For many adult children of alcoholics (ACoA), it’s normal for the difficult experiences from childhood to last well into adulthood. If you’re hoping to find healing from growing up with an alcoholic parent, luckily, there are many support groups for adult children of alcoholics that can help.

There has been nothing more impactful in my healing journey as an adult child of an alcoholic than hearing the stories of other people who’ve loved alcoholics and healed. Attending an Al-Anon meeting and publicly admitting that I was deeply affected by my mother’s alcoholism was the catalyst for my healing journey! I am forever grateful for all the meetings I’ve attended over the years. I highly recommend you consider attending Al-Anon or Adult Child of an Alcoholic support group meetings.

Al-Anon is an organization that holds support groups for family and friends of alcoholics. Alateen is a subset of Al-Anon specifically for younger people, especially teens. The Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) organization is an international support group specifically for people who grew up with an alcoholic parent.

Attending an Al-Anon or Adult Children of Alcoholics support group meeting is a powerful way to find healing, support, and comfort as you work through the challenges of ACoA recovery. Wondering what to expect in an Al-Anon or Adult Children of Alcoholics support group meeting? Here’s what you need to know:

How it Works

If you’ve never attended an Al-Anon or Adult Children of Alcoholics support group meeting before, knowing what to expect will help you feel more comfortable. Here is the typical format of a support group meeting:

Most Al-Anon support groups meet once a week for an hour, although if you’re looking for more frequent support, you can attend multiple groups. You can meet in person or virtually. In person, members usually sit in a circle in order to encourage unity and openness. A facilitator who has also been affected by alcoholism usually leads the meeting and opens by sharing about their own experience. Then, the facilitator will open up the meeting to whoever else would like to share. Anyone in the meeting is welcome to speak; however, there are a few basic rules:

• First names only: First, when sharing, remember to only use first names. This includes when you introduce yourself, but also anyone (especially the alcoholic) that you refer to when sharing your experience. Sticking to first names is important because it helps you respect the privacy of others.

• Be respectful: Secondly, members are welcome to share anything they’d like, as long as they use respectful language. This means avoiding swear words or other language that could be offensive to others in the room.

It’s also important to know that anything you share (and anything anyone else shares) during the meeting is completely confidential, so feel free to open up if you’re comfortable. The support group is meant to be a safe place, and members are expected to respect each other’s privacy. You can be as vocal or as silent as you’re comfortable with during the meeting. It’s simply meant to be a safe place to help you know you’re not alone in your struggles!

Try Different Groups

Every Al-Anon or ACA support group meeting has a different vibe. Some are more formal and organized than others. You may need to attend a few different group meetings to find the one that fits you best. If you don’t like the vibe of one group, you don’t ever have to go back. Keep going and find one that is helpful for you.

Join a Support Group Today

Joining a support group can be a powerful way to help you find healing as an adult child of an alcoholic. Whether you choose to share your experience or simply listen, the comfort and healing you’ll experience can be an invaluable part of your healing journey.

You can meet in person or virtually. To learn more about joining a support group for Adult Children of Alcoholics, check out the Al-Anon and ACA websites.

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