Abstract
Al-Anon Family Groups is a global mutual self-help program for the loved one's of alcoholics. The fellowship offers support for those who have been affected by another person's alcoholism. Through a working of the 12 Steps, the Al-Anon member is intended to heal from the wounds caused by their relationship with an alcoholic. This thesis explores how the commitment to the self-transformation that the 12 Steps brings spurs a religious dedication on the part of the Al-Anon members. This religious dogma is centered on the improvement of the self above all else, and often manifests itself at the violent expense of the member's alcoholic loved one.