Self-Help Group Orientation / Reaction Paper:
Each student will attend two 12-step meetings consisting of one open AA meetings
plus one NA twelve-step program open meeting and will submit a narrative indicating his/her impressions and significance of each meeting.
For each group provide the following:
Give the group name, location, and date.
Describe your reactions to each group separately not as a combined narrative.
Describe your emotional reaction to attending the twelve step meetings and talking to twelve-step members:
·
What was your overall impression of the meetings? Describe the setting and atmosphere of the group. Did you feel welcome? Which meetings did you emotionally react to most positively and which did you emotionally react to most negatively and why? Were the participants helpful?
·
Would you return to the meeting if you were a recovering person? Was there a particular story that stood out or impressed you? Why? Give any other reactions that you feel are of interest. In addition to attending the three meetings, you should also briefly speak with at least one member at each group attended.
The paper should be no less than 3 pages in length (not including cover page), 12 pt New Times Roman font, and double spaced.
MEETING NOTES (use as reference for paper)
Narcotics anonymous
Name: Tradition Three Group
Date: July 23rd 12:00-1PM
Location: 605 North Maryland Street
· A lot of moving and leaving while others were reading
· Welcoming environment
· Committed. Started with three members, two other members showed up a bit late
· They displayed great team work (hugs and helping each other with readings)
· Very religious based
· All members were misunderstood
· Amazed at how an hour could help each member
· 12 tradition of NA
· 12 steps of NA
· Members relied on the meeting to stay sober
Alcoholic anonymous
Tradition Three Group at First Christian Church
AA Meeting-
· Welcoming environment- a member talked to us after the meeting to show us some pamphlets and give more information on there group.
· The rapport between the members before the meeting started felt like a family. You can tell they were comfortable with one another.
· Predominantly white members
· Had a stand of pamphlets dealing with AA
· The meeting was structured — started and ended on time.
· All members were able to speak and share. They mainly shared their background and how they ended up in this place today.
· One members story stuck out to me that for 3 weeks, his body wouldn’t obtain anything but whiskey
· At the end they had a prayer & they say a little chant to encourage them to keep coming back
· It felt like a judgement free zone
· Every time someone speaks they start off with Hi my name is _ and I’m an addict. — I’ve realized that brings self awareness and accountability to them
· They celebrated the little wins such as not partaking into their addiction for that current day
· ”if you did not take a drink today, clap”
