Community Group Observation Paper
Emily Tejml
PART ONE
The group meeting that I decided to attend was an Alcohol Anonymous (AA) group called Children
of Chaos. AA Children of Chaos is a group that focuses on eradicating addiction by exploring childhood
trauma. This group meeting took place on October 15, 2019 from noon to 1:00 pm. The location of the
meeting was at the Austin Galano Club off Guadalupe. There were 32 people that attended the meeting
with ages ranging from early twenties to late fifties. Most group members were in their mid-thirties.
Most of the group members were white men and women. There were a few people that appeared to be
Latino or Native American. Most of the people within the group were from a low socioeconomic
background. A few group members shared that they were from a more privileged socioeconomic
background. Surprisingly, the room was almost completely equal ratio of men to women with 18 women
and 14 men. There were also two emotional support dogs in the room. There were no people with
apparent physical disabilities, but I noticed that the building appeared to be ADA compliant. This was
indicated by multiple handicapped parking spots near the entrance of the building, a low threshold to
enter the building, no stairs, and wide hallways.
AA Children of Chaos is based on addiction recovery and sobriety. The group focuses on resolving
childhood trauma that may impede recovery. Before the meeting, complimentary coffee and donuts are
served to welcome the attendees. Most people were mingling with each other before the meeting began.
The atmosphere of the group felt warm and welcoming. The group facilitator asked the group at large if
they minded if a student observed the meeting. Everyone responded that they did not. I did not feel any
apprehension or discomfort while observing the meeting. The meeting began on time with the leader
announcing her name and that she was an alcoholic. Everyone voiced their hellos in unison. The leader
prompted everyone to introduce themselves and state what addiction they have been battling. After
introductions, the leader prompted everyone to open a book that had been placed on all the tables called
the Big Book. The chapter of focus was “We Agnostics”. The facilitator asked if someone would like to
read the first paragraph then pass the next one on to someone else. Several people took turns reading.
The chapter focused on individual spirituality and recovering from alcoholism. At the end of the
passage, the leader instructed that each person who wanted to share their reaction to the chapter would
be given one minute to speak. She explained that the time limit should be followed so that everyone can
have an opportunity to speak. I appreciated the leader’s effortless assertiveness without being too
negative or demanding. Once the floor was opened, multiple members raised their hands. The group
members decided to begin from left to right, which I thought demonstrated how easily the was able to
function and interact. To my surprise, almost all the attending members shared their opinions. Each
group member respected the time limit and spoke encouragingly to the group at large. Many members
reassured others in the group that sobriety can be achieved with the help of spirituality. The culture of
the group radiated warmth and support. It was obvious that the group was in the working stages because
everyone was willing to share their thoughts and be vulnerable. Almost all the members shared their
beliefs and gave constructive feedback to others who voiced concerns. No one seemed to respond
defensively or appeared uncomfortable. Everyone seemed at ease with sharing information and listening
to others speak. Throughout the meeting, I was highly impressed with the flow of the conversation and
the thoughtful responses that were shared. Many people voiced their fears about relapsing or losing faith
which was always reciprocated by other members validating their fears and offering support. A member
shared her story that she had relapsed for five weeks after being sober for over six months. She
explained how she recovered from her relapse by starting to pray again. She stated that by praying to
God, she felt like she had something to give her worries to instead of turning to the bottle. After she
concluded, another member praised her for her vulnerability and strength to recover from her relapse.
While reflecting on the group meeting, I realized how thankful I am that they allowed me to be a part of
such a beautiful meeting.
PART TWO
As an attendee at AA Children of Chaos, I felt incredibly warm and welcomed by the group
facilitator and group members. People were kind to me and did not make me feel unwanted. The way
the group members treated each other was inspiring. They encouraged and supported each other, no
matter where they were at in their path to sobriety. I loved how the facilitator introduced the group
norms and instructed the group in a highly structured manner. She did not waste any time on her own
agenda, but quickly opened the floor to the group members. I appreciated how easily she was able to
lead a large group of people and not feel any pressure to say more than what was necessary. An
improvement for this meeting that I would suggest is to find literature that is accepting of agnostic and
atheist beliefs. Many participants voiced their dissatisfaction about not feeling like their views were not
validated by the reading. The Big Book was written in 1939. The time period which the Big Book was
written was not accepting of other religions besides Christianity. I would suggest that AA needs to find
a replacement for the outdated Big Book. A book that is inclusive of all spiritual beliefs would be best
for people working through their spirituality and recovering from alcoholism.
I. How did your experience relate to course readings and discussions? Be sure to cite multiple
theoretical concepts from class readings in your observations and assessments.
II. Comment on the potential value of such groups for your personal/professional aspirations
and the field of social work as a whole.
III. Concluding comments.