National Support Group Organizations for Codependency:

• Celebrate Recovery - (Christian based) *

• Al-Anon - (Secular based)

• Nar-Anon (Secular based)

• Codependents Anonymous (Secular based)

* In the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, check out any of the recovery groups where Jon has spoken, which are listed on his Guest Speaker page.

Celebrate Recovery, Christian based
www.celebraterecovery.com/crgroups

Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a Christ-centered, 12-Step program of Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Founded by John Baker, CR holds weekly meetings in more than 35,000 churches throughout the U.S., and even more internationally. CR targets anyone struggling with addiction, codependency, or any other “hurt, habit, or hang-up.” The location of the CR meeting nearest you can be found here .

The format of most CR meetings includes a large group meeting where all attendees gather together for music, a reading of the CR 12 Steps and 8 Principles, followed by open share groups and step groups. Many meetings provide a meal beforehand.

Be aware that the CR small group you attend might include people with a variety of issues different than your own.

Al-Anon, Secular based
www.al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings

Al-Anon is a “mutual support group of peers who share their experience in applying the Al-Anon principles to problems related to the effects of a problem drinker in their lives.” They follow their own version of the 12 Steps, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, and their meetings are led by a facilitator who leads the group in readings and a time of sharing.

Like Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon is a spiritual fellowship, not a religious one. They readily welcome members of all faiths (or none), but refrain from discussing specific religious doctrines, including Christianity.

Al-Anon also provides Alateen meetings, which are “peer support groups for teens who are struggling with the effects of someone else’s problem drinking.”

Both Al-Anon and Alateen meeting locations can be found at
www.al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings.

Nar-Anon, Secular based
www.nar-anon.org

Nar-Anon is similar to Al-Anon in that they are 12-Step oriented and spiritually based (i.e. they discuss God generically as a Higher Power without mention of specific religious doctrines), but are primarily—though not exclusively—focused on families and friends of drug addicts as opposed to alcoholics. You can find a meeting nearest you by going to www.nar-anon.org/find-a-meeting. They also have meetings for teens in their Narateen program.

Codependents Anonymous, Secular based
www.coda.org

Codependents Anonymous (CoDa) is a 12-step recovery program designed to help people develop functional, healthy relationships. The only membership requirement is to want loving relationships and to move beyond personal histories. Members are encouraged to build a relationship with a higher power, which does not have to be God. They offer four types of meetings: speaker meetings, open share meetings, topic share meetings, and tradition study meetings.