🤔🤔 interesting , never been to a meeting but always have heard so many people that speak SO HIGHLY of it ... I’m sure over the next 10 years (I’m 35yo now) I will know someone that enters AA.
The AA Big Book might be a good place to start. It’s primarily a “how to”, but there is much historical context. It will definitely give you an understanding of the author’s view point (much of it is increasingly dated from a social context).
I picked up the author's book (and am familiar with her program The Temper) and a lot of it is about building up the person's reasons not to drink by nurturing mind, body, spirit, community etc, and changing the mindset around how they are coping with triggers.
Reminds me a lot of CBT (cognitive-behavioral theory) coupled with a habit overhaul. I liken it to feminine (community, nurture) energy vs masculine (milestones, accomplishment) energy being the focus.
Treatment for alcoholism aside, her description of AA's roots actually got me thinking if a similar model could be used to address issues of power and privilege (of a mostly white-male upper middle class) that feed the sexual assault crisis, particularly on college campuses.
Excellent. As a member of a family that subscribes to AA, I have often thought that there could be other options but as I haven't been an alcoholic myself I didn't feel I had any ground to assert those thoughts. The author makes a clear case for why an alternatively grounded treatment - although still total abstinence based- could be a better fit for women. Both programs, however, are still grounded in understanding what alcohol (or other substance) was providing that the user's life lacked.
My understanding is that some alcohol treatment programs, for example in England aren’t total abstinence based either and can be successful. Neuroscientific research is also learning much more about the physical basis of alcoholism and coming up with medical help.
This is a definite hell-yeah for me. I've yet to meet a woman in recovery whose ego was the problem, usually it's the lack thereof. Great work from an author I'm quite fond of.
Excellent article, timely and helpful. I’m a therapist but I never believed AA was the only way even though it was touted that way when I was being trained. People WERE held under suspicion if they said it wasn’t the path for them.
🤔🤔 interesting , never been to a meeting but always have heard so many people that speak SO HIGHLY of it ... I’m sure over the next 10 years (I’m 35yo now) I will know someone that enters AA.
Would love to read more on the history of AA.
The AA Big Book might be a good place to start. It’s primarily a “how to”, but there is much historical context. It will definitely give you an understanding of the author’s view point (much of it is increasingly dated from a social context).
This article makes me curious to learn more about how a feminist approach to recovery is implemented.
I picked up the author's book (and am familiar with her program The Temper) and a lot of it is about building up the person's reasons not to drink by nurturing mind, body, spirit, community etc, and changing the mindset around how they are coping with triggers.
Reminds me a lot of CBT (cognitive-behavioral theory) coupled with a habit overhaul. I liken it to feminine (community, nurture) energy vs masculine (milestones, accomplishment) energy being the focus.
Treatment for alcoholism aside, her description of AA's roots actually got me thinking if a similar model could be used to address issues of power and privilege (of a mostly white-male upper middle class) that feed the sexual assault crisis, particularly on college campuses.
Excellent. As a member of a family that subscribes to AA, I have often thought that there could be other options but as I haven't been an alcoholic myself I didn't feel I had any ground to assert those thoughts. The author makes a clear case for why an alternatively grounded treatment - although still total abstinence based- could be a better fit for women. Both programs, however, are still grounded in understanding what alcohol (or other substance) was providing that the user's life lacked.
My understanding is that some alcohol treatment programs, for example in England aren’t total abstinence based either and can be successful. Neuroscientific research is also learning much more about the physical basis of alcoholism and coming up with medical help.
This is a definite hell-yeah for me. I've yet to meet a woman in recovery whose ego was the problem, usually it's the lack thereof. Great work from an author I'm quite fond of.
+1 hell yeah. If AA was built by and for men, no surprise it won’t work for many women.
Excellent article, timely and helpful. I’m a therapist but I never believed AA was the only way even though it was touted that way when I was being trained. People WERE held under suspicion if they said it wasn’t the path for them.
I so agree with this. I love that feminism might be part of the solution. Empowering woman is a huge step for greater health and self worth.
Mywife shared these feeling in the early '90s. She's been sober without AA for 28 years now.
Upvote.
Excellent article, something I never considered. Wonderful that there are other options available for those that don’t resonate with AA’s philosophy.