comments, please-

[[[]]]

Tomorrow I begin some ongoing volunteer work. I'll be leading a weekly 12
step meeting on an in-patient addiction-related unit in a local hospital.
The unit serves the LGBT community exclusively.

I'm feeling really good about my new venture, but I'm not really sure how
things may go.

The format of the meeting is my choice solely, so I feel I need to be as
inclusive as I can possibly be. The patients on the unit are being treated
for alcohol, cocaine, crack other substance addictions. There have also been
many folks admitted with meth and sex addictions of late.

I'm concerned that a Big Book meeting might not be what may be most helpful
to the majority, yet the 12 step structure of a meeting is something I feel
comfortable with.

My own addictions are not limited to alcohol alone, so I'm hoping the
patients will find my experiences similar to their own. So I'm thinking I'll
give a lead and then open it up to the others.

A bit of encouragement and your valuable advice would be appreciated. Thanks
all.

-Steve

[Sam]

[[]] wrote:
> Tomorrow I begin some ongoing volunteer work. I'll be leading a weekly 12
>
> A bit of encouragement and your valuable advice would be appreciated. Thanks
> all.
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
I get the most out of 12x12 meeting where
someone ( or the group) reads a short passage
from the traditions and the group discusses it.

Step 1 : My life is unmanageable. Why ?

[dan mcgown]

"[[]]" <[[]]@[[]].com> wrote in message
news:32cLe.14160$PD5.8688@fe57.usenetserver.com...
> Tomorrow I begin some ongoing volunteer work. I'll be leading a weekly 12
> step meeting on an in-patient addiction-related unit in a local hospital.
> The unit serves the LGBT community exclusively.
>
> I'm feeling really good about my new venture, but I'm not really sure how
> things may go.
>
> The format of the meeting is my choice solely, so I feel I need to be as
> inclusive as I can possibly be. The patients on the unit are being treated
> for alcohol, cocaine, crack other substance addictions. There have also
> been many folks admitted with meth and sex addictions of late.
>
> I'm concerned that a Big Book meeting might not be what may be most
> helpful to the majority, yet the 12 step structure of a meeting is
> something I feel comfortable with.
>
> My own addictions are not limited to alcohol alone, so I'm hoping the
> patients will find my experiences similar to their own. So I'm thinking
> I'll give a lead and then open it up to the others.
>
> A bit of encouragement and your valuable advice would be appreciated.
> Thanks all.
>
> -Steve

Waytago, Steverino! I've got a regular who is actually an addict and
secondarily an alkie and even a guy who is neither but thinks that he learns
a lot about self analysis and self control at the meetings (it's an open
meeting and he sees alcoholism running through the community.) We usually
start with the Preamble (under your circumstances you may find it reasonable
to skip this one) and then "How It Works." After that, we sometimes take
turns giving a mini-lead and then open discussion. Other times, just open
discussion with a moderator. Why don't you leave format open and subject to
experiment and change until you see what your people really seem to benefit
from?
Good on ye, darlin'!
Dan

[[[]]]

> Waytago, Steverino! I've got a regular who is actually an addict and
> secondarily an alkie and even a guy who is neither but thinks that he
> learns a lot about self analysis and self control at the meetings (it's an
> open meeting and he sees alcoholism running through the community.) We
> usually start with the Preamble (under your circumstances you may find it
> reasonable to skip this one) and then "How It Works." After that, we
> sometimes take turns giving a mini-lead and then open discussion. Other
> times, just open discussion with a moderator. Why don't you leave format
> open and subject to experiment and change until you see what your people
> really seem to benefit from?
> Good on ye, darlin'!
> Dan

thanks for the responses...

well, i went with my gut and your suggestions dan, and went with 'a lead and
open comments' format. the meeting seemed to go well. there were just seven
patients on the unit. they seemed to share openly and honestly. i'm thinking
i may go with a '1st step/beginners' format with a short lead and comments
next week.

my first meeting anxiety has passed. It was a great day for me. what a high.
thanks for the encouragement, dan-really.

-steve

[dan mcgown]

"[[]]" <[[]]@[[]].com> wrote in message
news:LhxLe.57786$351.719@fe53.usenetserver.com...

> well, i went with my gut and your suggestions dan, and went with 'a lead
> and open comments' format. the meeting seemed to go well. there were just
> seven patients on the unit. they seemed to share openly and honestly. i'm
> thinking i may go with a '1st step/beginners' format with a short lead and
> comments next week.
>
> my first meeting anxiety has passed. It was a great day for me. what a
> high. thanks for the encouragement, dan-really.
>
> -steve

Steve,
Isn't it a magnificent rush to feel that you've made even a small
positive contribution to the life of somebody who could really use a hand?
Well, my friend, it's also a rush to watch someone else not waste the chance
to do it.
Thanks for doing it and thanks for sharing it with us.
How long is the term of care in the unit? Are you going to be dealing
with the same people for a while or is it going to fluctuate on a short term
basis? It can make a difference in the various things you can try. For
instance, unless you have a fairly stable population you can about write off
working your way through the BB. Similar consideration with mental
stability. Are they up to sustaining a course of study type of approach
over time?
Have fun with it. It's a good thing.
Dan

[Gail]

dan mcgown wrote:
> "[[]]" <[[]]@[[]].com> wrote in message
> news:LhxLe.57786$351.719@fe53.usenetserver.com...
>
>> well, i went with my gut and your suggestions dan, and went with 'a
>> lead and open comments' format. the meeting seemed to go well. there
>> were just seven patients on the unit. they seemed to share openly
>> and honestly. i'm thinking i may go with a '1st step/beginners'
>> format with a short lead and comments next week.
>>
>> my first meeting anxiety has passed. It was a great day for me. what
>> a high. thanks for the encouragement, dan-really.
>>
>> -steve
>
> Steve,
> Isn't it a magnificent rush to feel that you've made even a small
> positive contribution to the life of somebody who could really use a
> hand? Well, my friend, it's also a rush to watch someone else not
> waste the chance to do it.
> Thanks for doing it and thanks for sharing it with us.
> How long is the term of care in the unit? Are you going to be
> dealing with the same people for a while or is it going to fluctuate
> on a short term basis? It can make a difference in the various
> things you can try. For instance, unless you have a fairly stable
> population you can about write off working your way through the BB.
> Similar consideration with mental stability. Are they up to
> sustaining a course of study type of approach over time?
> Have fun with it. It's a good thing.
> Dan


That is great, Steve! Good for you. You to, Dan.

Gail

[Bryan]

[[]] wrote:
> Tomorrow I begin some ongoing volunteer work. I'll be leading a weekly 12
> step meeting on an in-patient addiction-related unit in a local hospital.
> The unit serves the LGBT community exclusively.
>
> I'm feeling really good about my new venture, but I'm not really sure how
> things may go.
>
> The format of the meeting is my choice solely, so I feel I need to be as
> inclusive as I can possibly be. The patients on the unit are being treated
> for alcohol, cocaine, crack other substance addictions. There have also been
> many folks admitted with meth and sex addictions of late.
>
> I'm concerned that a Big Book meeting might not be what may be most helpful
> to the majority, yet the 12 step structure of a meeting is something I feel
> comfortable with.
>
> My own addictions are not limited to alcohol alone, so I'm hoping the
> patients will find my experiences similar to their own. So I'm thinking I'll
> give a lead and then open it up to the others.
>
> A bit of encouragement and your valuable advice would be appreciated. Thanks
> all.
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
That is great man. I've been through treatment
programs before and the people that helped me the
most were recovering alcoholics. You'll do fine.
You get through to one person and save one life
you'll find it very rewarding.

[[[]]]

"Bryan" <bekberg@charter.net> wrote in message
news:VsWLe.8020$0E5.6478@fe05.lga...
> [[]] wrote:
>> Tomorrow I begin some ongoing volunteer work. I'll be leading a weekly 12
>> step meeting on an in-patient addiction-related unit in a local hospital.
>> The unit serves the LGBT community exclusively.
>>
>> I'm feeling really good about my new venture, but I'm not really sure how
>> things may go.
>>
>> The format of the meeting is my choice solely, so I feel I need to be as
>> inclusive as I can possibly be. The patients on the unit are being
>> treated for alcohol, cocaine, crack other substance addictions. There
>> have also been many folks admitted with meth and sex addictions of late.
>>
>> I'm concerned that a Big Book meeting might not be what may be most
>> helpful to the majority, yet the 12 step structure of a meeting is
>> something I feel comfortable with.
>>
>> My own addictions are not limited to alcohol alone, so I'm hoping the
>> patients will find my experiences similar to their own. So I'm thinking
>> I'll give a lead and then open it up to the others.
>>
>> A bit of encouragement and your valuable advice would be appreciated.
>> Thanks all.
>>
>> -Steve
> That is great man. I've been through treatment programs before and the
> people that helped me the most were recovering alcoholics. You'll do
> fine. You get through to one person and save one life you'll find it very
> rewarding.

thanks for your encouragement, Bryan.