Mracoa

I've read that i may be better to join an Al-anon group 1st, to learn the 12 steps before joining an ACOA group. The rationale given was that many ACOA groups focus more on sharing and discussion and don't methodically teach the 12 steps, or might skip certain steps.

Is that true? What have been other peoples experiences?

DesertEyes

Depends on the group. They are all different based on the people who attend and the format. Over here we have ACOA meetings that focus specifically on going thru the books. They read one or two pages and then discuss the reading. There is one meeting for the Red book, another meet for the work book. Other meetings are sharing only.

Al-anon is much the same way. Some meets are "book study", some are specific "step study", and others are general sharing.

What works for me is to visit several meetings, over several weeks, in order to ge a "feel" for the people there and how they work their program. Then I pick one or two meetings to attend regularly. Once a month, or thereabouts, I go visit a meeting I do _not_ usually attend, just to get a bit of variety and a different perspective.

Mike

PlasticInsanity

Why not go to both? The closest ACOA meeting to me is over a half hour's drive, so I just go to the Al-Anon meeting here in town.