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Our Team
Something about our Facilitators
Jorge S
My recovery journey with SMART in 2018, during a time when I realized addiction had evolved into a challenge distinct from a mental health disorder diagnosed in 2014. Until then, I had seen my struggles through a single lens — but that year, I recognized that if my goal was to heal, I had to address both conditions with intention, compassion, and separate strategies. SMART Recovery offered me tools rooted in self-empowerment and rational decision-making. For the first time, I felt I had agency — not just over my addiction, but over my thoughts and behaviours. I learned to challenge destructive thinking patterns beneficial for my well-being. Through attending meetings, learning tools, and reaching out for support, I began to craft a new way of living. Recovery hasn’t been a straight line. There have been slips and setbacks, and plenty of days when I felt lost. But each time, I returned to the foundation I built through SMART Recovery. I decided to become a facilitator in 2023, as a strategy to keep reminding myself, while helping others, that I am capable of making choices that serve my well-being: and that I’m not solely defined by my addiction.
Ray P
Ray found SMART Recovery while attending a treatment facility and it works very well for him personally. He appreciates that he can find a meeting virtually any time he desires. And he likes that there is a tool for just about any situation that comes up in his meetings. He likes to welcome people and there is no pressure to join in, but, as he has no education in mental health, so Ray prefers to keep his meetings conversational and offer a safe space where everyone can share their thoughts and feelings in a safe and welcoming environment. Ray has an empathetic approach with kindness and listening that invites people to thoroughly engage in his meeting. He has facilitated over 100 meetings.
Clarence McCorkle
Clarence has been with our organization since August 2018. He supported people in the USA, facilitating the huge 100-200 person Monday SROL online meeting with Dennis Rosenfeld and "Zircon" until 2020. He then joined our local team to help us build our networks and community in the Toronto region. He has been running a weekly SMART closed for clients Men's group since 2018 at his workplace St. Michaels Homes. He facilitated 120 weekly CAMH in-person meetings for five years. Having worked with Zoom in with SRUS he helped us immensely when we switched the in-person meetings to the online platform for our community during COVID-19. He now is mentoring and co hosting at the in-person CAMH meeting. And he is also on the back up team to fill in for others when necessary. We are very grateful to him for his commitment and dedication to this community. SMART Toronto would not exist to this capacity without Clarence.
Brian Cope Appreciation Mention
Brian has been living a clear headed lifeform alcohol for over sixteen years and eleven years from nicotine. He dabbled in 12 Step modalities with anger, resistance and an unsurprising record of failure. for many years By 2008 he decided to embrace the step approach and left alcohol behind. Always an independent thinker, he abandoned step work when he found Cynthia's SMART meeting in 2012. He started his first meeting in 2013 at Alpha House, a men's interim recovery house and then went on to found the first SMART group designated as 2SLGBTQTIA+ welcoming held in the heart of the city at The 519. He then went on to start another meeting which he facilitated at CAMH for two years. When the pandemic restrictions were lifted he relaunched the in-person meeting shifting the location to HQ on Bay Street downtown. His presence in the 2SLGBTQTIA+ community and in many hospitals and mental health and addiction agencies greatly expanded awareness of SMART Recovery. All in all, Brian facilitated over 800 in person and online meetings. He helped and supported thousands of individuals over a period of ten years. We were very sad to lose him when he retired from facilitation late in 2024. We will always be grateful for his contribution to our community. He will be missed.
Volunteer Mentor Support
These are the folks who help at online and in-person meetings. Some have completed the training and have facilitated meetings in the past, and support as co hosts or they are serving on the back up team for current meetings. Others are helpers who we can rely on to help out at meetings. They are also present for first time facilitators to offer support as they start up new meetings. We appreciate their commitment and our hearts are full of gratitude for their service in the SMART Toronto community..
Michael M
When I found SMART Recovery Family & Friends meetings in 2021, I was feeling overwhelmed and isolated. The incredible support I discovered in the meetings was instrumental in helping me rethink and reorganize my life. With the SMART tools and teachings, I was able to understand my loved one’s challenges, and crucially, learn a better approach to protect my interests and build communication with my loved one. This transformation empowered me. I am grateful for the facilitator and other participants who contributed in the meetings. It made a huge improvement in our family life. In 2022, I completed the facilitator training course and have been leading a Family & Friends Meeting ever since. The meetings can be incredibly challenging, yet each week it's profoundly uplifting to witness the love and commitment that bring people together. And it’s especially rewarding to see newcomers realize that they are not alone.
Jonathan D
Jonathan comes to us from Sydney Australia. He is passionate about the SMART Recovery, program and has a background in psychology and community peer support. By day, he is a psychological researcher in addictions. SMART Toronto is grateful to have him represent us at CAMH. He carries on the torch... with grace and dignity.
Dillon S
Dillon came to SMART seeking a non-judgmental, evidence-based environment where 2SLGBTQIA+ identities and recovery could coexist without stigma. With lived experience navigating emotional regulation, substance use, and identity, Dillon found purpose in supporting others through their own journeys. A graduate of Humber’s Addictions and Mental Health program, Dillon brings experience from his work in communications, community outreach, and advocacy. He is passionate about building affirming communities rooted in self-determination, honest conversation, connection, and empowerment. Dillon has facilitated over 70 meetings.
Fernando M
"My journey to recovery was forged in the darkest moments of my struggle with alcohol. A life-altering accident on the TTC led me to Mount Sinai's doors, where a compassionate medical team not only healed my body but also awakened my spirit. A doctor's gentle yet piercing questions ignited a spark within me, and I began to confront the depths of my addiction. SMART Recovery became my lifeline, offering a supportive community that understood my pain and guided me toward healing. The program's practical tools and empowering approach resonated deeply, helping me reclaim my life and find purpose. As I transitioned from participant to facilitator, I discovered a new passion: helping others break free from addiction's grip. Today, I'm driven by gratitude for that second chance and a desire to inspire others to find their own path to recovery and renewal."
Lezlie G
Lezlie is a Registered Psychotherapist graduating with academic distinction from McMaster University. She is a Professional Addiction Counselor working at the Jewish Addiction Counseling Services group in Toronto. She is committed to building strong therapeutic alliances to the SMART participants who attend her open public meetings. We are grateful for this partnership with Jewish Addiction Counseling Services and to have Lezlie as part of our team.
Desi C
Desi is from Barrie, ON. He came to SMART because he was looking for something beyond the norm in addiction recovery. SMART has given him the tools to stay sober after 34 years coping with multiple addictions. He is currently studying to be an addiction counselor and has made SMART his home. His facilitation and commitment bring great joy and humility into his meetings. We are grateful for his service to this community.
Cynthia Moore
Cynthia served on the Parental Advisory Committee for the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook Hospital in 2011. In 2012 CAMH invited her to join MAYN, the Mental Health and Addiction Youth Network, in 2014 she served on the St. Michaels Hospital Project ECHO Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes Committee. She has been presenting and teaching evidence-based programs to hospitals, government agencies, and health organizations for over sixteen years. Her passion and commitment to advocate for families with mental health and addiction problems is based on her lived experience, and it has been honed through the study and practice of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy since 1985. Cynthia served on the SMART Recovery International Global Branding and Training committees from 2022 to 2024. She has served as the Regional Coordinator for Ontario since 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she managed the switch from in-person to online meetings to accommodate the regional online community. She also coordinated the Volunteer Support and Mentorship Program in Toronto.
Aaron R
Aaron is from Toronto. Having 15 years in the recovery process he faced numerous struggles throughout his journey. He has a deep understanding and respect for REBT along with the SMART tools that have helped him maintain momentum and success in his recovery. Aaron is passionate about his recovery work in our community. He cares about helping people and is changing things up! He has created a meeting forum that is interesting and fun. He hopes to engage everyone who wants to join in and stay on point on a Saturday night!
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