AA MEETINGS · PEER SUPPORT · AUSTRALIA
Looking for AA meetings?
Here’s where to find one.
AA meetings near you, online AA meetings and other alcohol support groups. Find a meeting below, then see how medical support can make stopping drinking safer.
Clean Slate isn’t AA. We offer medically supervised detox, then eleven months of aftercare: the full pathway clinical guidelines recommend, delivered at home with your own clinician and an Australian doctor.
A short suitability test. No commitment to treatment.
Find an AA meeting near you, or online
Alcoholics Anonymous lists free AA meetings across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, plus hundreds of online AA meetings. Search by suburb or postcode at meetings.aa.org.au, or call AA on 1300 222 222.
Clean Slate is a medical service. We are not part of AA, which is a separate, free fellowship.
CLEAN SLATE AND AA
How we’re different from a meeting.
The full pathway. Assessment, medically supervised detox, therapy and peer support, then aftercare: the pathway clinical guidelines recommend for alcohol dependence, in one program.
Medical care at home. Your own clinician and an Australian doctor help you stop drinking safely, with medication if you need it.
Your goals. Stop completely, cut down or take a break. Your plan is built around the goal you choose.
Private and online. Everything happens by phone and video from home. In group sessions you can keep your camera off and you don’t have to give your name.
THE WHOLE JOURNEY
Where AA and peer support fit.
These four parts make up the full pathway for alcohol dependence. AA and other peer support groups sit in part three, alongside therapy.
Assessment
Understand your drinking, your health and the support you need.
Withdrawal support
If your body depends on alcohol, get help to stop safely.
Therapy and peer support
Work on the patterns behind drinking, through therapy or peer support groups such as AA and SMART Recovery.
Aftercare
Keep getting support as you put those changes into everyday life, with clinical check-ins and craving medication if it suits you.
Clean Slate brings all four parts together in one program, delivered at home.
SMART RECOVERY GROUPS
Peer support, with a plan.
SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is a structured peer support group. Where AA follows a 12 step program, SMART takes a practical, skills-based approach using tools from cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing.
Each session is guided by a trained facilitator and focuses on the present and the week ahead. You set your own goal and leave with a plan, working on four areas: building motivation, coping with urges, problem solving and lifestyle balance.
Facilitated SMART Recovery groups are part of our aftercare, online, with your own clinician supporting you between sessions.
ALCOHOL SUPPORT IN AUSTRALIA
AA, peer support and your other options.
Each kind of help does a different job, and what’s offered varies by provider.
01AA and peer support groupsWhen you want connection with people who understand.
02Alcohol helplines & online counsellingWhen you need to talk, or don’t know where to start.
03Your GPWhen you want to understand what’s going on.
04Alcohol counselling & psychologyWhen you want help changing the patterns behind drinking.
05Medical detoxWhen stopping drinking needs medical support.
06Residential rehabilitationWhen you need a structured place to recover away from home.
07Public alcohol & drug servicesWhen you need publicly funded treatment and support.
Going to meetings, but finding it hard to stop?If stopping makes you feel shaky, sweaty or unwell, you may need medical support as well as your meetings.
WHAT THE TREATMENT GUIDELINES SAY
If you need detox, ask what happens afterwards.
Getting through withdrawal does not, by itself, prevent a return to drinking. The Australian treatment guidelines recommend connecting withdrawal care with further treatment and support.
And medical care does not always mean leaving home. For suitable people, supported home withdrawal is a recognised treatment option.
Based on the Australian Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems, 4th edition: chapters 8 and 23. The guidelines do not endorse any provider.
WHERE CLEAN SLATE FITS
Medical support.
The work of change.
Care that continues.
Our 12-month program brings the parts together: assessment with a doctor and clinician, medically supervised home detox if appropriate, facilitated SMART Recovery groups and eleven months of aftercare.
- Your own clinician across the program
- Daily clinician video calls during detox
- Group support every day, including weekends
CLEAN SLATE HAS BEEN FEATURED IN
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OUTCOMES AND CLIENT EXPERIENCE
of evaluation participants reported meeting their alcohol goals one month after detox.1
clients successfully detoxed with Clean Slate.2
client satisfaction.3
About 3 minutes · Confidential · No obligation
THE RIGHT CARE FOR YOUR SITUATION
Who home detox may suit — and when you may need more support.
Home care may fit if you…
- Have a safe, stable place to stay during detox.
- Have a trusted person who can support you.
- Want medical support without a residential stay, where clinically appropriate.
- Want ongoing help after withdrawal, especially if keeping change going has been difficult.
Closer supervision may be needed if you…
- Have had withdrawal seizures, hallucinations or delirium.
- Have serious medical, mental health or other substance-use needs.
- Don’t have a safe home environment or reliable support.
These are starting points, not a diagnosis. A clinician assesses your individual needs and recommends the appropriate setting.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO ZERO
You don’t have to sign up to quitting forever.
Some people want to stop completely. Others want to cut down, take a break, or get support after they’ve already made a change. Your goals shape your plan, and they can change as you go.
Your clinician works with you on the goal that’s right for you, and adjusts your plan as you go.
Before you try to stop on your own
If your body has become dependent on alcohol, suddenly stopping can be dangerous. Feeling shaky, sweaty or unwell until you drink can be a warning sign.
Get medical advice before stopping or sharply reducing your drinking if you may be dependent. Severe symptoms such as seizures or confusion need urgent medical help.
CHARLOTTE’S STORY
“If what you’re doing makes you uncomfortable, that’s enough.”
Charlotte drank almost daily while holding family life together. She had questioned her drinking for years before finding a program she could do from home.
She booked a call, then cancelled because she was scared. Later, she booked again. Her story is a reminder that asking for help can start with uncertainty.
Read Charlotte’s full storyCharlotte, Clean Slate client. Individual experiences and outcomes vary.
IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME?
You don’t have to figure that out yourself.
Home detox may be an option if you have a stable place to stay and a trusted person to support you. Your health and previous withdrawal experiences also matter.
The suitability test is a starting point. A clinician will assess whether home detox is appropriate before you begin.
CLINICALLY LED CARE
Doctors who treat alcohol dependence every day.
Your care is led by Dr Chris Davis, a GP and Addiction Medicine Specialist (FAChAM), and a team of Australian doctors and clinicians experienced in treating alcohol dependence. They have helped more than 5,000 people detox safely, and they assess what care is right for you before anything begins.
If home detox isn’t suitable, the team can recommend other options.
WHAT SUPPORT WITH US LOOKS LIKE
A plan for the first week.
And the months after it.
The suitability test comes first. If the program may fit, an onboarding conversation covers your situation, costs and next steps before you decide. Already stopped, or can go long stretches without a drink? Our 6-month Beyond Detox program gives you the aftercare on its own: ongoing clinical care, daily group support, regular check-ins with your own clinician, and help with medication that may reduce cravings. Start with the same test and the team will talk you through it.
Know the cost before you commit.
$4,200 upfront, or $410 a month for 12 months ($4,920 total). Eligible clients may qualify for insurer or government funding. Medication and pharmacy fees are additional.
- 1
2–3 weeks · Preparation
Get ready, with your team
Meet your clinician and doctor, complete health checks and prepare your support person. Your goals and clinical needs shape your plan.
- 2
1 week · Detox
Medical support, at home
If home detox is suitable, your clinician checks in by video each day. Medication is managed by your doctor and dispensed through your pharmacy.
- 3
11 months · Aftercare
Keep the change going
The same clinician stays with you all year. Join group support any day, including weekends and public holidays, with facilitated SMART Recovery groups, drop-in sessions when you need extra help and monthly expert masterclasses. Your doctor can prescribe craving-reduction medication if it’s clinically suitable.
ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME
Start with a little clarity.
No big decision today. First, find out whether this could fit.
Check your suitability
Answer a few questions about your drinking, health and situation.
Find out if we can helpTalk it through
After the test, a free onboarding call helps you understand the program, costs and your next steps.
A conversation, without judgement.Make a plan, together
Your clinical team assesses your needs and prepares a personalised plan before any detox begins.
Your goals. The right support.BEFORE YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP
A few things you might be wondering.
What happens after I complete the test?
Do I need to go to AA as well?
How much does the program cost?
Is Clean Slate part of Alcoholics Anonymous?
Is detoxing at home safe for everyone?
THE FULL PATHWAY, AT HOME
If you’re ready to stop, make it safe.
Take the short suitability test to find out whether our program could fit. If it may, the next step is a conversation. If it doesn’t, the team can guide you towards other care.