SMART Recovery
Peer Support Meetings
The SMART Recovery Program
SMART Recovery is an amazing peer support program that gave me my life in so many ways. I stumbled onto their website over 15 years ago, and that truly everything changed for me. Their tools and philosophy inform much of what I think about recovery and you'll find little pieces of me sprinkled all over their site(s).
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It is a science-based approach, with much based on the psychology of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), specifically, the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) of Dr. Albert Ellis (The Albert Ellis Institute and REBT Network are both great sources for his work). It is an alternative to AA, and it is organized around 4 main points:
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Motivation
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Urges
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Problem-solving
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Balance
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Although small, their approach has shown good promise, at least equal to AA approaches in general, correctional and clinical settings. It is based on the same science (CBT) that informs overall mental health therapeutic treatment; addiction has just been a little slow to catch up.
Both local and online meetings are excellent.
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SMART Recovery's main website is here:
www.smartrecovery.org
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The SMARTFinder SMART Recovery meetings locator is here:
I run a Cincinnati SMART meeting online with my co-facilitator, Suzanne, our regional director:
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Mondays 6:00 PM
https://smartrecovery.zoom.us/j/94607222541
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And some of my favorite SMART Resources and Tools are here:
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Please note, I am a volunteer SMART local facilitator; I do not benefit from mentioning SMART.