12-step meeting

I attended a twelve-step meeting for friends and family members of alcoholics (Al-Anon). I went during lunch time and I did not think there would be many people there. I was wrong. There were around thirty individuals there discussing their experiences. The first person I noticed was the group facilitator. She was mixed in with the group. She would read a point, talk about it, and then ask the group to discuss. She would allow three to five people to respond then go to the next point. She handed out responsibilities before the group started and called on those individuals when she need them. The facilitator handled different personalities in the room well. She allowed people to share their thoughts. Depending on what was shared, she would add a comment. The comment either summarized what was said or she added a new thought. The environment in the room was comfy and allowed for excellent group interaction. Even thought there were a lot of people in the room, it felt as thought the group was small. The group was co-ed and represented a variety of ages and stages of life. I believe the session was therapeutic. It did not look exactly like the groups we are facilitating in school, but they did frequently discuss the twelve steps and how that has impacted them. Having a sponsor for the program was frequently mentioned. Many individuals noted the importance of a sponsor and how it has impacted them. I believe this group used the cognitive behavioral frame of reference. A goal of this frame of reference is to change a performance pattern that an individual has. This could be a role, routine, habit, or ritual. During the group, the facilitator asked for examples where members have struggled within the twelve steps and what benefited them. Again, the majority of the group expressed the benefit of a sponsor and the success they had seen within themselves through the partnership. I really enjoyed listening to the triumphs the group has had and how they all encouraged each other.