AA Meeting Therapy?

Lately I've been hearing a lot of judgement about the way people share at 12 Step discussion meetings. Particuarly, open topic meetings. The criticism seems to surround those who share a particular problem at a meeting rather than sharing the experience with a certain Step, Tradition, etc. It's being dubbed "Meeting Therapy". 

I benefited greatly from open topic meetings when I first started coming around the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. I would share a problem and learn how other people dealt with that problem. Dealt with it without having to take a drink or drug. It was in these types of meetings that I was able to share honestly where I had nowhere else to share.

I remember during being at a men's discussion meeting sharing that I was hanging around a female newcomer (I too was newcomer but had a few more months than she) who was still drinking. I was rationalizing this behaviour by saying I was trying to help her to quit drinking. Well, I got blasted at that meeting by my fellow alcoholics. I was told in no uncertain terms that I was endangering my recvovery and setting msyself up for relapse. I had to take a clear look at my ture motives for hanging around this lady and the truth quickly emerged - I was a horny newcomer. I stopped hanging around the person (other than at meetings) and got back on track after sharing this at that meeting. Who knows - the feedback I recieved may have saved may life. In early recovery and mid-recovery I was living with my father. I was making a living amends but at the same time I would often share at these meetings about difficulties I was having getting along with him. The wisdom given to me by those who had gone before me helped me improve my relationship with my dad. I learned acceptance, selflessness and a better understanding of the Serenity Prayer. All important facets to a 12 Step Program. It seems to me those who I hear criticizing these meetings would have heard me sharing these issues and dismissed me as a person who didn't want sobriety. Writing me off as a person who was using Alcoholics Anonymous as free therapy. 

I could see having issues if I kept returning to the same meetings, sharing the same problems without ever doing anything about it. That would mean I was being stagnant, living in the problem rather than the solution. I can see how that type of behaviour could merit some criticism to myself and those listening who weren't telling me to stop talking about it and change the situation. The thing is, from my expreience, this is not happening. When someone shares a problem they are given the experience by another who had a similar issue and how it was solved using the principles of the 12 Steps of Recvoery. 

I think every type of meeting has it's place. I learn from all types of meetings be they Big Book, 12X12, open topic or speaker. Often I have to ask myself, not what the meeting can bring me but what I can bring to the meeting? The same people who are criticising meeting therapy are putting down speaker meetings as well. I often hear people say you can't get anything from these meetings. I've been to many the speaker meeting where I was moved by either a reading, an interpretation of a slogan or the main speaker him/herself. Critics often put down speaker meetings as, "merely Fellowship" meetings. I can tell you along with the 12 Steps and service that Fellowship is a huge part of my recovery. When I first entered into recvoery I was carried on the shoulders of the Fellowship until I could stand on my own two feet and having completed the Steps call myself a grateful recovered alcoholic.

Dave the Dude