SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
Abstract
Al-Anon is a support group for people whose family member is an alcoholic or has alcohol
problems. Al-Anon meetings help those with a drinking problem and their family members
understand that they have options to assist them in this battle and can also bring a sense of
acceptance and support. After attending four Al-Anon meetings and reflecting on what I had
learned, I wrote this paper. I tried to learn about group dynamics and environmental impacts in
every lesson I took. As an observer, I desired to acquire insight into group dynamics and
leadership. As an observer at Al-Anon meetings, I've learned about the organization's ideology,
techniques, spiritual and theological basis, and Alcoholics Anonymous-derived 12-step program.
Keywords: Al-Anon Family Groups, dependency, 12-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous.
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
Group Experience
Farmers Branch, Texas, was the location of the meeting I went to, and the name of the
organization I went to is Al-Anon Family Group. Al-Anon is a 12-step program of mutual aid
and support for the friends and family members of alcoholics. Banz, M. L. (2015). Members of
Al-Anon share their experiences to understand better and support one another. There is no effort
made within Al-Anon to change the mentality or actions of the alcoholic. The central tenet of Al-
Anon is the recognition that drinking is a sickness. Every week, members of the Al-Anon Family
Group get together in the evenings on Monday through Friday. The group members were
overjoyed to see me there because it is not uncommon for students to attend the meetings. There
was a pause for people to gather their thoughts before the start of the session. The serenity prayer
was then recited and discussed among the participants. They never intended to help alcoholics
and had no intention of doing so. According to the statement, the program's purpose is not to
persuade an alcoholic to give up drinking but to assist the individual by providing guidance and
support. The group members would take turns reading passages from books such as Open Hearts,
Courage to Change, and One Day to complete the required Al-Anon readings (12 steps of
recovery and 12 traditions). And this would then be the point at which the conversation would
begin.
The first of my meetings was on July 21, 2022, and I was there. There were ten people in the
room at the time.
After extending a warm welcome to all newcomers, the coordinator asked for a roundtable
discussion so that everyone in the group could explain what Al-anon is and why they find it
beneficial. On July 25, 2022, there were a total of twelve attendees present at the conference. On
July 27, 2022, there were a total of eight people present for the third meeting.
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
When dealing with alcoholics, one strategy for achieving peace is to provide modifications to the
original behavior. Seven people were in attendance at the most recent meeting, which took place
on July 29, 2022, and the members expressed that the issue felt stressful to them as they
discussed the prospect of relapse. The sessions I attended had a predominance of male members
among the participating group members. The majority of the participants were alcoholics, as well
as parents and their partners or spouses. There are many things that women and men find
appealing about Al-Anon organizations. In addition, women are more caring inside their own
families than men, which is another factor that helps explain the phenomenon.
Content and Process
The most exciting aspect of the new member's meeting is how they pair off with new members
to make them feel welcome. Almost immediately, she started relaying the recommendations and
suggestions that the group had learned. The importance of religion continues to be hammered
home at various points throughout the process of assisting an alcoholic. Given that this was their
first time attending the conference, I thought it was an inappropriate moment to make such a
suggestion, although it was a fascinating one. There is no justification for subjecting new
members to excessive work. Al-Anon is not for everyone; some members may leave; as a result,
newcomers need to have a solid understanding of the program's foundational principles. The
meeting facilitator gave the newcomer an outline of what to anticipate and what Al-Anon was
about as it got underway. There is a possibility that dropout and retention rates will be affected
by the perspectives of newcomers on alcoholics in their personal life.
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
Al-Anon is a ray of light and a source of hope for family members, friends, and loved ones of
alcoholics and problem drinkers. Some newcomers may decide to quit Al-Anon for various
reasons, including the strains of everyday life and problems with their functioning (Kuuluvainen
V. et al., 2013). As a consequence of this, newcomers to Al-Anon may have expectations that are
not consistent with the objective of the organization. Therefore, the comment made by the
organizer regarding what to anticipate within the group was helpful. In addition to the orientation
for newcomers, different seminars provided the same valuable information. Experiencing a
forum solely devoted to giving thanks was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The participants in
the discussion expressed overwhelming gratitude and enthusiasm for the haven they provided.
Opinions such as "meetings are fantastic," "it's safe to be here," and "everyone is accepting
without prejudice" were said by those present in the room. All attendees well-processed this
round, who said, "Wow, that's wonderful!" The coordinator of this meeting asked everyone to
share something they were glad for; this round was well-processed by everyone. Even though
numerous people were shaken to their core after hearing what was said, I feel that multiple
members were unhappy with the content of the discussion that took place on July 21st regarding
how different changes might lead to peace. I was there at this meeting. A few people have
mentioned that the fear of change makes it more difficult for them to embrace modifications
linked to alcohol. If I let go, who will come to their rescue? one individual said out loud. "I'm
petrified of the events that will take place
Anxiety was the primary topic of our most discussion. The presentation not only imparted new
information to the audience members but also served as a helpful prompt for me. It was
instructive to hear everyone explain the challenges of having the intention to assist an alcoholic.
In addition, we were taught the importance of being wary of the consequences of not offering
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
assistance. Because of their out-of-control behavior, maintaining friendships with alcoholics can
be difficult. After listening to everyone's experiences, it is evident that exercising tough love
toward an alcoholic before they are ready for recovery is pointless. Then one of the members
said, "I worry about trying to forecast when the tragedy will occur so that I can concentrate on
the future. People might have fears of losing something, fear of the unknown, and worry of
causing their loved ones to suffer in some way. Al-Anon is helpful because it teaches its
members that the alcoholic is the only one who can recover from the effects of their addiction. In
addition to this, kids learn how to deal with stressful situations. As a result of my observations, it
is abundantly evident that finding a solution to this problem is not an easy task. Frequently, a
child, a spouse, or even a parent will be impacted by alcoholism in some way. In these kinds of
relationships, there isn’t always an assurance that help can be given to a loved one, and Al-Anon
offers assistance.
Group Dynamics and Participants
As a result of what I saw from these groups that I attended, I believe that it has the potential to
make rehabilitation easier. According to a study by Jacobs et al. (2016), many supporters and
informative and therapeutic groups are now active. The group was dedicated to protecting their
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
safety by protecting their anonymity and maintaining the coherence of the organization. They
were there for one another in times of need and offered advice and assistance as they worked
toward achieving their objectives. It seemed as though nobody had any trouble exposing who
they were, and there were no activities that built trust or made people feel more at ease. It
appears that self-disclosure benefits the group, the person sharing, and others, including the new
member in this particular instance. When group members release their most powerful feelings,
they may experience a cathartic release that reduces tension (Forsyth, 2019). The information
that was given to the new member was quite understandable. Even though several of the
participants needed time to speak by themselves, everyone who participated was quite open
about sharing their experiences. Everyone who attended the first meeting, as well as the future
ones, was given the reassurance that they were not alone. According to (Forsyth 2019), each
group member can’t understand that their feelings are ubiquitous; however, surrounding oneself
with people who share one's beliefs will help one know that many others share their struggles.
They all made it clear that they were happy to have the new people join, which illustrated the
unity of the group.
The number of those present grew at the second gathering. There were a total of four people
attending and participating in the activity. Because classes have resumed, I anticipated a reduced
turnout for this session. Several individuals thought that the summertime and the vacations could
be trying times.
And this is because holidays are meant to be spent with people's families and friends. Having a
loved one who is currently battling addiction is a challenging situation to find oneself in. Some
so many people require a safe space where they may express their feelings without worrying
about being evaluated. The participants, as a whole, voiced their appreciation for the group
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
throughout the gathering; hence, it was productive. I contend that anyone at the third meeting
picked up some new information. The changes were explained to every one of the participants. A
participant acknowledged that her aversion to change resulted from a shared experience with
other participants. During the conversation, she had a breakthrough and became aware of a
previously unknown facet of herself, which was a fascinating development to watch. A review of
the proceedings of all prior sessions was presented during the most recent session. Nevertheless,
it might also serve as a weekly objective for the group members. Each gathering had a specific
function, and attendees took away a variety of perks due to their participation in that activity.
Leadership Behaviors
Even while the participants thought the themes covered in each session were valuable, I do not
believe that the leadership tactics provided were always successful. Some of these leadership
talents are included below. According to Jacobs et al. (2016), the leadership style, as well as the
function of the leader, will always be dictated by the nature of the organization as well as the
reason for its existence of the organization. Only the leader of the Al-anon gatherings was
acknowledged and appreciated by the group. Ultimately, they concluded that everyone would
gain something from receiving aid because they had all been through comparable experiences. In
addition, the coordinators of Al-anon sessions are regularly switched out. However, the
individual I was in contact with most of the process was helpful throughout the entire procedure.
Therefore, the subjects covered during the conference served as the basis for selecting group
coordinators, which required many sessions. The group's coordinator indicated that they decided
to talk about anxiousness because several group members had firsthand experience drinking
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
while talking about another subject. Consequently, they were capable of being influential
coordinators of the groups they controlled; nevertheless, they were not always good at managing
their time effectively. Since of this, the other attendees could not participate in the discussion
because the leader enabled one member to talk way over the time limit. In this particular
instance, the regular talker veered off-topic, and the coordinator didn’t try to bring him back on
track or redirect his attention.
Consequently, the leader did not actively listen to others around them to properly manage the
situation. Self-disclosure went beyond what a coordinator expected because it required other
group members to commit time to discuss their opinions. And this meant that self-disclosure
needed more time than what was required of a coordinator. In certain circumstances,
coordinators may feel obligated to share private information with followers (Banz, M. L. et al.,
2015). It seemed as though the leader was trying to connect with the group members on a more
personal level; unfortunately, the result of his efforts was an over-sharing of information that was
harmful to the group. In the future, members of other groups might gain something from the
firsthand experiences that they have all shared. Meanwhile, I think it would be their advantage to
polish their skills in time management and other strategies that can sharpen their attention. I feel
this would be beneficial for them.
Coordinators were often self-motivated and possessed the required interpersonal skills for
leadership roles. The group's well-being was considerably improved by the presence of a
coordinator who made an effort to listen to the questions and concerns raised by the group
members. If the expectations of a member are not fulfilled, that person is free to leave the
meeting. In your role as leader, you are responsible for establishing what each member
anticipates gaining from participation in the forum. Leaders of Al-Anon need to address their
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
members' concerns to sustain high attendance at meetings. The fact that males made up most of
Al-Anon members at the sessions I attended makes this aspect of the program all the more
critical. Participants are driven to seek support for various reasons, one of which is the everyday
occurrence of having a family member, or close friend addicted to alcohol. On the other hand,
most men go because they believe their lives are lacking in some way. In addition to the day-to-
day experience of living with an alcoholic family member or friend, leaders need to understand
why people seek support for other reasons.
Application and Conclusion
It was exciting to see as the group started the meeting by elaborating on its mission and goals. It
was also fascinating to see how succeeding subjects contributed to the group's progress toward
reaching that goal. The invaluable opportunity to put what was learned in class into practice was
an eye-opening and life-changing event. If I had better handled the time allotted to persons who
expressed their experiences as a result of my leadership, then everyone would have been able to
participate, and self-disclosure would have been considered. Even though there are occasions
when disclosing one's personal life might be beneficial, it makes me uncomfortable to talk about
that aspect of my life because I am in a position of authority. (Timko, Christine et al, 2012) I
wouldn't feel comfortable doing that unless it were our first time meeting each other, and I was
introducing myself to you. The central topic of conversation was how Christians might imitate
Christ by bearing the responsibilities of others by putting themselves in their shoes. Several
members underlined how important it was to deepen their connection with God.
SUPPORT GROUP EXPERIENCE
In addition, they talked about forgiving others and themselves, emphasizing the necessity of
forgiving oneself and the alcoholic in one's life for engaging in healthy forms of self-care. It also
highlighted how important it is to keep one's faith. During the sessions I participated in, there
were no instances of unethical behavior or violating the Code of Ethics. In addition to ensuring
everybody would keep their anonymity, the Al-Anon group emphasized how important it was for
them to keep their privacy. If members of Al-Anon were unable to participate in the support
group, they would be in a more precarious position than they are now because they would have
nowhere else to go to discuss their issues in a secure setting (Timko et al. 2012). Participation in
support groups can be quite beneficial for individuals who struggle daily to retain their sense of
composure. Because its members are not recovering addicts but people whose lives are affected
by those who are, I decided to become a member of Al-anon. The first meeting was primarily
devoted to providing newcomers with an introduction to the group, and the members were glad I
was there. I appreciate the experience since it gave me first-hand insight into the relevance of
support groups. Because participating in these get-togethers was a must for the class, I went. And
this was the most significant takeaway for me from the experience. On the other hand, it was
helpful since it educated me on how to control my feelings toward alcoholic families and taught
me how to better communicate with them.
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