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Our Team
our facilitator Team
Clarence McCorkle
Clarence has been with our organization since August 2018. He supported people in the USA, running the huge 100-200 person Monday SROL online meeting 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 for seven years at his workplace. He facilitated the first weekly CAMH in-person meeting for five years. Having worked with Zoom in the at SRUS he helped us immensely when we had to put together the online 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 1200 in person and online meetings. He helped and supported up to 4000 individuals over a period of ten years. We were sad to lose him when he retired from facilitation late in 2024. We are grateful for his contribution to our community and he will be missed.
Volunteer Mentor Support
These are the folks who have completed our training and help at online and in-person meetings. Some have facilitated meetings in the past, and support as co hosts or they are serving on the back up team for current 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 transformative 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.
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.
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.
Cynthia Moore
Cynthia developed a passion and commitment to advocate for families with mental health and addiction problems through lived experience in her family. She began studying and practicing rational emotive behaviour therapy in 1985. She has managed the Toronto online and in-person communities, coordinates the Volunteer Mentorship Program and has built the credibility for SMART Recovery in Canada maintaining national partnerships with CAMH, Salvation Army, CMHA and EHN as well as provincial agencies throughout Ontario. Cynthia has been presenting evidence-based programs to hospitals, government agencies and health organizations for over twenty years.
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.
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