Recovery Groups
Recovery Groups
People seeking or in long-term recovery, along with their families and loved ones, have a growing number of mutual aid groups to choose to participate in. Some of these groups are online and others hold in-person/face-to-face meetings in communities across the country. Helping others as part of a mutual aid group is an important way that many people have sustained their personal long-term recovery.
Purpose
Find out about the growing number and scope of volunteer recovery mutual aid groups. This one-stop resource is for people in or seeking recovery from substance use disorder, their families and friends, addiction treatment service providers, and other allied service professionals. Numerous research studies have shown that mutual aid groups play a significant role in the process of recovery. Here you can learn about the many varieties of online and in-person mutual aid groups that are helping people find and sustain their recovery from substance use disorder.
History
The Guide to Mutual Aid Resources was developed by Ernest and Linda Kurtz for the Behavioral Health Recovery Management project in 2001. In 2005, the Guide moved to Faces & Voices of Recovery. Ernest Kurtz continued to manage it with the help of committee members Mike Boyle, Linda Kurtz, Pat Taylor and Bill White. In 2009, Lora Passetti and Bill White took over responsibility for working with committee members to update the Guide. In 2009, Faces & Voices of Recovery received funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Partner for Recovery Initiative to enhance the Guide.
Email us at info@facesandvoicesofrecovery.org with your ideas and suggestions.
Faces & Voices of Recovery as an organization honors all pathways of recovery.
Guide to Recovery Groups
12StepMe.org
Welcome to the 12StepMe.org chat/meeting group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Our primary purpose is to provide an area for those who wish to assist others in doing the 12 steps as outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, for those who wish to learn how to sponsor others, and to demonstrate how God-dependence and service to others is the path to a happy, joyous, and free life. This website has no affiliation—implied or actual—to any organization, including Alcoholics Anonymous. The meetings in our chat room, however, are conducted by an AA group that is registered with the Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous.
16-Steps for Discovery and Empowerment
The 16-step empowerment model is a holistic approach to overcoming addiction that views people in their wholeness – mind, body and spirit. A fundamental basis of this model is flexibility and an openness which leads to continually ask: What works? Who does it work for? and How can we help it work better? It encourages people to be continually open to new information and not to become trapped in dogmatic teachings. At its core, this model is based on love not fear; internal control not external authoritarianism; affirmation not deflation; and trust in the ability of people to find their own healing path when given education, support, hope and choices.
AA AGNOSTICA
There is an increasing number of groups within AA that are not religious in their thinking or practice. These groups don’t recite prayers at the beginning or ending of their meetings nor do they suggest that a belief in God is required to get sober or to maintain sobriety. The AA Agnostica website does not endorse or oppose any form of religion or atheism.
Addictions Victorious
A nondenominational network of Christ-centered support and recovery groups. Meetings are open to men and women of all ages who struggle with various addictions and who are seeking lasting change in their lives. Loved ones and friends are also welcomed. AV partners with local church families and various Christian ministries that desire to reach out to those who are struggling with addiction-related issues.
In-person meetings in seven states (MD, MA, NE, NJ, NY, PA, WA).
AddictionSurvivors.org
AddictionSurvivors.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing peer support communities for those with addiction disorders and their families and friends. Their forums include communities for opioid addiction, alcohol dependence, stimulant addictions, and benzodiazepine addiction.
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Adult Children of Alcoholics is an anonymous 12 step, 12 tradition program of women and men who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional homes. Members meet with each other in a mutually respectful, safe environment and acknowledge common experiences. They discover how childhood affected them in the past and influences them in the present.
Al-Anon Family Groups
Founded 1955 with over 24,000 in-person groups in 115 countries. Fellowship of men, women and children whose lives have been affected by a family member or friend’s drinking. Al-Anon Family Group information is available in English, Spanish, and French. In general Al-Anon groups prefer that only family and friends of alcoholics attend their meetings. In Al-Anon, the focus is on the family member or friend, not the person with alcoholism. All family members, children, spouses, parents and friends or employers are welcome.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Fellowship of men and women who come together to share their experience, strength and hope with the purpose of staying sober and helping other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. AA materials are available in English, Spanish and French. More specific information on AA members including the 2004 AA survey is available on the AA website. There are many online AA meetings. To find meetings in the U.S. and Canada, inquire at local AA offices or view AA’s online list. A growing number of private firms are offering text and other applications for finding AA meetings at no cost.
The Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous was formed to serve all online AA Groups in the rapidly growing online fellowship. It offers links to international sites in several languages and sponsors real time meetings, email meetings, events calendar, information and links to other sites and groups. There are an extraordinary number and variety of online groups available for US participants. More information can be found here. Membership in the Intergroup is open to all online AA groups and all AA members.
AA has meetings for young people, women and other groups.
Alcoholics for Christ
An interdenominational, Christian fellowship that ministers to three groups: alcoholics or substance abusers, family members, and adult children raised in families affected by alcohol or substance abuse. Alcoholics For Christ ministries provide nondenominational, Jesus-centered, substance abuse support groups that utilize a common format and can be supported by the entire Bible-believing Christian community worldwide.
Founded 1977. Over 100 open in-person groups nationwide, many in metro-Detroit.
Alcoholics Victorious
AV groups use the 12 Steps and the Alcoholics Victorious Creed in meetings. AV offers a “safe environment for recovering people who recognize Jesus Christ as their ‘Higher Power.’” Alcoholics Victorious is a public service of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. The AV website has a good directory of 12-Step and non-12 Step recovery resources and websites.
All Addicts Anonymous
All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) is a program for all addicts and all addictions. It is grounded in the principles of the Four Absolutes, the Twelve Steps, and the Ten Points as adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous.
Because I Love You (BILY)
Nonprofit support group for parents whose children (of all ages) have behavioral problems, including alcohol and/or drug use. Focus is on providing structure, consequences and consistency in addressing these issues. BILY Too – The Youth Group youth peer support groups, are available in some areas.
Founded 1982. In-person meetings in 14 states (mostly in California) and Canada.