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I recently sent a new client to an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) twelve-step meeting. He didn't want to go, used fa catch phrase joke for months, "AA is for quitters,"but the depth and seriousness of his alcohol abuse was ruining his job, his marriage, and his social life. He finally, reluctantly, gave in and went.
"I couldn't believe what I was hearing!" He said excitedly. People were talking about things I thought and felt, it was as if they knew me, knew my problems, and had answers I couldn't get anywhere else."
The dramatic nature of change in his life followed from that single meeting. He took up the challenge of 90 meetings in 90 days, stopped drinking, and found a fellowship with others who understood the struggle. What made the difference?
Universality, cohesion, and hope.
The group had a solid foundation of all being there for one purpose - to stop drinking, this caused the members to bond, which allowed my client to experience hope.The more homogeneous a group is the easier it is for them to connect and become hopeful.
Although AA may be the best known of the 12-step support programs the powerful effects of universality, cohesion and hope can happen anytime there is a homogeneous group: Recently divorce, teens with ADHD, new mothers, downsized executives, breast cancer survivors, the list is as long and diverse as human needs. The more similar the members of a group are, the stronger the sense of universality and bonding. Once these two factors are present hope will almost certainly follow.
But is there a downside to members being so similar?
As participants in a support group find relief from their circumstances, or have transcended the conditions that caused them to join, they may want to end their experience or join a more dynamic heterogeneous group to do deeper or other emotional work. This isn't a downside, but rather an understanding that a support group, no matter how powerful it is, may also have limitations built into it. The very factors that can help a group bond may also limit new, alternative, or simply different ideas. But it is often the case that people find they need both, at least for a while. It is not uncommon, for example, for people in 12-step programs to seek individual or group therapy after they find the support from their group working effectively in their lives. Most often they will begin the deeper work while continuing attendance.
Using the value of support groups while continuing to grow in other avenues may be the best of both worlds.
