Introduction
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the oldest and most numerous support groups. It focuses on people with alcohol addiction who seek to control their behaviors and want to change their lives for the better (Forsyth, 2019). I attended four meetings in this group, with seven to eight members attending each one. This number of participants is considered the most suitable for therapeutic groups (Jacobs et al., 2016).
In educational groups, there may be up to 30-40 individuals (Jacobs et al., 2016), but I did not attend that type of group. The sessions lasted an average of one hour, which is ideal for AA groups. The fourth meeting lasted a bit longer since group members had many stories and apprehensions to share and discuss. This paper reflects my observations of group members, the leader, and group dynamics.
Meeting Content and Process
1st Meeting
The topic of the first meeting that I attended was ‘Acceptance.’ During the session, the group leader encouraged the participants to share their stories and explained that attending support group meetings was a significant step forward on the path to recovery. The leader also explained how crucial it was for people with an addiction to admit and accept their problem. The content of the meeting was appropriate for the members and aligned with the goals, as acknowledging one’s powerlessness over alcohol is a primary step in the AA program (Forsyth, 2019). The leader’s approach to the session was effective, as the participants ended up discussing what it took for them to realize their addiction problem.
One of the group members shared a story of losing touch with her husband and children as a result of alcoholism and said she was willing to change because she really loved her family and wanted them to forgive her past behaviors. The leader explained that family members are often affected by their loved one’s addiction, which can result in stress and anxiety (Karimi et al., 2019). Another group member said they had lost a great job due to addiction and wanted to get it back and be treated as a reliable person again.
2nd Meeting
The second meeting’s topic was ‘Freedom through sobriety,’ which aimed to analyze how being free from alcohol could benefit group members. They shared stories of how self-determined and independent they used to be before they gave up their lives to alcoholism. Some of the stories were very sad, as two members appeared to have held important positions in international companies. It was both disappointing to see what alcohol could turn people into and encouraging to notice how they were willing to change.
Being part of a circle of individuals who are pro-abstinence increases the chances of success (Forsyth, 2019). The leader explained the importance of breaking the ties that connect group members with negative habits, which was extremely important for the participants. The meeting content was well-suited to the set goals, and the leader guided it in a manner that benefited the participants.
3rd Meeting
The topic of the third meeting was ‘Personal spiritual experience and spiritual awakening.’ The role of spiritual impact in the recovery process has been acknowledged as an important component of the AA program (Forsyth, 2019). Hence, the content was highly suitable for the members’ needs. The group leader presented the content in a relevant way that stimulated group members to recognize the significance of spirituality, without coercing them into it.
One of the participants shared a story about how their church leader approached them and expressed a willingness to support them throughout their treatment. The man said he had felt extremely inspired by that deed since his only daughter refused to communicate with him. Some members expressed disbelief in a higher power, but others shared deeply intimate stories and insights. The meeting was very warm, and the majority of the members appeared motivated to engage in spiritual practices.
4th Meeting
The topic of the last meeting I attended was ‘Stigma and the ways of managing it.’ The problem of stigma in people with an addiction is a severe one, with researchers emphasizing the variety of its negative effects (Forsyth, 2019). This meeting was the most difficult in terms of the topic and personal stories, as the latter contained many instances of insulting and deprecating attitudes. One young woman admitted that when she told her coworkers that she had joined AA, they started mocking her and reported her to the manager even though she had never demonstrated any alcoholism-related behaviors at work.
The leader discussed ways to cope with stigma and provided helpful resources for its management. The meeting was equally complicated and rewarding, as the content included in it was really necessary for the participants to process. Peer responses play a crucial role in group counseling, as they facilitate the development of friendly relationships among group members (Logren et al., 2019). I observed a positive dynamic during this meeting, which I believe was achieved due to the leader’s encouragement and support.
Leadership Styles and Skills
The group was voluntary, meaning that persons attending the meetings wanted to change something in their lives rather than being mandated to do so. The leader’s primary function in a support group is to encourage group members to share their experiences (Jacobs et al., 2016). It is of utmost importance that neither the leader nor any group member takes a dominant position, as otherwise, the goals of group therapy will not be achieved. I noticed that the leader of the group was very attentive to this issue and consistently tried to counterbalance the extra self-centeredness of those members who tended to make it all about themselves. I found this feature highly effective and appreciated the leader’s effort.
The leadership style used during the meetings was democratic, meaning that the leader believed that group members were capable of coping with their problems but needed facilitation on the way. The skills that I found most prominent and crucial in the group leader were openness, objectivity, patience, and strength. Although a leader must express sympathy and support, they must first of all be objective and ready to set boundaries.
I observed these features in the group leader, and the choice of leadership style, along with the primary characteristics of the leader, enhanced the productivity of the sessions. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised by the leader’s level of openness, as they were not ashamed to share their own story of failure. In fact, this transparency made some group members feel more at ease, thereby enhancing the therapeutic benefits.
A challenge I observed during the first meeting was the lack of interest among some of the participants. At that point, the leader served as a model through self-disclosure, which is a typical practice for such groups (Jacobs et al., 2016). I appreciated this attitude since the leader’s story changed the way group members listened to him from then on. They felt that the leader was one of them and, more importantly, they saw that it was possible to change if one set such a goal. Another challenge was the group members who behaved aggressively. To overcome such attitudes, the leader employed patience and persistence, which enabled him to mitigate potential conflicts and conduct the sessions successfully.
Group Dynamics
The group I attended meetings with was in the middle stage of development. As I understood, they had had their beginning stage a few meetings earlier. During those meetings, they received a general explanation and guidance on what their meetings would be about, and each member also had a few words to introduce themselves (Jacobs et al., 2016). The group was more or less homogeneous, and although people varied in age, the common problem united them. I also determined that the stage was a working one, as the participants actively discussed the issues and questions, seemed to know each other, and even had some preferences when choosing their seats.
Over the course of these four meetings, I noticed changes in group members that signified positive dynamics. Specifically, I observed how participants practiced and demonstrated universality, hope, interpersonal learning, self-disclosure, catharsis, altruism, and other elements of change (Forsyth, 2019). Group members were actively participating by sharing their problems, supporting one another, developing social skills, and connecting with the rest of the group. For instance, there was a moment during the fourth meeting when a single mother, whose child had been taken away by child protective services because of her alcoholism, broke out crying and could not calm down. She was devastated and looked truly repentant for her past behaviors. Two other members, who had not been very active during earlier meetings, expressed strong support for her.
At that point, I noticed two important features of group dynamics: catharsis and interpersonal learning. On the one hand, the mother released the emotions she had been suppressing for a long time as she had no one to share them with (Forsyth, 2019). On the other hand, the previously inactive members demonstrated social skills that they had developed through participating in group meetings and learning from their peers.
Above all, the group had a profoundly positive influence on participants, instilling hope. Group members gradually changed their perceptions toward viewing their problems. Rather than considering the latter impossible to deal with, they began to feel that they could overcome them (Forsyth, 2019). This is the utmost value of such group therapy.
Application and Conclusion
My overall experience of attending these meetings was highly positive. I valued the leader’s approach, and I would not change anything if I were in their position. It was evident that the leader was an experienced professional, despite conducting sessions voluntarily. They were effective in their approach to work, as group members demonstrated sincere interest both in sharing their stories and supporting others. I did not notice any hostility and observed only a few instances of indifference, which is quite normal for such meetings.
The meetings promoted a biblical view of persons by adhering to the 12-step program, which is rooted in the AA doctrine. According to this program, human fallibility is viewed as a part of the process of acknowledging one’s failures (Forsyth, 2019). Another indication was the participants’ belief in a higher power and its potential to help them become stronger. Although group members held various interpretations of this higher power, they agreed on the major issue of its impact on their treatment. Furthermore, the steps of creating a moral inventory, acknowledging one’s wrongs, and reflecting on one’s behaviors were reflected in the meetings. All of these indicate the group’s encouragement of the biblical view of individuals.
The ethical guidelines for group counseling were carefully adhered to. First and foremost, the unethical behavior of a leader is manifested through their lack of competence or inappropriate care of the members (Jacobs et al., 2016). This was not the case with the leader whose meetings I attended. It was evident that they were well-prepared and constantly worked on self-development. He expressed genuine interest in participants’ stories, mood shifts, and revelations. As Jacobs et al. (2016) remark, holding a degree is not sufficient for an individual to be a successful leader. Rather, one should thoroughly understand group dynamics, processes, and development (Jacobs et al., 2016). The leader of the group that I observed demonstrated these features, which makes me consider him a highly ethical professional.
The experience of attending AA meetings was unique and beneficial. While I cannot empathize with people suffering from addiction issues, I do sympathize with them a lot. I was lucky to see the work of a truly dedicated leader who strived to help each group member gain their goals related to lifestyle, relationships, and self-determination. The insights I gained through this experience will be useful for my professional development.
References
Forsyth, D. R. (2019). Group dynamics (7th ed.). Cengage.
Jacobs, E. E., Schimmel, C. J., Masson, R. L., & Harvill, R. L. (2016). Group counseling: Strategies and skills (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Karimi, Z., Rezaee, N., Shakiba, M., & Navidian, A. (2019). The effect of group counseling based on quality of life therapy on stress and life satisfaction in family caregivers of individuals with substance use problem: A randomized controlled trial. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(12), 1012-1018.
Logren, A., Ruusuvuori, J., & Laitinen, J. (2019). Peer responses to self-disclosures in group counseling. Text & Talk, 39(5), 1-35.