BASIC MEETING FORMAT
This meeting format is included as a guideline for a one and a half hour meeting. A group conscience decision made by the members of your group can shape the style of the program your meeting wishes to use. (Speaker, Sharing, Topic or Step) It is up to the individual meeting to decide whether to include such elements as “Characteristics of a co-dependent”/Affirmations etc. Bold sections are for the Secretary to read aloud; plain text sections are optional extras.
OPENING SECTION
“Good evening (morning, afternoon) and welcome to the ……………..meeting of Co-Dependents Anonymous. My name is………………and I am codependent.
This is a one and a half hour meeting. If your meeting decides to allocate “newcomers time” … Sharing will continue until …., after which there will be ten minutes for newcomers, who are those in their first three months in CoDA.)
May I remind you to turn off any mobile phones or pagers and please note, there is pot by the door if you wish to leave early but would like to leave a contribution.
Please help me open this meeting with a moment of silence to remember why we are here………………………. Thank you.
Please could I have a volunteer to read the Preamble?………..
Please could I have a volunteer to read the 12 Steps?…………
Optional-some groups prefer to pass the Twelve Steps around, each reading one or two aloud.
Please could I have a volunteer to read the 12 Traditions?…….
Optional-some groups prefer to pass the Twelve Steps around, each reading one or two aloud.
Optional: Read ‘Characteristics of a Codependent’
Is there anyone attending their first, second or third meeting? Welcome.
Or - Are there any newcomers here, attending your first, second or third meeting? Please introduce yourself by your first name only. Group responds by welcoming each individual. Optional- If your meeting gives out welcome chips and/or newcomer packets, you may distribute those.
If you are a newcomer it is suggested that you give it six meetings to see if it is for you, and to listen for the similarities, not the differences.
Secretary reads the Coda ‘Welcome’
Check in: At this point we go around the room and introduce ourselves by our first names and say in a few words only how we are feeling in this moment. There will be an opportunity to share more fully later.
Optional - If your meeting decides to have a Contact/Welcome book you could begin to circulate it at this point..
This is the group contact book to which you are free to add your name, and take numbers if you feel like it. It will be circulated around the meeting twice. (Start book going round)
PROGRAM SECTION:
Begin your meeting program here. If your meeting has a speaker or reads from CoDA literature, this usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes. Many meetings rotate focus drawing from the following:
Extended Step reading
Tradition reading
Chair
Big book reading
Topic meeting e.g. Sponsorship, Group Conscience
To enhance the power of our recovery program, CoDA recommends at least one meeting per month be devoted to Step study.
Before we begin sharing, we will read an expanded version of a step/tradition. This week it is Step/Tradition ……. (refer to sheet in folder)
OR
If there is a chair:
I would like to introduce ……………… who is today’s chair. He/she will give an extended account of how codependency developed, and how he/she is recovering. Please share for between ten and twenty minutes. I will show a time card after fifteen and twenty minutes.
The Secretary thanks the chair on behalf of the Group - Thank you.
SHARING SECTION:
In a Group Conscience, each group can decide the appropriate sharing time for the meeting (3mins, 5 mins or unlimited) as suits the needs of the Group. Likewise the group can decide how best to indicate that the share time is up, e.g. using a timer or showing a “time card”.
Sharing is limited to 3 minutes and a time card will be shown for you to respectfully wind down at that time and each minute thereafter. Can I have a volunteer to take the time?
While everyone is welcome here, we would remind you that this is a CoDA meeting and ask you to confine your sharing to CoDA principles regardless of membership in any other Twelve Step organisation, and not to mention treatment centres, tapes, books or authors by name. Only in this way can the integrity of CoDA be preserved.
Can I have a volunteer to read the Guidelines for Sharing?
It is the responsibility of the Secretary to be vigilant concerning the Guidelines for Sharing for the safety of the group. The secretary should re-read the guidelines after a particular share if he/she feels that they have been violated. All members of the group can ask the Secretary re-read the guidelines.
Also, it is suggested that the Secretary remind the group that we do not give feedback in meetings when there is a Chair by reading the following:
To be read on weeks when there is a chair:
The group has asked me to remind you that when there is a chair, the guidelines still apply – sharing our own experience and not commenting directly to the chair, even if that comment is positive.
CoDA is an anonymous programme and we ask that you respect the anonymity and confidentiality of each person in this meeting. Who you see here, what is said here, when you leave here, let it stay here.
The meeting is now open (for individual sharing…)
If your meeting has “newcomers time”, 20 minutes before the close of the meeting announce the following: The next 10 minutes are for newcomers only, who are those in their first 3 months in CoDA. (If there is a long silence, invite newcomers again, before reopening the meeting).
CLOSING SECTION
10 minutes before close of meeting: We have come to the end of our time. If you need to share but were unable to, then please talk to someone after the meeting. The programme continues between meetings, so if you need support, please feel free to ask for phone numbers or refer to the contact book. If you have any questions about CoDA, please speak to our newcomer’s rep (some meeting have a male and female representative, some have one rep only) If you have any questions about sponsorship, step groups etc. please speak to our Sponsorship rep………………………..
Our Seventh Tradition reminds us that we are self-supporting through our own contributions. We ask that you donate as you can. Seventh Traditions donations are used to support meeting expenses and literature, and to support CoDA at the all levels. Optional-some meetings choose to ask for Seventh Tradition donations at the beginning of the meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS SECTION
While the 7th tradition is being collected it is a good time to ask for volunteers to tidy up after the meetings – stack chairs/wash teacups etc.
There is CoDA approved literature available on the table. Please speak to our literature person, …………………, if you want to buy or order literature. There are meeting lists on the literature table.
Are there any CoDA announcements?
Group announcements (any member)
GSR or secretary shares NSC, CoDA Region announcements.
Optional - Are there any CoDA birthdays today-30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years, etc.?"
(If your meeting gives chips or medallions, give them here. Ask the person celebrating if they would like to share a few words of recovery. Generally, for birthdays of 30 days to 9 months the group claps after each birthday is recognized; for 1 year or more the group sings “Happy Birthday”, ending with “keep coming back”)
Optional-Affirmations: Starting with the leader or a volunteer each person in turn gives a positive affirmation such as: “I know a new freedom” or they may pass.
If a Group Conscience is taking place after the meeting, close the meeting 10mins early and at this point make the suggested ( or similar) announcement:
Today we have a group conscience, which will begin immediately after we close the meeting with the serenity prayer, and will continue until…If you have volunteered to help with the chairs and the washing up or if you need literature please could you wait outside until we are finished. However, everyone is welcome to stay. Thank you.
Who would like to read the Promises of Recovery? ……….
I would like to thank all those who helped with today’s meeting: (Adapt the list as appropriate for your meeting)
..……………………………………………………… for doing today’s chair,
..………………………………………………………… for being chair finder,
……………………………………………………………..for being the Greeter,
……………………………………………….. for being the literature person,
…….…………………………………………………….... for being treasurer,
………………………………………………………..… for being tea person,
…………………………………………………………………. for being GSR,
………………………………………………………. for being set-up person,
…………………………………………………… for being newcomers reps,
………………..……………………………………for being sponsorship rep,
..…………….………&….………………. for being ‘where to find’ contacts,
…………………..….……&…...... ………………….. for being co-secretary,
and everyone for sharing and being here.
Could we all join together to close the meeting with the Serenity Prayer. (Members join hands)
God, grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference
(Together, all say: Keep coming back, it works if you work it, so work it, you’re worth it)