forjg

My ABF's parents and I attended our first Al Anon meeting tonight. It was not exactly what we were expecting. It was all centered on the 10th step which is a little bit ahead of what we need right now. Do all Al Anon meetings center on steps etc. or are there meetings that are more open discussion or 1st step centered....

Pelican

My first Al-Anon meeting was also on a "step" night. I wasn't sure what to think of all the readings and structure. I did try another meeting at a different location that same week. Then I went back to the first meeting site. Each meeting was a different topic.

The meeting you went to tonight was planned in advance. The next meeting will be on another topic (not step 11). Each month the group will devote one meeting to one of the twelve steps. On the other nights the topic is selected by the person who volunteers to chair the meeting. Sometimes the chair person will ask if anyone has a topic they would like to cover.

I enjoy meetings that are on steps that I haven't covered yet. I can learn from their sharing how doing that particular step has helped them in their personal life. It's also encouraging to hear from seasoned Alanoners that have done the steps every year and continue to grow in their journey.

My advise to you is the same that was passed onto me:
try 6 meetings to decide if Alanon is for you

Welcome to the Sober Recovery Family!

benham

A group I attend does a step study every month, and the step number is determined by the month number. When forjg mentioned that the group did a 10th step study, that's the first thing I thought.

There are groups that only do the studies of the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts of Service, but it is far more common to have a meeting type that Pelican described.

trapeze

In our area there's a booklet with meetings, and there are various types. Step, How Al Anon Works, Newcomers are the ones I've seen in the booklet. Some don't list a description. I'm new to Al Anon, and the group I go to hasn't spent time on the steps, just has a topic prepared by someone, then everyone who wants to share says something, perhaps loosely related to the topic.

I'm new, so my experience is limited.

atalose

You can search on line for meetings in your area on various nights and times and what kind of meetings they are. Usually they will be marked step meeting, open discussion, beginners meeting, etc. etc.

I’d recommend trying to find a beginner meeting.