SMART Recovery

So if you need some coaching, Chris is your man.

He also works in the smart recovery space.

He is just an absolute legend of a man, well loved in our groups.

Chris, how you doing today?

But there's repeatable actions that need to keep happening, and we need to be repeatably prioritizing ourselves.

And doing the things that we know should be good for us.

I see it with the Smart Recovery groups that I still do, uh, at the moment, that, um, there's, there's no mandatory attendance or anything at those things.

It's all voluntary.

I loved and trusted him completely, so this betrayal has left me devastated.

He has since quit drinking, says he is seeing a therapist, and has joined Smart Recovery.

I hope these changes are for himself, not simply to save our marriage.

At 71, I don't feel I have years to rebuild, yet finances and logistics make every decision difficult.

That was the first time.

Now, this time, the pressure that you're no doubt getting from him and he's made all these changes.

Oh, I'm involved in smart recovery and I'm seeing a therapist and Lord Jesus, I have changed.

I've seen the light.

... like enjoy those concepts.

Um, and there's always Smart Recovery for people who love a, love a good plan.

Yep.

You know? [laughs]

A lot of them are based on the 12 steps.

Smart Recovery came out of an organization called Rational Recovery.

And basically they took the 12 steps and just pulled all the God out because the God was a barrier for some people.

So there's many, many ways.

So things like It's unlikely that someone in the pre-contemplation stage of change will go to something that they're not forced to go to.

However, things like smart recovery is a really great place for someone in those early stages of change because they're in an environment with people around them that are all working towards the same goal of change.

If you have someone who is in the contemplation stage, this is where they've realized that there is a bit of an issue, but we're not really ready to do anything about it yet.

That is another place where we really want to be focusing on nonjudgmental education on what is actually going on, safe ways of using and doing the behavior, and then opportunities for treatment.

So that means that we might, in that stage, we might change.

Try doing a rehab or seeing your doctor or talking to someone about it.

We might go to Smart Recovery.

We might call the ADIS phone lines.

And when I work with people and I explain that.

Have you heard of Smart Recovery?

I've seen it attached to you.

So Smart Recovery is

a model which I'm an ambassador for the UK charity.

It uses a model called REBT, which is similar to CBT.

It might feel vulnerable, intimidating, or even impossible, but it's necessary for healing.

Professional help, like therapy, rehabilitation programs, or support groups, think 12 Steps, Smart Recovery, or online communities, provide structure, tools, and guidance tailored to your journey.

These resources are crucial, helping you navigate the complexities of breaking free from addiction.

But there's more to recovery than programs or checklists.

So it touches people differently.

We also offer opportunities to learn about smart recovery and Dharma recovery and do either local meetings if they're interested or online meetings.

Work it into their schedule.

You also code a meetings that will offer opportunities if we think that it's relevant for them.

are, you know, of them.

And there's a lot of shame around and, and the sense of I can't possibly connect to people sober.

And so when they go to meetings, whatever the framework is, whether it's smart recovery or, or, or 12 step based thing, and they see other people who are trying their best to navigate life with a clear mind and body and, and have forgiveness when there are, you know, bumps in the road in that journey.

That can relieve a lot of shame and it can open up, you know, creativity around.