Episode 196: Secular Al-Anon Boise: An Update

Beyond Belief Sobriety

About a year ago, we posted Episode 137 about a secular Al-Anon group that started meeting in Boise, Idaho. That episode featured a conversation with one of the group’s co-founders, Kim L., who talked about the challenges with starting the meeting. In this episode, the group’s other co-founder, Chia provided an update on how the group has been fairing and how COVID has actually helped their group grow.

Key points and topics discussed

• A brief description of what Al-Anon is all about.
• The challenges faced by a secular person in Al-Anon.
• The problem with listing a secular meeting on the Al-Anon World Services website.
• Steps six and seven from a secular point of view.
• How COVID has helped the group since it moved online.

Memorable quotes

We come in thinking that the problem is someone else and we stick around to find out that the problem is us, and if we want to stop being at the effect of other people, then it is up to us to stop. We can’t change everyone in the world. That’s what Al-Anon is all about. – Chia

There is in Al-Anon, an awful lot of “let to and let god,” well you just take away the god, and you let go. -Chia

Those people in the meeting were manifesting the power that I see as propelling recovery. – Chia

I pretty much understand my Step Four as being about outdated strategies – Chia

Anyone who has thought about starting a secular Al-Anon meeting now is the time to do it. – Chia

Resources

Secular Al-Anon Website
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