Original Frederick Group

Types of AA Meetings

Closed: In Maryland, closed AA meetings are not accessible to the general public. The only people who can attend are current members and individuals who recognize they have a problem with drinking and want to find help. Discussions are informal and participation is encouraged.

Discussion: AA discussion meetings in Maryland are designed to be conversational and informative. Leaders will choose a theme for discussion that relates to alcohol addiction and recovery, often pulling inspiration from an AA text, such as Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. After sharing briefly, they’ll invite others to join in.

Speaker: Speakers are often part of an AA program to motivate audiences to harden their resolve against alcohol. In Maryland, speakers tend to use a mixture of humor, faith, charm, and raw emotions.

Step Meeting: Step meetings are a central part of AA programs in Maryland. Here, members read passages from AA texts like Twelve Steps, discuss how they have used these steps in their recovery, and make plans for improvement for their next meeting.

Tradition Study: Tradition Study sessions are AA reflections about the organization. Members discuss how AA chapters can be more successful in their purpose through greater unity and its outreach programs.

Wheelchair-Accessible Bathroom: Selected AA centers offer wheelchair-accessible bathrooms for participants. These bathrooms have enough space for a wheelchair to safely navigate, and can include private stalls with guardrails, reachable toilet paper and seat cover dispensers, a wash basin, and other amenities.