The Living Room

Types of AA Meetings

Closed: In Pennsylvania, closed AA meetings are not open to general members of the community. The only people who may attend are members of AA and individuals who know they have a drinking problem and want to find help.

Discussion: AA discussion meetings in Pennsylvania are structured around a central topic related to alcoholism and recovery. After opening the meeting and sharing the topic, leaders may share briefly from a related AA text. Then, they’ll add their own insights and encourage others to participate in the conversation.

Speaker: In Pennsylvania, speakers assist AA members by appealing to them to resist relapse. Speakers tend to use a blend of humor, reason, faith, raw emotions, and charm to dissuade members from drinking.

Women: Pennsylvania women’s AA meetings are group meetings for women who are impacted by alcoholism - those who have alcohol addiction and those who have loved ones with alcoholism. Open to women of all ages in the community, these meetings follow a 12-step recovery program and are free to attend.