SMART Takes--September 2025

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Subject: SMART Takes--September 2025

Creating a Full Life, Social Supports Matter, Contentment is the Key

September is one time we officially celebrate recovery month, but really it's a daily thing. All of us are going to be "recovering" from something at some point in our lives. The late Bill Withers may have captured the spirit of mutual support best with his great song Lean on Me, which starts with these words:

Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain, we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise,
We know that there's always tomorrow.

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on...

Enjoy your recovery month!

Podcast
Creating A Life That Doesn't Have Room For Substances

Markita Renee is a dynamic recovery advocate, coach, sought-after speaker, and SMART facilitator. She runs a national BIPOC meeting that has positively impacted many.

In this podcast, Markita talks about her personal recovery journey, the happy accident of finding SMART, her quest for knowledge, and the fact that her life is so full she has no time for old behaviors.

Listen Now

INQUIRING MINDS...
What Aspects of Social Support Matter Most?

Our friends at NewForm were recently featured in an article in the Recovery Research Bulletin about a study on the use and effectiveness of their recovery app. Formerly "The Phoenix App," NewForm rebranded and now offers a variety of tools and resources to help people connect with others pursuing/in recovery. The study concluded that what matters most is spending time with others and being connected with people further along in their change journeys.

Read Article

Blog
Contentment

[Guest Blog by Chinyere Nduu Okoro, a SMART facilitator in Nigeria and a Global Master Trainer for SMART Recovery International]

Contentment is defined as the neurophysiological experiences of satisfaction, and being at ease in one’s situation, body and/or mind.

The emphasis is on satisfaction. The term satisfaction entails that there are still resources on the outside but the container (in this case the human mind) is filled to its content and finds ease therefore. There is more money, fun, euphoria, friends, marriages, success on the outside but the mind is at ease in what it possesses already.

Many people believe that a satisfied or content life is mundane and given to obscurity, mediocrity or lack of ambition...

Podcast
Who are SMART's Volunteer Support Cooordinators?

Great question! In a nutshell, Volunteer Support Coordinators (VSCs) are experienced SMART Recovery volunteers dedicated to mentoring and supporting meeting facilitators. VSCs foster a welcoming and accessible environment for local volunteers to build connections and thrive.

On this podcast we are joined by three VSCs, each representing a different state (in picture, from L-R): Tammy Ginader (Florida), Kenzie Smith (North Carolina), and Chris Gatewood (Virginia). Each of them shares their discovery of SMART, what lit their fire about it, and why they decided to give back by taking on the role of Volunteer Support Coordinator.

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Blog
Stages of Change: Become an Action Hero!

[Guest blog by SMART facilitator Rick Kuplinski]

A hero is a person who is admired for courage and/or achievements. There are times when we get to act the hero on behalf of others, or for an ideal, cause, or issue. But sometimes it is for ourselves. Which brings us to the ACTION Stage of “The Stages of Change Model” that is used in SMART Recovery.

The Stages of Change is a transtheoretical model developed by researchers in the 1970s who observed that people attempting to change behaviors follow a similar, non-linear, path to accomplishing their goals. We discuss this model in SMART Recovery....

The New 2nd Edition Family and Friends Handbook is Here!

The SMART Recovery Family and Friends Handbook, 2nd edition is here—and it’s more than just an update. It offers a deeper, more integrated approach to understanding and applying concepts and tools that support the wellbeing and effectiveness of family members and friends of someone struggling with an addictive behavior.

Read About The New Handbook

¡SMART Recovery está ahora en español!

SMART Recovery es un programa gratuito de grupos de ayuda mutua para aquellas personas que quieren abstenerse de cualquier comportamiento adictivo, ya sea sustancia o actividad.

Tú estás en control de tu recuperación. Con SMART Recovery, las personas encuentran el poder dentro de sí mismas para cambiar y llevar una vida sana, plena y llena de satisfacciones.

Visita nuestra página web www.smartrecovery.org.es para los horarios, herramientas, y más recursos.

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Subject: SMART Takes--September 2025