Ratner Retreats www.12stepretreat.org

10/12/2025

“I often hear it said that Alateen is Al-Anon and Al-Anon is Alateen. I need to make a conscious effort to share that message with the Alateens in the group I support. When I participated in an Area Alateen Recertification a couple of years back, we had the training in person and decided to show how an Alateen meeting was conducted. Teens were willing to give up part of their Saturday to participate and got to witness some of the information shared in the training before doing the mock Alateen meeting. Everyone’s response was the same: ‘Wow! I had no idea!’”

“Investing in Our Alateen Legacy,” “The Forum,” February 2025

The Annual Alateen Recertification is now open. Read this article to learn more:

🔺 https://al-anon.org/blog/investing-in-our-alateen-legacy/

09/29/2025

Triggers are reminders of pain we still carry. Healing means understanding where those feelings come from and learning how to move forward with compassion. 💙

Read more in Understanding Emotional Triggers: Our Feelings Have Power 👉 https://reachoutrecovery.com/understanding-emotional-triggers-our-feelings-have-power/

09/29/2025

“I learned not to take responsibility for someone else. I learned not to get them out of trouble by phoning their place of employment to tell the boss they were sick when they were suffering from a hangover. I learned to not pay the bills when the money had been spent on alcohol, as well as many other helpful ideas that I was gradually able to put into practice.”

“I Needed People Who Understood,” “The Forum” July 2017

In Al-Anon, members come to understand that they cannot force the alcoholic to make the decision to stop drinking. Instead, they find that by focusing on themselves they can have a happy, peaceful life regardless of what choices the alcoholic makes. Find out more about the Al-Anon program at: https://bit.ly/3jDPexb

09/23/2025

Use and share NCOA's videos, handouts, infographics, and more to encourage older adults to be falls free during , September 23-27, 2024.

05/03/2025

03/22/2025

“Complacency is a behavior that can come up unknowingly. Even when I’m going to [Al-Anon] meetings regularly, helping others through the tough times or through the Steps, I can still fall prey to this sly thief. This is part of the human behavior I can slip into when I ‘fall asleep’ to my own continued recovery.

“Recovery and growth are ongoing. Unless I keep myself moving through the stages of recovery, my life can easily slip back into being unmanageable. Life will always keep moving forward. Learning about myself is just as important as learning new ways to keep my recovery alive and well. What worked for me when I was new may not hold the same wonderful life-saving effects today.

“It is also important that I work through all Twelve Steps at different times in my recovery. There will always be opportunities to learn and grow. They say this is a lifelong program, and for me, that means I don’t want to stay in the past.”

“Finding Novelty in My Program,” “The Forum,” February 2025

Many people come to Al-Anon to learn how to cope with a loved one’s drinking. They soon learn that by applying the principles of the program to their lives, they can live a happier, more peaceful life even if their loved one continues to drink.

Learn more about how the program works at:

🔹 https://al-anon.org/newcomers/

03/22/2025

The you inside is where you get your confidence, wisdom, and beauty. The inside girl is admiring the wounds that have healed and comes out to help those in need. You restore your dignity and theirs. Thank you for sharing.

“I always felt that I was a loving person, but I often lived life by reacting, instead of responding. I wondered why I could not change the alcoholic, so I tried harder. I made sure that the house was clean and that the meals were good and on time. I made sure to look my best when we went out together. I became obsessed with trying to meet the needs of others. For a few years, I felt needed and appreciated, but I lost someone along the way—myself.”

“I Awakened to My Own Life,” “The Forum” June 2018

Read this member’s story and find out how Al-Anon helped her heal at:

goo.gl/tDxrVb

03/06/2025

“When she went into rehab for the second time, I felt sure it was my fault. I thought if I had pushed harder, she would not have needed to return. However, it proved to be the first step on the road to recovery for me, and I have my daughter to thank for that. She suggested that Al-Anon might be a good program for me, and she suggested that a book titled ‘How Al-Anon Works for Family & Friends of Alcoholics’ might explain more about it. I bought a copy and became engrossed in all that it had to say about Al-Anon and the disease of alcoholism. I started going to an Al-Anon Family Group and found loving people who understood what I was going through. They listened to me without judgment when I shared my fears and tears, and I listened and learned from their experiences, as well.”

“I Don’t Want To Hide from Life Anymore,” “The Forum” November 2018

Read a sample from “How Al-Anon Works for Family & Friends of Alcoholics” at:

goo.gl/GUKLR3

03/06/2025

Family and loved ones

“When she went into rehab for the second time, I felt sure it was my fault. I thought if I had pushed harder, she would not have needed to return. However, it proved to be the first step on the road to recovery for me, and I have my daughter to thank for that. She suggested that Al-Anon might be a good program for me, and she suggested that a book titled ‘How Al-Anon Works for Family & Friends of Alcoholics’ might explain more about it. I bought a copy and became engrossed in all that it had to say about Al-Anon and the disease of alcoholism. I started going to an Al-Anon Family Group and found loving people who understood what I was going through. They listened to me without judgment when I shared my fears and tears, and I listened and learned from their experiences, as well.”

“I Don’t Want To Hide from Life Anymore,” “The Forum” November 2018

Read a sample from “How Al-Anon Works for Family & Friends of Alcoholics” at:

goo.gl/GUKLR3

01/05/2025

Drinking problems can happen to anybody. When one person drinks, it also affects the people around them, including their kids. Alateen offers support to teens affected by someone else’s drinking.

For meeting information, visit:

🔺 Local: goo.gl/dH8Bnn
🔺 Electronic: goo.gl/GcKwNg

01/05/2025

If "starting over" were a picture..