Are you new to Al-Anon? Do you wonder what to expect? What you should do immediately? What are the challenges we face early on? Does Al-Anon have its own “culture”? Then you’ve come to the right place, because today, we’re going to talk about getting started in Al-Anon.

Spencer and guest host Wendy talk about our early experiences in Al-Anon, reflecting on what you might expect as you come to your first few meetings. We used this outline to guide our discussion.

What should I expect when I come to my first meeting?

Greeting?

Literature?

Meeting format?

What should I do “immediately”?

Go to meetings!

Buy and read literature!

Talk in the meeting?

Get a phone list?

Get a sponsor?

Start working the steps?

What are some early challenges?

The jargon?

Talking?

Listening?

Feeling safe?

Crying?

“God” talk?

Is there an Al-Anon culture? What is it?

Language/jargon?

Slogans?

How we interact with each other?