Most people are nervous and upset about attending their first Al-Anon or Alateen meeting.  What to expect?  A warm welcome, understanding of your situation, listening ears, and love.  Everyone in a meeting is an Al-Anon member, and has been affected by the disease of alcoholism - just like you.  We understand.  For many of us, meetings are the place where we really feel "heard".

Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon/Alateen program.  What this means is that your presence at a meeting, and what you say at a meeting, will not be repeated.  Knowing this is one way that we learn to trust one another in the program.

Every meeting is different.  You will find that some meetings are open discussion, some are book studies (using Al-Anon literature, written by members), and some are "topic" meetings.  In some meetings, members take turns going around the room to share, and in other meetings members share whenever they wish.  Most meetings are one hour long, some are a little longer.  All of the decisions about how a meeting is run are made by the group itself.

There are also ways in which meetings are the same.  Every Al-Anon meeting is lead by an Al-Anon member.  (Some meetings have a different meeting chairperson every week, and some rotate by month.)  Every meeting opens with a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Because not all meetings are exactly the same, we encourage new members to try different meetings.  You may find that a particular meeting is the best "fit" for you.  We are lucky to have so many meetings in our area - feel free to try meetings until you find one that "feels right".