Hello and welcome to this meeting of Emotions Anonymous. My name is ________________ and I am powerless over my emotions.

 

We will have a minute of silence to remember all those suffering from emotional problems both inside and outside this room.

 

Would you please all join me in the Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

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Emotions Anonymous is a twelve-step organisation, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. Our fellowship is composed of people who come together in weekly meetings for the purpose of working toward recovery from emotional difficulties. EA members are from many walks of life and of diverse ages, economic status, social and educational backgrounds. The only requirement for membership is a desire to become well emotionally.

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Our program has been known to work miracles in the lives of many who suffer from problems as diverse as depression, anger, broken or strained relationships, grief, anxiety, low self-esteem, panic, abnormal fears, resentment, jealousy, guilt, despair, fatigue, tension, boredom, loneliness, withdrawal, obsessive and negative thinking, worry, compulsive behaviour and a variety of other emotional issues.

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As an anonymous program, EA respects the confidentiality of its members at all times. As a spiritual program, there is an emphasis on a higher power. Experience has shown the EA program works equally well for those with or without religious beliefs or affiliations.

EA provides a warm and accepting group setting in which to share experiences without fear of criticism. Through weekly support meetings, members discover they are not alone in their struggles. We may each have different symptoms, but the underlying emotions are the same or similar.

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EA is not a medical or psychiatric service, nor does it provide personal or family counselling. Leadership of group meetings rotates and is non-professional. The leader’s function is simply to conduct the meeting, not to serve as an authority. Our meetings are structured to assist individuals who want to achieve and maintain emotional health through by understanding and utilising the Twelve Steps of Emotions Anonymous in their daily lives.

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The tools of our program include: the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, 12 Concepts and the 12 Promises. Also available is our EA book which features writings on the steps and personal recovery stories; our daily mediation book Today and program-approved literature.

 

Would someone please read for us the Twelve Concepts?

Would someone please read for us the Twelve Steps?

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We now have our 7th tradition, which means that each EA group should be self-sufficient. We shall pass round a bag/cup. The money will go to fund literature and giving a donation for the use of the room. Please give what you can. If you can’t, please don’t worry as you are more important than your money.

 

We will now read a (part of a) chapter from the EA book. We will each read a few paragraphs and then hand it on to the next person. If you do not wish to read, please just pass the book on to the person next to you.

 

(After reading is completed)

We now come to the sharing portion of the meeting. We can share on anything that struck us in the readings we have just heard, or we may wish to share about feelings, difficulties or successes that have been part of our lives. We do not cross-share; we do not advise, correct or challenge each other, though we can refer to something someone has said if it is also part of our own experience. This is a safe place to share since anonymity is the very heart of our program.

 

Sharing time

 

(After sharing time is completed)

We come to the closing part of our meeting. Would someone please read the Twelve Promises of EA?

 

I would like to thank all of you who have taken part in this meeting by reading sharing, making tea or coffee – and thank you for letting me be of service.

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Please remember:

Who you see here,

What you hear here,

When you leave here,

Please let it stay here.

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Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of our fellowship, ever reminding us to principle before personalities.

 

We will now stand together, join hands and say the Serenity Prayer together:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

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Keep coming back, if you work it it works!