AlaAnon protocol
 

I have been attending Alanon now for about 2 months. After attending several different ones I found one that I like. Everyone seems to attend the beginners meeting, there is a break and then goes into the topic and we break into small groups to discuss the topic.

There is one woman there that when it is her turn in a small group just randomly rambles, nothing about the topic and goes on for so long about truly nothing that one woman in our group just left (I felt the same way but stayed) knowing that any issues that she wanted to talk about she wouldn't be able to because she had to get home and this woman again was dominating the group and the time that most people try and allot for the meeting late in the evening.

She seems to be a lonely soul and uses Alanon as a social outlet. Gets her out in the evening and from what I can gather from previous conversations she has had with the group doesn't really have alcoholic issues in her life. She just likes to talk.

I feel bad even bringing this up but it is frustrating. I want to learn from others but listening to this woman talk about every detail of how she does her job drives me batty.

Any suggestions?

Hi winnie,

That's an interesting format for a meeting, I haven't been to one like that. However, I have been to meetings where the group conscience has opted to have a "timekeeper" so that when the timer goes off (3-5 minutes is pretty standard) then the person speaking needs to wrap up their turn. Maybe you could suggest that sort of thing?

posie

The meeting format is pretty much what I have experienced in all of the Alanon programs I have been to here in this part of the country. I like the timekeeper idea.