New Beginnings Seattle

Types of AA Meetings

Birthday: In AA, birthdays refer to the last day (or the day after) that a member used alcohol or drugs. Birthday anniversaries are celebrated as milestones to encourage sobriety.

LGBTQ: Selected AA chapters focus on providing a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and generally welcome LGBTQ+ allies. These groups prioritize members’ recovery and sobriety within a non-heteronormative context.

Lesbian: Lesbian AA meetings are intended as safe spaces for homosexual women and their allies to meet. Discussions generally focus on issues and challenges that lesbians face in their recovery.

Newcomer: AA newcomer meetings in Washington are geared toward indiviusls who aren’t familiar with AA and want to understand more about it as they recover from alcohol addiction. They are informative in nature and may include a synopsis of Steps 1 through 3 of the program.

Transgender: Transgender AA meetings provide safe spaces for transgender individuals and their allies to meet. These groups may discuss issues and challenges related to alcohol use disorder that transgender individuals face.

Virtual: AA groups may opt to hold their meetings virtually. Online sessions can be closed or open and are typically conducted on free platforms such as Zoom.

Women: Washington AA meetings for women are women-specific peer support meetings for those who are affected by alcohol addiction - women who are addicted to alcohol or who have loved ones suffering from alcoholism. Open to women of all ages and with no cost to attend, these meetings offer community support and are guided by a 12-step recovery program.

Young People: AA meetings for young people are intended for members in early adulthood, usually in their late teens and twenties. These groups focus on the experiences and issues that young people may face in their recovery.