The New Hope ACA Beginners Meeting (FL0302) in Gulfport, Florida - U.S. has shared the 3rd draft of a beginner's meeting guide. Click here to download.
Many adult children initially identify with ACA strongly, but then fade from the program within the first three to four months. It often seems that despite being enthusiastic and hopeful upon entering ACA, participants can easily become overwhelmed and discouraged. The Big Red Book is a life-saving resource, but it’s a voluminous work that can be daunting for ACA newcomers. For many, the idea of immediately jumping into ACA Step work can be terrifying. We who created this handbook decided in late 2018 to start a new local meeting specifically for beginners, and developed introductory materials that could be used to support and guide those attending that meeting. While there is no single path to healing the effects of childhood trauma through ACA, we created what we feel is a solid initial draft of a clear, concise, comprehensive ACA program overview.
The ACA beginners meeting handbook we’ve initially developed slowly brings participants out of isolation through a predictable, structured, drop-in meeting framework. This approach allows them to engage with program resources incrementally with less likelihood of becoming overwhelmed. Participants can miss weeks, attending at their own pace, and still feel supported as they learn what it means to “work a program.” More intensive reparenting practices and Step work can begin independently from this introductory handbook overview at whatever point participants themselves determine they are ready.
