Steps and Slogans, Coursework Example

Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous at Talbot Hall, Columbus, Ohio

Introduction

The organization known as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is known even to the uninitiated as one of the most common groups devoted to helping people who are dealing with the problem of alcoholism.  AA was founded in 1935 by two men, Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert “Bob” Smith (aa.org). The founders developed the 12-step system of recovery, an approach that has served as the foundation for other recovery programs for individuals facing addiction to narcotics, gambling, and other addictions. 12-step programs have also been established for individuals with eating disorders, who have anger management or domestic abuse problems, and even individuals who spent too much money on shopping sprees (aa.org). Proponents of 12-step programs assert that they can help people overcome battles with a wide range of problems, though the AA organization remains the most recognized and most common of the range of 12-step programs.

Talbot Hall: Steps and Slogans

Talbot Hall in Columbus, Ohio is an addiction treatment and recovery facility which operates as part of a network of such facilities throughout the region (aacentralohio.org, 2014). The facility offers inpatient care such as 30-day rehabilitation programs as well as short- and long-term rehab programs for the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. As part of their treatment programs, the facility offers a series of regular AA meetings (as well as Narcotics Anonymous meetings and support groups for family and friends of those with addictions or in recovery).  Every Sunday at 7:00 pm Talbot Hall hosts the “Steps and Slogans” AA meeting, which is facilitated by staff and administrators at the facility, but is overseen by volunteers and participants from within the group. The Steps and Slogans meeting is largely intended to serve the needs of individuals who are inpatients at the facility as well as those who are involved in outpatient care. The meeting is not exclusive, however, and anyone who wishes to attend is welcomed (medicalcenter.osu.edu, 2014). I attended the meeting on September 14, 2014.

As the name implies, this meeting focuses heavily on the 12 steps, and encourages each attendee to announce to the group which step he or she has reached, and what sort of circumstances surround the step. For example, an attendee who has reached the step of making amends might discuss with the group what he or she has done to reach out to friends or family members, and what sport of response they have received. It is not unusual, according to the participants at this group, for such outreach efforts to be rebuffed. The purpose of this step is to make the effort, however, and if the individual is rebuffed that is understood to be part of the process.  Despite the unanimity of the opinions and views among the attendees, it was a diverse group from a demographic standpoint. There were attendees who appeared to be in their late teens, while the oldest participant was a gentleman who appeared to be in his 80s, and who was assisted into the meeting by a staff member form the facility.

The meeting was set up in a loose circle, but the chairs were not set up that way at first. Instead, they were along the walls at the sides and the back of the room. It was apparent that many of the participants were familiar with the way the group operated, as there were no instructions from anyone about how to set up the chairs for the meetings. Instead, as participants filed in and spoke with each other they also started gradually picking up chairs and setting up the circle. There was never any overt discussion about this; it just seemed like a natural part of the process for this group. It was not a perfect circle; there were some people behind others and others who took seats farther outside of the main circle. I waited until most people were settled in, and took a chair outside of the main circle that was close enough to hear everyone but far enough away to not attract immediate attention to myself.

The process was relatively straightforward. The meeting opened with an introduction by a man in his early 40s who identified himself as Mike. He laid out the agenda, which on this occasion included the distribution of sobriety chips for several participants (one woman received a one-year chip). After announcing the agenda, the group welcomed newcomers (of which there were several), and then opened the floor to those who wished to share. This was a guided process, and “Mike” asked each person to announce their current step before speaking. When this period was over, the group participated in the “Serenity Prayer” and the meeting was concluded. Because so many of the attendees were patients at the facility, almost all of them ended up mingling with each other for quite some time after the meeting ended, during which time they were offered snacks and coffee provided by Talbot Hall. It was a surprisingly brief meeting, lasting less than 60 minutes.

Reflection

I did not have any noticeable impact on the group dynamics. There were general calls from Mike asking if anyone wished to speak, and there were several people there who did not participate in terms of speaking. No one who did not speak was directly asked to do so. Mike’s impact on the group made it clear that he was an authority figure, and when he spoke or directed the group in a particular way, his orders were followed unquestioningly and silently. Some of the participants seemed to be less enthusiastic than others, and I supposed that they might be in-patients who were still struggling with the physiological and psychological effects of drug and alcohol withdrawal. With such a limited exposure to this group it is hard to assess its developmental stage. It probably has a high turnover, as it is connected with a rehab facility. I can imagine that those who manage to stay sober in the long term and who also remain involved in AA might eventually seek out meetings with more members who are also sober.

It is certainly possible to view this group through the lens of Yalom’s curative factors (Townsend, 2013). Not everyone is applicable, but this group seemed focused on the first factor, instilling hope, which is likely a fundamental concern for a group that addressed the needs of the newly-sober. The theme of universality is also stressed at the beginning of the meeting, as the steps in the AA process emphasize how alcoholism can affect people from all walks of life. The third factor, the imparting of information, is a fundamental part of this group, as the members are learning about the 12 step process. It is difficult to say exactly how well some of the other factors on the list might be applicable without attending multiple meetings. . Overall it seemed like a positive environment, and most of the attendees were vocal in offering support after each person who shared was finished speaking (though only about half the people spoke) and after chips were handed out. I have limited firsthand experience with AA, but I got the sense that it offered a positive support group for the participants.

References

Aa.org,. (2014). Alcoholics Anonymous : A.A. Timeline. Retrieved 15 September 2014, from http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/aa-timeline

Aacentralohio.org,. (2014). Central Ohio Group Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Retrieved 15 September 2014, from http://aacentralohio.org/

Medicalcenter.osu.edu,. (2014). Talbot Hall. Retrieved 15 September 2014, from http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/hospitals_locations/talbot-hall/Pages/index.aspx

Kassel, J., & Wagner, E. (1993). Processes of change in Alcoholics Anonymous: A review of possible mechanisms. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 30(2), 222.

Townsend, M. (2013). Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Concepts of Care in Evidence-Based Practice 6th Edition (1st ed.). F. A. Davis Company.