"Just For Today" - Attending a 12-step NA Meeting

I attended a 12-step, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting with my classmate, Rachel W.  The group was titled "You + Me = We" and meets every morning at 8 am for an hour.  The group was held in the Cooper-Young area of Memphis is an upstairs room in an historical building.  The room was plain, with the exception of NA material, with a table in the middle of the room.  Some of the group members sat around the table, other sat in chairs on the edge of the room.  In this meeting there were only 6 members and the leader.  This is a small group that meets, but I felt this led to better discussion because each person had an opportunity to talk.  The meeting environment was simple and unassuming, and the members seemed to feel at ease to share and discuss.  The group leader was a fellow recovering addict and used a facilitative leadership style.  He started the meeting by directing everyone in the introduction readings and he also took the lead in the closing statements.  Throughout the main part of the group session, the leader allowed the group members decide what the topic would be and allowed them to discuss at random.  He invited the group members to share but did not force anyone to share.  Everything each group member said was heard with respect from the group leader and other group members. The group leader also personally shared along with the rest of the group members, role-modeling the desired behavior.  I believe the group was a behavioral cognitive group because of the focus on changing your habits and mindset in order to change behavior.  

I thought the group was very therapeutic.  Each time the group meets, they have a set reading and routine for the beginning and end of the session.  I think the consistent routine is helpful and therapeutic for the group members, and serves to remind them of their commitment each day.  The group members are allowed to share what is on their hearts as well as listen to what the other members have to say.  I think being able to share and relate to others is therapeutic and motivating for the group members.

Previously, I would have thought that this type of laid back leadership would cause the group to stray from the topic but I found that this group was very self-disciplined and followed the rules preset for NA.  I was glad that I got to experience the benefits of a largely self-directed but structured group process.  I think this structure allowed the group members to be themselves and share what they determined important to share.  After this group, I feel like I have a greater understanding for how groups really function and how they can function to promote change.  Several members of the group shared the impact of this group for their recovery.  I thought it was neat that the group members recognized the importance of the group process.  It is amazing how a group of people can get together and achieve what they failed to do individually.  What I loved the most was the sharing and relating that occurred in the group between members.

I hope that in the future I have an opportunity like this again, to attend a 12-step meeting for those in recovery.  Yes, I learned about groups, but I also learned more about the people attending recovery groups like NA.  I walked away with a new understanding of addiction and the struggle that is faced by these brave people each day.