An Introduction for Newcomers
to ACA

Welcome to this website of Adult Children Anonymous. This organization was established to serve the needs and facilitate the recovery of adults who were raised in a dysfunctional family, where one or both parents suffered from a serious addiction problem. This addiction/s could be linked to alcohol, drugs, gambling, work, sex, etc, but the effects it had on the family is usually the same. Thus, adult children may have many different backgrounds, but can still be helped by simular recovery methods.

Many methods exist and ACA promotes The 12 Steps, which has been successful for many members. We do not counsel members as we have no professional training, but we do try to provide a safe environment where members are encouraged to recover alongside other suffering adult children.

This safe environment is created at regularly scheduled meetings and periodic social fellowship events such as dinners, picnics, movie outings, etc. The meetings are designed to be friendly. Relax and make yourself at home. We understand your fears and apprehensions about coming to these meetings. All of us were once new to ACA. We know what it is like to feel like a square peg in a round hole. To feel like we don't belong and to not know the relative safety and comfort that a home should have. Some meetings offer special orientation discussion sessions and free literature for newcomers.

The meetings are structured to include periods for readings, individual sharing (optional), announcements, and social discussion after the meeting (also optional). In the meetings you are likely to hear stories from members's personal experiences (both past and present) that you will immediately identify with. You will also hear how they have coped and how they are learning to overcome past experiences and present difficulties. How they are learning to live happier and healthier lives.

Keep an open mind. We believe that the only way to heal the past and to stop recreating the chaos of our childhood is to finally allow ourselves to acknowledge the truth. We feel the feelings and work through them. Denial and repression helped us survive until now. Now we need to begin to love. You no longer need to be alone.

We suggest that you attend at least six meetings before you decide whether or not ACA is the place for you. Thanks for dropping in to our Website. We hope that the information you find here will help to demystify our fellowship for you and help you in your recovery.