anonymous is an example of a non-profit, non-professional organization, and it is basically an organization that was formed to serve as a medium for individuals and people to have a 'helping hand,' an immediate hand wherein an individual can get help without the embarrassing and tiring process of membership registration
Alcoholics Anonymous The first face-to-face meeting I attended was an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting at the United Methodist Church in Greenville, SC on a Friday night. Smoking was allowed at the meeting, which was held in a wheelchair-accessible facility. Coffee and snacks were served. I arrived ten minutes early. Several others were also there early, including the person setting up a table full of literature. The person setting out the literature
First, the person who attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings admits that their drinking has become out of hand. The admission of a problem is the first step toward recovery. Second, the person who joins Alcoholics Anonymous, however informally, finds solace that he or she is not alone. Suddenly the individual is surrounded by caring, compassionate, and supportive persons who share similar stories and who completely withhold judgment. In fact, one of
Alcoholics Anonymous: A Personal Account of my Experience at an AA 12-Step Meeting A Personal Account of my Experience at an AA 12-Step Meeting: Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics anonymous groups are groups where recovering alcoholics, and alcoholics with a desire to stop drinking meet to educate and inspire each other about their journey with alcoholism, and their decision to restore their lives. This text presents a personal account of what I experienced in
Alcohol Anonymous Observation Alcoholic Anonymous Observation I had heard the parable before; "give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." In many ways it had already resonated in my head, but this perspective was a skewed one from not having had to experience what it is like to be in a position not to want to help yourself. That was
Alcoholics Anonymous meeting: April 17, from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. In Paso Robles, California. I previously had contacted the leader of the AA meeting to see if I could get permission to attend a session. He wondered if I was in the media, and I told him this was for a college class; and after he explained that everything is open for discussion in these meetings he made clear that
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