^{More About Smart recovery}

SMART Recovery is a group program providing a safe and supportive environment for people to learn how to manage substance use disorder, or any kind of problematic behaviours.

Guided by trained peers and professionals, participants come to help themselves and each other using a variety of evidence based tools and techniques found in our handbooks and materials.

This includes rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), as well as a positive reinforcement support program for families and friends who want to be helpful to their loved one in recovery.

SMART Recovery meetings held weekly by volunteers are free of charge. Meetings are 60-90 mins long. You can join us online or in-person where meetings are held.

4 Points Program

1. Build and maintain motivation.
2. Cope with urges and cravings.
3. Manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
4. Live a balanced life.

Format

- Weekly peer led groups.
- Online and In-person meetings.
- All facilitators are trained by our organization.
- Practical meeting structure presents evidence-based recovery tools and we engage in cross talk discussions.

Our Approach

- Focus on behaviour changes.
- Self management and personal strength building activities.
- Harm reduction supportive.
- Unhelpful labels are discouraged.

The Outcome

- We go through a path of self discovery..
- We replace our SUD or problematic behaviour with activities that are aligned with our values and that we enjoy.
- We rebuild and maintain meaningful relationships and find purpose living our lives.

Become A Volunteer...

Altruism is the belief or practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others. It has been proven to have a great impact for success in addiction recovery. With compassion and empathy, we provide a non-judgmental safe meeting space where people learn new ways of coping with life's daily challenges. As a volunteer we can be more engaged in recovery and give back to others who benefit from our lived experience.

Our program uses evidence-based tools and techniques drawn from rational emotive and cognitive behavioural therapy, positive reinforcement and motivational interviewing techniques as well as mindfulness activities.
We update our training as the evidence changes.
Offering non-clinical meetings that provide community, social emotional support as well as experiential knowledge and information exchange.
Training is essential for all of our meeting facilitators (both professional clinicians and peers who have attended the program).
Our volunteers provide weekly online and in-person support meetings.
We present a practical and solution focused approach.
Supporting people through their personal journey.
Prioritizing personal well-being including harm reduction activities when applicable.
We meet people where they are in their personal journey and encourage participants to engage in the work supported by peers and trained facilitators.
Tailoring information, and strategies to enable participants to work towards behaviour change, on their own terms and in their own time frame. Respectfully, what works best for the individual is best for them.
We continue to play a vital role filling significant gaps in mental health and addiction services, supporting continuity of self-care and the development of recovery capital. Recovery capital is the internal and external resources needed for an individual to not only initiate, however, maintain recovery from substance use disorder and other forms of addictive behaviours. We acknowledge that individuals require different levels of support and respond to different types of resources to achieve their recovery goals. Recovery Capital is divided into four catagories: Physical, Human, Family, Social and community.

How is SMART different from other mutual-aid models?

- We provide a 4 Points addiction support Program outlined in our handbooks.
- We promote self empowerment and self reliance.
- We provide support for a range of behaviours of concern.
- we are non-judgemental and inclusive for all participants.
- Participants set their own goals, which may or may not include abstinence.
- we learn to Focus on the ‘here and now’ and support behaviour change that starts in the present moment, we accept that what happened in the past is in the past.
- we Encourage active participation, engagement and problem solving in a stryctured meeting format..
- Participants learn to build and exercise an internal locus of control.
- Groups have the added benefit of accessibility, with no cost incurred, no waiting list and no registration, although we encourage participants to donate when and if they can when we pass the hat.
- We evolve as science evolves in mental health and addiction recovery.
- We meet people where they are in recovery with reference tor the 5 Stages of Change model.
- We do not require people to believe in a higher power (although it's supported if you do)
- We don't require you to commit to abstinence for life (we help you aim to achieve your personal goals and you are welcome at our meetings as long as they are helpful to you)
- We are stamping out the stigma associated with Mental health and addiction therefore we do not require participants to use the terms "addict" or "alcoholic" when they check in at our meetings. We discourage the use of unhelpful Labels that contribute to stigma .
- We believe in the power of choice and there are many choices to be made in addiction recovery.

Where are SMART meetings held / who are meetings for?

- SMART Recovery groups are widely available in Canada across a range of regions and health districts
- anyone wishing to attend. Meetings are free to attend.
- SMART Recovery groups are held in the community as well as inpatient, outpatient and clinical health Agencies.
- organisations including private, public and not for profit mental health and addiction services.
- Meetings facilitated by volunteers and mental health professionals happen In-person and online.
- SMART Family and Friends meetings provide support for those who have loved ones with mental health and any type of addiction problems.
- SMART Inside Out programs support participants in the correctional system and is growing nationwide.

How does SMART Recovery work?

- We present social, emotional and practical peer support by building cognitive skills and provide a sense of community.
- we provide problem solving and action planning (each participant works towards an individualised plan)
- we Encourage active daily practice of our tools and techniques.
- we believe in the power of choice and there are many positive choices we can make keeping in a daily routine that works for us. We understand this helps us maintain personal success in recovery..
- participants have the personal strengths, ability, and capacity to build self-efficacy and confidence over time.
- we Support practical cognitive restructuring and encourage flexibility in our approach and our thinking.
- Participants develop self-efficacy and self-empowerment over time on their own terms.
- we Build and expand social networks beyond addiction service-related settings and encourage meeting attendance to reduce social isolation.
- We believe the opposite of addiction is connection and we build connections in a supportive community.
- we Provide hope through positive reinforcement for families and participants in the 4 Point addiction support program..
- we address specific Behaviours and evoke change talk through motivational interviewing techniques.
- We accept that slips and setbacks are part of the recovery process.
- we encourage participants to keep moving forward and view slips and setbacks as an oppportunity for learning.

Who accesses SMART Recovery?

SMART Recovery is a global community of 3000 mutual-support meetings serving in over 35 countries, supporting more than an estimated one million participants.

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