Have you attended ACOA Meetings?
 

I am thinking about attending ACOA Meetings, but the closest one is over an hour away from me. I have ordered the Big Red Book and Workbook.

I just want to get some input from anyone that has attended these meetings.

Thanks,

Bill

I have but don't go regularly. Online seems more personal, if you can believe that.

I think it's worth making the drive -- if not every week, say once a month? On-line groups like this one are helpful, but a formal "12-step meeting" is different. There's the meeting itself, chatting with people afterwards, and maybe even a "meeting after the meeting," which my local group does at a coffee shop. It's really valuable to see people in person and share with them in a structured setting.

The workbook is great -- but I don't recommend trying to do it by yourself. It's pretty intense, and I think it's better to find a sponsor and sit down with him/her to talk about each section of the book. If you can't get an ACOA sponsor nearby, find someone in Al-Anon who is an adult-child (that would be most of them!), and might be willing/able to work with you.

T

I've been to several. I find that some of them are really good, some not so good. It depends on the people who attend. Some meets I went back after not being there for years and found a whole new group of peeps, and therefore a different "flavor" to the gathering.

I have also gone to some Al-Anon meetings whose topic is ACoA issues. Some of them will note in the directory that they are ACoA oriented, like they note when they are "step study" or "closed"

Mike :)

Thanks everyone, I looked for an ACOA al-anon meeting but I could not find one less than 2 hours away, I think I will give it a try once I get my Big Red Book, certainly no harm in giving it a shot.

Hi Bill,
I travel 2 hours every week. I find it very useful just to listen to what others are going through and that moving forward to recovery IS possible contrary to my feelings when I am trying to deal with everyday life. I have also found it has helped to move from isolation.
Good luck,
Michael

I have one that is a 40 minute drive from me. I started going to it weekly but have come across some hard times and now I can't make the drive any longer. It really makes me sad because it was a great meeting that I felt comfortable sharing in and everyone was very welcoming and stuff...it is the only meeting too that I can find in my area. I haven't been able to find an Al-Anon meeting ACOA meeting or Co-Dep meeting either.

I am so isolated in my life currently and literally go from work to home and that's all. Online is my only life at the moment with nothing else so it was nice to get out that once a week...

I hate that gas is so much at the moment with everything else the way it is. =(.

Michael2

Thanks for your input I think I will give it a try this next Saturday.

loyusblossum021,

Thanks for your input, so sorry for all you are going through, I am so proud of you, almost a whole year sober, that is so cool!

Please hang in there, if you need someone to talk to I will be here for you, if you need a shoulder or a big bear hug I can do that too.

Hope everything works out ok, I will say a prayer for you.

Best of luck,

Bill