Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Reaction Paper - Essay Example

The meeting began with the leader explaining that there were two students in attendance and stated that it would be a speaker week. It was clear that leadership and collective decision making existed in the group (Spencer, 2013). Additionally, the group members participated in the decision making process and were given the opportunity to voice their opinions. One member was chosen to oversee the running of the group following a unanimous decision concerning the topic of discussion. There were other supportive roles that were rotated among the group members weekly.

AA is founded upon several tenets including the twelve steps (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2009). These twelve steps are important since they aid in the members in asking from strength from a higher power. They also emphasize on the use of ‘we’ to promote a feeling of group togetherness. The traditions sole requirement is for the members to quit drinking. In addition to, it focuses on facilitating sobriety and anonymity in the group. The members read these steps and the anonymity pledge aloud. This acted as a constant reminder of their main goal of attending the meetings.

The group leader acted as a watchman by guiding the members through various sessions. The coordinator and orienteer on the other hand outlined the purpose and objectives of the group. Other group members acted as followers by participating in the group’s customs as well as reciting several positive statements to promote the learning process. As earlier stated, it was a speaker and luckily enough she was a recovered alcoholic whose story was a true inspiration to group members. At this juncture, it is important to note that a vital factor of success in the twelve step model is the opportunity to share experiences with those that have suffered a similar addiction (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2009).

The speaker narrated her story about alcohol addiction which began in her teenage years. I observed that the group members listened keenly and often nodded when she made certain comments. This shows that they had shared similar experiences and this gave them hope that one day they would stop drinking. One of the group members shared an emotional experience on her journey to quit alcohol and thanked the members for their continued support. There was an achievement session after the speaker had concluded her speech.

One member announced her six months anniversary without alcohol and was applauded and then was given a cake which was shared among the group. Another member received a chip for five months of abstinence. This rewarding system enhanced unity in the group and challenged members to be better every day (Galanter and Kleber, 2008). I noted with keen interest most of the group members were middle aged women and the youngest was 27 years old. The key themes in the speech were issues related to business dilemmas, long- term relationships and career problems.

The younger women were distracted and had trouble concentrating while the older women were more attentive, made eye contact and asked questions. In a nutshell, group members at different life stages faced trouble while connecting therefore, it is necessary to bridge gaps between them to