Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Typical Format of AA Meetings


Meetings are one of the essential components of Alcoholics Anonymous. A chairperson, who is typically a member of the group, will open the meeting (call the meeting to order) and follow the format for the type of meeting he or she is conducting: beginner meeting, speaker meeting, discussion meeting, for instance.

If the chairperson asks if there are any newcomers, visitors should feel free to raise their hands and give their first name.

For the most part, a "single share" protocol is followed in meetings which means that members do not speak for any length of time more than once during the meeting. Sometimes, nonetheless, exceptions to this standard are made, depending upon the group or the situation..

In all meetings, "cross talk" is kept to a minimum. "Cross talk" from the perspective of Alcoholics Anonymous means giving direct advice to others who have already shared, telling another member what to think or how to act, speaking directly to another person rather than to the group, and questioning or interrupting the person who is sharing and speaking at the time.


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