ACA Meetings

ACA groups tend to focus on understanding the specific behavior and attitude patterns we develop while growing up.

Attendees working the Steps begin to see more clearly that which is positive and healthy in themselves.

Experience, strength, and hope is shared among attendees.

Each meeting and each meeting group is different. Many will be a good fit for you, some will not. Try a few.

In meetings we: found hope, found out about recovery, learned about awareness, and learned about 're-parenting' ourselves. We practiced expressing hurts and fears and got rid of shame and blame. We learned we could be successfully responsible for the solution to our problems. We let a bit more joy, serenity, and happiness into our lives.

We learned that 'group consciousness' could be a powerful help. We learned new lessons from old experiences. We found effectiveness. We raised our consciousness of reality, awareness, love, acceptance, and more.

We became better livers. 

 

ACA

ACA, or 'Adult Children of Alcoholics' is a movement that has members who have learned to help themselves to develop better lives. Membership is wide-spread. In the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, ACA has a rather nice dedicated building.

These knowledgeable members of ACA have often been 'graduates'  from other 12 Step programs such as Alsteen, Alanon, and AA. Many of the the individuals now benefiting from the knowledge circulating in ACA groups have never used alcohol or narcotics and did not grow up with alcoholic family members. The did, however, often com from families not fully functional.

ACA members learned the value of the 12 Steps from AA members. They began to learn to interpret and to work the steps from recovering and recovered AA members.

They began to identify their 'problem' more clearly and continue to do so. Generally, it was found, they had developed and deeply integrated 'coping skills' that were not working effectively for them.

By the 1980s ACA people were separating from Alanon and were getting useful information from the works of Claudia Black, Sharon Wegschnider-Cruse and similar workers in the field. ACA members began to develop an awareness of the value of reviewing their family history.

Some ACA members found themselves able to more clearly think and speak of sanity and reality. Some began to feel less need for anonymity, but continue to practice it. ACA continues to have a more open literature program than do most 12 Step programs.

Meetings are at the heart of ACA. The meetings ten to be democratic. Some suggest that the more democratic the meeting the surer the healing, and the happier and more effective the results.

ACA Twelve Step Service

Supports:
Recovery power,
Membership meetings,
Group conscience,
Group consciousness,
Focus on principles,
Sharing of experience, strength, and hope,
Service according to ability,
Progress less than perfection,
Leaderless governance.

My ongoing interpretation of The Steps keeps me on a good path.