Welcome! Whether you are just gathering information, new to AA, or coming back we’re glad you’re here.
What is Alcoholics Anonymous, and how does it work?
Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is an international fellowship of people who have a problem with drinking and want to find a solution for living without alcohol. Anyone who believes they have a problem with alcohol is welcome to attend A.A. and there is no cost. Alcoholics Anonymous uses the 12 Steps, a spiritual set of principals, to maintain sobriety but we are not a religious program. “Our primary purpose is to help alcoholics achieve sobriety.”
For additional, more detailed information about A.A. and the program we suggest visiting “What is A.A.?” at AA.org.
Not sure where to begin?
We know that being new to A.A. or looking for information can feel overwhelming, so please use this page as a guide to navigate our site based on your specific needs. Several resources specifically for newcomers from AA.org that may also be helpful have been linked at the bottom of this page. Feel free to reach out to us with any additional questions.
The best place to start is to attend a variety of meetings. Our Meeting Information page has local schedules and other helpful information. We suggest raising your hand when asked if there is anyone new and ask for phone numbers after the meeting. During the meeting you can just listen if you’re not sure what to say.
If you’re coming back to A.A. after some time away, feel free to share that! Our journeys in sobriety are rarely linear. We are glad you made it back.
It’s okay to be nervous when attending a meeting for the first time. Most members will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have, we’ve all been where you are now. It’s easy to leave as soon as a meeting ends, but many folks stick around to socialize afterwards. This is a good time to introduce yourself, get phone numbers or ask questions!
Meetings are just one of the places where the solution of A.A. is shared. There is no set number of meetings one must attend to be a member. Attending a variety of meetings gives us the opportunity to pick the ones we like best. If there is a meeting that you attend regularly you can sign up to help participate in the service of keeping it running. This is called a Homegroup. It’s a great way to give back and get to know other A.A. members.
There are a number of types of meetings and formats. Newcomers can find meetings geared towards new folks on our printed schedule by looking for a (B) marked on the right side of the meeting name. Printed schedules have abbreviations to specify the type of meeting. There is an abbreviation key listed at the bottom left hand corner of the first page. On our digital meeting schedule, individuals can search for Newcomer meetings under the “Any Type” drop down filter. If you would like to learn about other types of meetings and their formats, we suggest visiting aa.org/information-about-meetings at AA.org.
To learn more about meetings in the Reading-Berks area visit our Meeting Information page.
At meetings you may hear about “The Big Book” or “12 & 12.” These are two of our primary texts, published by A.A. World Services. Meetings will usually provide these books for readings, but it is a good idea to purchase one for working with a sponsor. You can also find digital versions online.
You can find out more about these books as well as other A.A. Literature on our Literature page. Books can be purchased online from AA.org, at meetings or directly from Reading Berks Intergroup.
You’re a member of A.A. when you say you are. There are no requirements for membership, but getting involved with the fellowship is our suggestion for success.
Getting involved as a newcomer generally means:
Other A.A. members can share what they found helpful when they first came to A.A., but overall we have found connection to be one of our greatest tools for sobriety.
None of us do it perfectly and involvement will most likely evolve for you over time if you choose to get involved in service work, but these are a few good places to start. There are also events hosted by Reading-Berks Intergroup or homegroups that are a great place to meet new people and have fun in recovery. We are not a glum lot!
If you are looking for more ways to get involved in A.A. we suggest attending an Intergroup meeting, bringing a meeting to an institution, or joining one of our committees.
You may still have questions about Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 Steps and if any of this is right for you. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions as well as a link to a quiz to determine whether or not A.A. is for you on our own FAQ page.
Feel free to reach out to us at Reading-Berks Intergroup at info@readingberksintergroup.org or ask a fellow A.A. member at any meeting. Our experiences are all different, so if someone does not have the answer they most likely know someone who does.
Unfortunately, we can’t answer that question for you. Many of us have asked ourselves the same thing. Alcoholics do not necessarily fit the stereotypes you may think of. Our ages, ethnicities, economic backgrounds and occupations vary. Some of us drank everyday and some of us did not. Many of us had consequences that affected our relationships, careers and lives in general but the severity of these consequences varies.
A common defining characteristic was that we could not control our drinking once we started. AA.org has a helpful self-assessment for more information and personal insight.
A.A. believes in working directly with the various helping, medical, legal and religious professions which may encounter alcoholics.
We realize that by developing a relationship with one another we can help more folks who may be sick and suffering. To connect with our committee responsible for working with outside professionals, or to find information published by A.A. World Services please visit our CPC/PI Committee page or reach out by email at PublicInfo@readingberksintergroup.org.
A.A. has no affiliation with any outside enterprises. Therefore, we are not directly connected to any court systems or treatment programs. Some of these programs may require their participants to attend A.A. meetings. We do not document or report attendance, but will happily sign any meeting attendance sheets for those who require it.
Although we are not affiliated with the court system we do support any individual who has a desire to stop drinking or is seeking more information about a potential drinking problem. Local meeting schedules and information can be found on our Meeting Information page. If you believe you may have a problem with alcohol, you may attend meetings listed as “Open” (O) or “Closed” (C) on the schedules.
If you have recently been released from a corrections facility, you may also contact our Bridging the Gap representative to connect with A.A. members who are interested in assisting newly released individuals find a support system in Alcoholics Anonymous. Their email is BridgingGap@readingberksintergroup.org.
For more information on A.A. and how to help the alcoholic in your life you may find this pamphlet from AA.org helpful: “Is There an Alcoholic in Your Life?”
Friends and family of A.A. members may attend “Open” meetings as an observer and support person. Meeting schedules can be found on our Meeting Information page. “Open” meetings will have (O) listed to the right of a meeting name on our printed schedules. On our digital schedule, you can search for “open” meetings under the “Any Type” drop down filter.
If a friend or family member of an alcoholic is seeking their own support, we suggest that they look into the fellowship of Al Anon Family Groups at Alanon.org.
If your loved one is currently in a treatment facility or corrections facility and within 3 months of discharge/release, they may also be eligible for an A.A. volunteer contact person to help get them connected. Bridging the Gap is a program that assists individuals in treatment or correctional facilities as they transition back in to the community and are seeking support through the Alcoholics Anonymous community. You can find more information on our Committees page, or reach out by email at: BridgingGap@readingberksintergroup.org.
Our hotline is also available 24/7 at (610) 373-6500.
You may still have questions. We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions on our own FAQ page.
If you have not found an answer to your question, feel free to reach out to us at Reading-Berks Intergroup at info@readingberksintergroup.org.
We have compiled a list of resources from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services at AA.org that may be helpful for newcomers or those considering AA.
This is only a fraction of the resource materials that AA World Services has to offer. We suggest exploring the AA.org site to learn even more about how AA functions and whether or not it can be helpful to you.
