Use the drop down menu on the meetings tab to locate an in-state meeting. To locate a meeting out of state click here. For a list of online meetings available via the WSO website click here.

 

WHO MAY ATTEND AL-ANON MEETINGS?

Anyone who has been affected by someone else's drinking in the past or present is welcome at any AL-ANON meeting.

 

WHAT ARE AL-ANON MEETINGS LIKE?

In a typical AL-ANON meeting, participants share and listen to the experiences, strengths and hopes of one another on a confidential and anonymous basis.  Most AL-ANON meetings focus at first on a topic delivered by a lead-off speaker, followed by participants speaking about how that topic relates to their own lives or about other experiences in their lives. Participants are not required to speak, but when they do, they are encouraged to share their own experience, strength and hope, focusing on their own life without gossip or criticism of one another.

 

ARE ALL AL-ANON MEETINGS THE SAME?

Each AL-ANON meeting is operated independently, and each has its own character and focus.  Some meetings focus on special topics or needs (see below). Some of these meetings, called Families, Friends, & Observers meetings(FFO), allow members of the public seeking information. 

 

ABOUT AL-ANON MEETINGS DESIGNATION (OR TYPE)  

 


AL-ANON Family Group meetings welcome anyone who believes that their life has been affected by the drinking habits of someone in either the past or the present.  In a typical AL-ANON meeting, participants share and listen to the experiences, strengths and hopes of one another on a confidential and anonymous basis.  By default, AL-ANON meetings are for "families and friends only" in the sense that only people who believe that their life has been affected by the drinking habits of someone in either the past or the present and who are willing to participate confidentially and anonymously are invited. 

 

However, an AL-ANON meeting may choose to be a "families, friends & observers" meeting by the consent of its participants. This means that an AL-ANON meeting is one that allows public attendance by people who do not believe that their life has been affected by the drinking habits of someone else, but who are interested in learning about AL-ANON Family Groups and about living with people who have drinking problems.  People who typically come to this type of AL-ANON meeting may include doctors, mental health professionals, students, librarians, human resource administrators and civil servants, as well as people from all walks of life who want information and people who do believe that their life has been affected by the drinking habits of someone else.

 

People who would like to attend a families, friends, & observers AL-ANON meeting are encouraged to seek out meetings that are designated with "FFO" and thus, open to the public. The meeting schedule on this web site lists several in the State of Connecticut that have chosen to operate as "FFO" AL-ANON meetings. "Families & Friends"(FF) meetings may choose to make one or more of their meetings open to the public, but this should be arranged carefully in advance so that the people participating in that meeting can discuss privately whether to do so.

Members of the public attending "FFO" AL-ANON meetings are requested to abide by the principles that guide participation in all AL-ANON Family Group meetings, most especially the principles of confidentiality and anonymity that protect its active participants. Maintaining these fundamental principles  is essential to the success of AL-ANON Family Groups.
SPECIAL AL-ANON MEETING FORMATS
The AL-ANON Family Groups program in Connecticut offers meetings in a number of different formats.  The meeting listings indicate special types of meeting formats.  Meetings may sometimes combine one or more special formats.  The following is a summary of the special meeting formats found in our Connecticut meetings. Note: Any Al-Anon member is welcome at ANY Al-Anon meeting. Alateen meetings are ONLY for Alateens & Certified AMIAS. Alateens may attend Al-Anon meetings.
BEGINNERS MEETINGS
  Meetings designed especially with newcomers to AL-ANON in mind.  Beginners Meetings are sometimes separate meetings but are oftentimes held as an extension to a regular AL-ANON meeting. Sometimes beginners also attend a Families, Friends, & Observers Meeting to obtain public information.
ALATEEN MEETINGS
  Alateen meetings are restricted to Alateens and Certified AMIAS only. They are AL-ANON meetings meant specifically for discussions by teenagers who have been affected by someone else's drinking. Adults, please attend other AL-ANON meetings, usually nearby.  Check individual listings, some meetings invite preteens.

Alateen Meetings
"FAMILIES, FRIENDS, & OBSERVERS MEETINGS"
  Meetings where professionals and the general public are encouraged to obtain information about AL-ANON and the effect of drinking problems on other people.
AA MEETING NEARBY
  Any AL-ANON meeting that meets at about the same time and place as a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).  AA and AL-ANON meetings are run separately and independently.  Times and locations may not always be exactly identical.
BABYSITTING  MEETINGS
  Meetings where there is babysitting available at the meeting site (no fees required for babysitting).
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE  MEETINGS
  Meetings where the room used for the meeting is accessible to the physically handicapped.
STEP MEETINGS
  Meetings in which the discussion focuses on one or more of the twelve steps of AL-ANON.  Most step meetings cover all of the steps on a rolling basis, others concentrate on one specific step.
PARENTS MEETINGS
  Meetings where the discussion focuses on issues relating to being a parent of a problem drinker. 
ADULT CHILDREN MEETINGS
  Meetings where the discussion focuses on adults whose lives have been affected by the drinking of a parent or other caretaker. 
MEN'S MEETINGS
  Meetings where the discussion focuses on men whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking. 
WOMEN'S MEETINGS
  Meetings where the discussion focuses on women whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking. 
LGBTQ+ MEETINGS
  Meetings where the discussion focuses on issues found in the lives of LGBTQ+ people and their friends who have been affected by someone else's drinking.