Although the group leader set the tone for the meeting, it was apparent that the members had a previous agreed upon guideline of the expectation of the group discussion. Additionally, the group members were respectful and “committed to the goals of the group” (Cherry, 2017).
The honesty of the group members was raw and emotional. Members placed their trust and respect in the group members and the 12-step program. Quickly, I realized this group was a safe and supportive forum for members in every stage of recovery. Although the leader referred to the meeting as a discussion, there was no conversational exchange. In an AA meeting, group members share their thoughts based on the group leader’s topic, however, it does not spark discussion. The group responds by saying, “thank you for sharing” and then the next member began to share their thoughts. Although I observed conversations after the meeting, no advice took place during the meeting. During the observation, I noticed the majority of the members were Caucasian males. Additionally, one other person in attendance was the wife of a recovering addict and was there to support her spouse. The members were at various stages in their recovery and some members were struggling with recent