For Professionals - Georgia Al-Anon

Piedmont Park, Atlanta GA

Of the 10,848 members who reported receiving treatment prior to attending Al-Anon, 41 percent were referred to the program by a professional.
2,485 members indicated starting treatment since beginning Al‑Anon meetings.
Nearly three out of four continue to receive professional counseling, therapy, or treatment while attending Al‑Anon meetings.

From the 2021 Al-Anon Membership Survey

Al-Anon and Alateen are both part of the Al-Anon Family Groups. It is helpful to make your patient, client, or student aware of Al-Anon or Alateen and our purpose.

Al-Anon

We are a mutual support group of peers who share their experience in applying the Al-Anon principles to problems related to the effects of a problem drinker in their lives. It is not group therapy and is not led by a counselor or therapist. Many Al‑Anon members continue to seek professional assistance in addition to regularly attending meetings. This support network complements and supports professional treatment.

Al-Anon is:

for families and friends of alcoholics
a separate fellowship from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
based on the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions adapted from AA

compatible with professional treatment

Alateen

We are a peer support group for teens who are struggling with the effects of someone else’s problem drinking. Many Alateen groups meet at the same time and location as an Al-Anon group. Alateen meetings are open only to teenagers. Alateen is not a program for young people seeking sobriety.

Alateen is:

Is part of the Al-Anon fellowship designed for the younger relatives and friends of alcoholics through age 19
Members conduct their own meetings with the guidance of an Al-Anon members who are Alateen group sponsors
Follows the same Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts as Al-Anon

Information About Meetings

Meetings last for approximately one hour. No advance notification or written referral is necessary to attend an Al-Anon or Alateen meeting. There are no dues or fees. Groups are self-supporting by their own voluntary contributions.

Al-Anon includes people of different religious affiliations, as well as individuals without any spiritual beliefs. It is not political and welcomes people of all cultures.

Al-Anon meetings are designated as Closed or Open. Closed meetings are limited to members and prospective members, giving them the freedom to share and listen to the experience, strength, and hope of one another on a confidential and anonymous basis.

Professionals may attend Open Al-Anon meetings. An Open Al-Anon meeting welcomes members and prospective members and allows attendance by people who are not families and friends of alcoholics but who are interested in learning about Al-Anon Family Groups.

Al-Anon/Alateen Cooperate with Professionals by Providing:

Speakers and literature for conferences, workshops, and meetings
Open or introductory meetings
Meetings at schools, institutions, and other facilities
Local meeting schedules

Georgia Al-Anon and Alateen have a variety of free Al-Anon/Alateen literature:

Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism, a public outreach magazine of Al-Anon Family Groups, is published annually and is also available online. It is suggested that therapists, addiction counselors, and other professionals might share this with their patients and clients to encourage them to go to an Al-Anon meeting. To find out how to obtain copies, and to learn more about how Al-Anon/Alateen cooperates with Professionals, contact the Georgia Area 11 Public Outreach Coordinator.

Contact Area Public Outreach Coordinator