Skip to main content

AA Meeting Takeaway

At the start of the AA meeting I attended, the group facilitator opened by explaining the basis of their beliefs were in a higher power.  He went on to pray and then opened the session by welcoming members.  He emphasized that if people have differing views about who that higher power is that is fine, but he wanted to make sure group members understood his foundational beliefs.  He also made sure to lay ground rules to where members should feel welcomed to share and encourage one another.  A group member was invited to read the twelve steps which relied heavily on believing in a higher power to help them through the process.  The group went on to share personal stories about what lead them to become alcoholics.  A lot of similarities existed in that a lot of members attributed their alcoholism to dysfunctional family dynamics.  If members began to go off topic or interrupted one another, the facilitator made sure to keep the group on task.  The facilitator made sure to include all members and provided constructive feedback.  The group leader concluded by thanking everyone for sharing and providing some tips to use when individuals felt their desire to drink.  The facilitator closed with prayer and we were free to leave.

My takeaway from this group session was that the group was very therapeutic.  Members were encouraged to share because they were in a group with people who understood their same struggles and could help each other through the difficulties.  The group leader took the role of a facilitator and only tried to become involved in the group meeting if things were getting off topic.  I believe this was a support group because people were encouraged to share and help others through their own commonalities. 

Comments

  1. Professor SasseMarch 10, 2018 at 11:27 AM

    Thank you Lauren. The history of how (and who) started AA is a very interesting one. Initially, it was founded and grounded in Christianity, and over the years, in order to be more inclusive and support more people, the emphasis is placed on whomever serves as a member's Higher Power. I appreciate that you included in your description that the leader expressed explanation about this. I think that is a particularly important point, because not all AA leaders remember to make that point clear, even among the AA groups that you and your peers visited, the leader and the context can really influence the comfort level of members. As a therapist, recommendation of 12-Step programs will be one of your "staples" in terms of referrals, and so it is very important that if you ever have a client who visits a particular 12 Step meeting, and doesn't "click" with the leader, remember to encourage them to try a different meeting location. I'm very glad that you had this positive learning experience. I really do think you will carry it with you for a long time and that it will be quite valuable.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chucky Mullins

Chucky Mullins was a college football player who suffered a spinal cord injury in the cervical injury resulting in his loss of functioning in all four limbs.  Mullins went from a life of complete independence and success as a college athlete to complete dependence and reliance on caregivers.  After his injury he struggled with speaking and swallowing due to a medical trachea.  He hoped to still be able to attend college and get a degree. Occupational therapy services in this situation should be focused on adaptation in order to facilitate activity in meaningful occupations.  While his arms were unable to move, he still had neck and head control that could be used with adaptive equipment in operating a computer.  His intervention services should be focused on capitalizing on the movement he does have through the use of creative and innovative strategies.  Mullins may not be able to regain the ability to walk, but he definitely can return to the pursuit of a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ted Talks by Aimee Mullins

The older I have grown the more I have seen the crippling effects of societal mindsets.  Simply looking at the various changes in roles of women, men, children, and races has revealed the side effects of societal norms.  From working on plantations without rights to their own bodies to finally becoming integrated and viewed as equal, African Americans have suffered the stigma associated with their race.  Alongside this is the issue of women's rights and their desires to become involved in the workforce.  Over time and gradual mindset changes equality and rights have been achieved, but I believe the real issue behind societal expectations can be found in the definitions of words and how they are used.  Aimee Mullins does an incredible job emphasizing the importance of word definitions and how they are used in her Ted Talks about the demeaning impact of the word "disabled" to refer to an individual with special needs.  By reading the synonyms listed with this...
Post a Comment
Read more

Appreciating the Little Things

Last week our school had a "Student Appreciation Day" where there was an abundance of food trucks, music and fun for the students and faculty.  I had a fantastic time eating wings, talking with classmates, and enjoying the day (it was a Monday and those days are typically difficult to enjoy!).  Truly, it was a fun time and a great break from the chaos of school.  While some people might have just looked at this as an opportunity for yummy free food, it reminded me of the great things in life I tend to forget!  So often I get wound up on little assignments or tests and quizzes that I forget to enjoy life and appreciate the opportunities before me.  In all honesty it really is the little things in life that can make a big difference, and how much more so do these things affect someone who cannot go out and experience them for themselves?  This got me to thinking -- how do people who are in a hospital enjoy their time?  I know that some places offer commu...
Post a Comment
Read more