MEETINGS OF MINDS –

Oct. 22, 2022 – Paul has been sober for more than three years, he says proudly, showing off his golden chip he earned as a mark of his achievement.

It has three large stripes and shows the faces of AA founders Bill W. and Bob S. and is a lucky charm for Paul, who carries it everywhere, on his key chain. Founded in the United States in 1935, AA, which is wholly funded by donations, now has branches worldwide, where members of groups support each other and provide a space to talk about their experiences and their struggles to recover.

In larger cities like Paris, London or Berlin, there are often hundreds of different meetings to choose from every week.

AA members organise the meetings themselves, without professionals such as therapists or social workers. The only requirement for new members is “a desire to stop drinking”, according to the website.

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