Coffee, chairs, and the courage to tell the truth—this is a ground-level tour of Alcoholics Anonymous from someone 37 years sober who still believes in the power of a room. We get honest about what AA is and isn’t, why it works without a CEO or a headquarters, and how the program quietly scales across cities, cruise ships, and late-night Zoom links. If you’ve wondered whether AA is a cult, too religious, or only for people who have lost everything, you’ll hear straightforward answers and real-world context.
We walk through AA’s self-support model—pass the hat, pay the rent, buy the coffee—and why that simplicity builds trust. You’ll hear how meetings actually run, the difference between open and closed formats, and why speaker nights can feel like live theater with stakes. We translate the 12 steps into plain English you can act on today: admit the problem, find a power greater than yourself, hand over control, take inventory, make amends, keep checking yourself, stay connected, and pay it forward. Along the way, we talk sponsors (how to pick one, why you can switch), anonymity as a promise that protects the room, and the early momentum builder known as “90 meetings in 90 days.”
This conversation also widens the lens: even if alcohol isn’t your issue, the same tools can help with compulsion in other forms—shopping, screens, or anything that runs your life when you’re not looking. You don’t need a dramatic rock bottom to start; you just need a moment of clarity and a chair to sit in. Worst case, you leave with coffee and a story. Best case, you leave with a path. If this helped, follow the show, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a quick review so more people can find their way to a meeting.