Northside Fellowship

Types of AA Meetings

Big Book: California AA meetings often feature the Big Book. This text features stories about how women and men overcame alcohol use disorder and is used to inspire clients to build resilience.

Birthday: In AA, birthdays refer to the last day (or the day after) that a member used alcohol or drugs. Birthday anniversaries are celebrated as milestones to encourage sobriety.

Closed: Closed AA meetings in California are not open to the general public. They are reserved for members and anyone who has a desire to stop drinking. Discussions are personal in nature and related to alcohol addiction recovery.

Men: Select AA chapters in California might focus only on men’s recovery. These chapters offer free 12 Step Programs designed specifically for men of all ages.

Secular: Secular AA meetings lack a faith-based component of healing and tend to focus on practical experiences and challenges. Secular meetings are usually attended by atheist, agnostic, and non-religious members.

Women: California women’s AA meetings are peer support meetings for women who are affected by alcohol addiction. Using a 12-step curriculum, these meetings help women at all stages of alcoholism recovery, offering a safe and productive space for community support. These meetings are available at no charge for women of all ages.

Young People: AA meetings for young people are intended for members in early adulthood, usually in their late teens and twenties. These groups focus on the experiences and issues that young people may face in their recovery.