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f you are a professional in the community such as a minister,
lawyer, doctor, or social worker, you can help those affected by someone else's
drinking by referring them to
Al-Anon.
The other sections in the links to the left describe how you can help and are
the official view of the Al-Anon/Alateen World Service Office:
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The 1999
Al-Anon/Alateen Membership Survey revealed that 51% of our members were
referred to Al-Anon by professionals. Many Al-Anon
members continue to seek professional assistance in addition
to regular attendance at meetings. The role between Al-Anon
and the professional community has always been one of
interchange, cooperation and support. |
Al-Anon meetings have
the following three general formats:
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Closed meetings are
for any person whose life is or has been affected by a problem drinker.
Meetings in the NE Ohio area are typically closed meetings.
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Open meetings are for
anybody that is interested in learning about the Al-Anon or the Alateen
program. Professionals, reporters, ministers, social workers, police,
etc. and others who are coming to learn about Al-Anon rather than to get
help for themselves may attend Open meetings, on the condition that they
abide by the principles that guide participation in all Al-Anon
meetings, especially the principles of confidentiality and anonymity
that protect its active participants. Al-Anon Group Anniversary
Meetings are generally Open meetings (see Announcements for a current
list of Anniversary meetings.)
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Limited Access
meetings are held in locations where general membership may not be able
to attend (i.e. industrial, military, school, or institutional
settlings)
The following is a
description of Al-Anon and its members:
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The only requirement
for membership is that there be a problem of drinking in a relative or a
friend
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Al-Anon is an
anonymous fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who meet to
share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their
common problems; adult children of alcoholics, parents, partners,
spouses, co-workers, etc can all find help in Al-Anon.
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Al-Anon is a separate
fellowship from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and the Al-Anon program of
recovery is based on the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions of AA.
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Al-Anon is
non-professional, self-supporting, nondenominational, multiracial,
nonpolitical, and is available almost anywhere.
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Al-Anon supports its
younger members through Alateen which is for friends and relatives of
alcoholics up to 19 years old. An adult 'sponsors' an Alateen group and
applies the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to guide the group.
The following is a
description of what Al-Anon is NOT!
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Al-Anon groups and
members (professionals or otherwise) do not act as professionals giving
counseling or advice.
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Al-Anon groups do not
gossip or criticize other members or the alcoholic.
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Al-Anon groups do not
discuss politics or religion in meetings.
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Al-Anon groups do not
endorse any other cause.
Al-Anon and Alateen
groups are formed:
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Al-Anon and Alateen
groups are formed when qualified members see a need for a meeting in a
new location.
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Although the actual
founding of a new group is the responsibility of those qualified for
membership, occasionally a doctor, social worker, minister, priest, or
AA member helps initiate the formation a a new Al-Anon group. However,
once the group has been started, professional attendance should be
limited to open meetings only.
Al-Anon and Alateen
Cooperates with professionals by providing:
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speakers and
literature for professional conferences, workshops, and meetings
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Al-Anon Speaks Out --
the Al-Anon newsletter
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Open meetings
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Meetings at schools,
institutions, and other facilities
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Local meeting
schedules
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Information packets.
These can be obtained for free by calling 216-621-1381 (M-F 9:30-3:30).
Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon's Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA |