Dear SMART Recovery Volunteers,

Memorial Day is a day for honoring and remembering those who have lost their lives serving our country. I am deeply grateful for their sacrifice. As I reflected on the meaning of the holiday this year, I felt called to also honor those who have lost their lives during or after their military service as a result of addictive behaviors arising from challenges associated with their service.

In my mind, there’s no better reason to continue to work toward an effective harm reduction mindset as an organization. Harm reduction asks us to recognize that addictive behavior happens on a continuum, from not having any problem to having a severe problem. We are then asked to meet individuals where they’re at in progressing from a more to less severe problem, as they choose, whether they intend to ultimately abstain from that behavior or not.

I know this topic results in discomfort for some in our community. I understand that, and believe that we can work together to ensure that we live up to our statement that individuals are welcome in our meetings regardless of their chosen goal. In my local meetings as both a participant and a facilitator, we’ve always welcomed individuals still engaged in their behavior. We’ve supported and encouraged them as they explored what they wanted to change in their lives.

Most of the concerns I hear expressed about the continued shift to a harm reduction mindset involve the purported negative impact on those in the room who have decided to abstain. In my experience, someone pursuing a harm reduction goal does not have a negative impact on others in the room. Addictive behavior is not something you “catch” from other people in a SMART Recovery meeting. No, our meetings are places where those who are trying to improve their lives “catch” hope and support from others as they make progress on their goals.

We know that there is interest in more training and support around how to effectively facilitate with a harm reduction mindset. We’ll be building more into our regular ongoing facilitator support session as well as our revamped facilitator training when that launches later this year.

We all have an important role in helping to support those who have served by being facilitators who meet every individual walking through the doors of our meetings with support and compassion. You never know what that individual has been through.

Thank you all for your service to SMART Recovery. Special thanks to those of you who lead meetings specifically for veterans. I hope today is the start of a safe and fulfilling summer for all.

Peace,