GRIEF AND LOSS ANONYMOUS
Sample LIVE Meeting Format Long version (60-minute meeting)
Welcome to the regular [Hope and Healing or other meeting name] meeting of Grief and Loss Anonymous. My name is ______ and I am recovering from grief and loss. I am the chairperson for today’s meeting. Please unmute and join me in the Serenity Prayer after a moment of silence to remember who we are, why we’re here, and to remember those still suffering from grief and loss, both inside and outside of these rooms.
God, grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change, the COURAGE to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference
This is a closed meeting, open only to those who identify as recovering from grief and loss or those determining if this program is right for them. If you are new to G.L.A., we encourage you to attend at least 6 meetings to see if this program is right for you.
May we have a volunteer read the G.L.A. Preamble?
Grief and Loss Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who seek to find peace, healing, and meaning as we navigate the challenges of loss. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a dream, or any profound change in your life, you are welcome here.
We come together to share our experience, strength, and hope, recognizing that while grief is deeply personal, healing can happen in community. Together, we let go of isolation, embrace acceptance, and rediscover purpose.
Grief and Loss Anonymous is not allied with any sect, denomination, political organization, or institution. We are self-supporting through our own contributions, and our primary purpose is to offer support to those on a journey of healing from grief and loss.
In this space, we practice confidentiality, respect, and compassion. We listen without judgment and speak without shame.
There are no dues, fees, or prerequisites for membership —only a willingness to heal and grow.
May we have a volunteer read the short version of Characteristics of Powerlessness over Grief and Loss?
1. Preoccupation With What We Have Lost
2. Avoidance of New Relationships or Experiences
3. Emotional Numbing
4. Idealization of What has been Lost
5. Self-Isolation
6. Inability to Imagine the Future
7. Seeking Substances or Behaviors for Comfort
8. Guilt or Self-Blame
9. Obsessive Revisiting of Memories
10. Physical Symptoms
11. Attachment to Pain
12. Resistance to Closure
May we have a volunteer read the Twelve Steps of G.L.A.?
1. We admitted we were powerless over our grief – that our grief was a filter through which we saw life. 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others who are powerless over grief and loss, and to practice these principles in all areas of our lives.
G.L.A. is non-professional. It is not therapy and offers no treatment of any kind. It is not a social club. It is not a place for dating. If anyone approaches you in a manner that seems inappropriate, we encourage you to share this with another member.
Let's all introduce ourselves. My name is ______ and I am recovering from grief and loss.
Our business meeting is the first week of each month and takes place here on twenty minutes before the general meeting. All are welcome, everyone’s voice is encouraged, and anyone in attendance may vote. Does anyone have any G.L.A. business or announcements?
Are there any birthdays or other G.L.A.-related anniversaries?
In accordance with the Seventh Tradition, G.L.A. is supported entirely through our voluntary contributions. This money pays for our meeting space and other program expenses. The treasurer’s Venmo account will be noted in the basket. This meeting asks that you give $3. Otherwise, give what you can and keep coming back. [If newcomers are present] Newcomers, please be our guest. We're just glad [G.L.A.d ] you're here.
- On the first week of the month, we have an experience, strength, and hope lead on grief and loss.
- The second and fourth weeks are topic weeks, with three topics suggested by those present.
- The third week of the month is a topic lead, the topic chosen by the lead-giver.
- If there is a fifth week of the month, we read the G.L.A. 12 Spiritual Principles of Recovery.
This is the time of the meeting when we share. In sharing we focus on the reading or lead and get current in our G.L.A. recovery. We avoid crosstalk, which means we do not comment directly on another group member's comments and avoid abusive language. Anyone who is uncomfortable with another person’s share may raise their hand and the speaker is asked to respect this person’s discomfort. Shares are limited to [CHAIR’S DISCRETION] and a timer will let the speaker know when time is up. Do we have a volunteer to be the timer? May we hear the time’s up sound?
We speak as the spirit moves us. The floor is now open for comments.
It's now 10 minutes before the meeting ends.
- [If newcomers are present and have not shared] Are there any newcomers who wish to share for up to 3 minutes?
- [If not everyone has shared] May I see a show of hands of those who wish to speak before we close the sharing in 5 minutes. Remaining shares are limited to [CHAIR’S DISCRETION].
- [If everyone has shared] We have some time left before we close. Is there a motion to allow for more sharing before we close this additional sharing time in 5 minutes? [If there is] Is there a second? [If there is a second] We’ll now take a group conscience vote. All those in favor? Against? Abstaining?[Results announced.]
- [If sharing continues] These last shares are limited to [CHAIR’S DISCRETION].
It’s now time to close the meeting. If you didn't get a chance to share and needed to, find someone to talk with after the meeting. Will members willing to be a temporary sponsor please raise your hand? If you’d like to add your name to the meeting phone list, please do so in chat. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of this program. Everything shared today is to remain confidential.
[ODD WEEKS] May I have a volunteer read the 12 Signs of Recovery?
1. Acceptance: We acknowledge our loss and are grateful for our willingness to embrace it.
2. Awareness: We have developed greater understanding of our emotions and how to express them.
3. Reconnection: We connect with ourselves and others in ways that are meaningful to them and us.
4. Self-Care: We prioritize our own well-being, knowing we must first care for ourselves before we can care for others.
5. Surrender: We surrender to the process of recovery knowing it is happening whenever we apply ourselves to it.
6. Boundaries: We establish and maintain healthy boundaries, ensuring we provide ourselves the time and space needed to heal and grow.
7. Forgiveness: We forgive ourselves and others knowing that resentment is an unnecessary impediment to our recovery.
8. Support: We actively seek support and offer it to others.
9. Spirit: Through our healing we enliven the best of our spirit and the world around us.
10. Present: We focus on living in this moment and celebrate the abundance that fills each day, recognizing that our loss, though it may still be with us, is more a part of our past than it is our future.
11. Hope: With new-found perspectives we look forward to tomorrow, knowing that healing is possible even amidst our grief.
12. Service: We give back what we have freely received so that others may also live their best journey as they go and grow through grief.
[EVEN WEEKS] May I have a volunteer read the the 12 Signs of Sobriety?
1. Accepting Reality: We accept the reality of our loss and acknowledge the pain associated with it, without denying or avoiding the emotions that arise.
2. Emotional Regulation: We use healthy coping mechanisms to regulate emotions and manage distress without resorting to self-destructive behaviors.
3. Seeking Support: We reach out for support from trusted friends, family, and others to process our emotions in a constructive and healing manner.
4. Setting Boundaries: We set boundaries to protect our emotional well-being, stepping back from situations or relationships that may exacerbate our grief.
5. Engaging in Self-Care: We prioritize self-care activities to nurture physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
6. Finding Meaning and Purpose: Through interests, relationships, and service to others, we find meaning and purpose in life beyond our experience of grief.
7. Cultivating Resilience: We recognize that grief is a natural part of the human experience but does not define our identity or our future.
8. Living in the Present: We celebrate life by finding joy and gratitude in the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or fearing the future.
9. Practicing Forgiveness: We forgive ourselves and others, releasing resentment and anger that may hinder our healing.
10. Continuous Growth and Learning: We deepen our life experience and wisdom as we face new challenges and celebrate new achievements.
11. Honoring the Memory: We acknowledge our grief as a testament to our ability to love, moving forward with hope and compassion for ourselves and others.
12. Serenity: We are at peace with ourselves and the world around us, knowing that at this moment we are just where we need to be.
To close the meeting, will all those who care to, please stand and join me in the long version of the Serenity Prayer.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the
things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Grant me patience for the changes that
take time, an appreciation for all that I have, tolerance for those with different struggles, and
the strength to get up and try again one day at a time.”
Anything in red refers to text available on the G.L.A. website