AL-ANON GROUP LEADER GUIDELINES
1. TRY TO LIMIT THE SIZE OF THE GROUP TO TEN MEMBERS AND SUGGEST A SECOND GROUP BE FORMED IF THERE ARE MORE THAN 10 AT THE TABLE.
2. BE FLEXIBLE IN KEEPING ON THE TOPIC, BUT REFOCUS THE GROUP BACK ONTO THE TOPIC WHEN CLEARLY NEEDED. IT IS OKAY TO CUT SOMEONE OFF IF THEY ARE MONOPOLIZING THE DISCUSSION OR IF THEY ARE INTERRUPTING OTHERS WHO ARE TRYING TO SHARE.
3. REMEMBER WE ARE HER TO SHARE SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS RATHER THAN COMPLAINTS. DUMPING BELONGS AT THE BEGINNER'S TABLE.
OPENING:
3. "CROSSTALK IS TO BE AVOIDED. ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF OUR MEETING IS THAT WE EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS AND WORK THROUGH THEM WITHOUT JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS. PEOPLE ARE NOT HERE TO GIVE ADVICE. IF SOMEONE FEELS THAT HE OR SHE NEEDS TO SHARE WITH ANOTHER, PLEASE WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS SO THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE GROUP WILL HAVE TIME TO SHARE."
4. YOU MAY ASK EACH GROUP MEMBER TO INTRODUCE HIM/HERSELF BY FIRST NAME.
AS LEADER, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
TOPIC. YOU MAY READ APPROVED LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT AS AN INTRO.
CLOSING:
5. "IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE WERE STRICTLY THOSE OF THE PERSON WHO GAVE THEM. TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND LEAVE THE REST. THE THINGS YOU HEARD WERE SPOKEN IN CONFIDENCE AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL. KEEP THEM WITHIN THIS ROOM AND WITHIN THE CONFINES OF YOUR MIND.
A FEW SPECIAL WORDS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN WITH US LONG. WHATEVER OUR PROBLEMS, THERE ARE THOSE AMONG US WHO HAVE HAD THEM TOO. IF YOU TRY TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND, YOU WILL FIND HELP. YOU WILL COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO SITUATION TOO DIFFICULT TO BE BETTERED AND NO UNHAPPINESS TOO GREAT TO BE LESSENED.
WE AREN'T PERFECT. THE WELCOME WE GIVE YOU MAY NOT SHOW THE WARMTH WE HAVE IN OUR HEARTS FOR YOU. AFTER A WHILE, YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT LIKE ALL OF US, YOU WILL LOVE US IN A VERY SPECIAL WAYTHE SAME WAY WE ALREADY LOVE YOU. TALK TO EACH OTHER. REASON THINGS OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE, BUT LET THERE BE NO GOSSIP OR CRITICISM OF ONE ANOTHER. INSTEAD, LET THE UNDERSTANDING, LOVE, AND PEACE OF THE PROGRAM GROW IN YOU ONE DAY AT A TIME."
6. "WILL ALL WHO CARE TO, JOIN ME IN THE CLOSING PRAYER?"
(Hold hands or HUG each other)
7. "KEEP COMING BACK! IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT!"
Source Anonymous
Last Revised -- Monday, November 23, 1999 12:01:20 PM
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