Smart Recovery

The drunk driver crossed the line and changed Kristal Field’s life forever. She was seriously injured and her best friend was killed. She required opiates for pain relief and struggled for the next ten years, crossing her own line at some point from taking opiates for pain management into full-blown abuse. Kristal lost herself in […]

As Black History Month concludes, we invited our grant writer Kenya Welch to weigh in on the immense and far-reaching impact of substance use disorders on communities of color, especially Black communities. Here’s what she had to say. While the current overdose epidemic has been framed as a public health crisis, it has deeper, less […]

You can call Steve Kind by his official title of National Support Team Administrative Assistant, and he’d be happy to answer, but it would be like calling a fully loaded Maserati just a way to get around. Steve’s role at SMART is multifaceted and extends in many directions, including outreach and marketing. And having a […]

Markita Renee is thriving. Now four-plus years in recovery, she runs OOAK Services LLC where she is a recovery coach, motivational speaker, and facilitator. In addition to that, Markita works part-time as an employment specialist for the state of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, facilitates two SMART Recovery meetings, and loves being […]

Aaron Adkins loves everything about being in recovery. He lists the support he gets from his SMART Recovery peers, the practical tools he uses to address negative thinking, the understanding and insight he gains from being a meeting facilitator, and, perhaps most especially, being able to give back as a mentor to other facilitators. “It’s […]

Gee Matamoros’ journey to recovery included some very dark passages. Now he travels a brighter road, and insists on enjoying life as much as possible. Fortunately for us, one of the things he enjoys most is spreading the word about SMART. In this podcast, Gee talks about: Additional resources: Click here to find all of […]

As SMART Recovery meeting facilitator Jeffry Muhleman sees it, the journey to a full-blown substance use disorder is never intentional. “The crazy thing is that when you take your first drink or first hit, nobody tries anything and says, wow, that’s so good I’m going to become addicted to that.” For Jeffry, it began in […]

As Gerardo (Gee) Matamoros understands it today, his descent into substance use disorder (SUD) was the result of not knowing how to believe in himself. Gee says this resulted in his developing an identity based on what others thought he should do and be, instead of trying to figure it out on his own. “The […]

When Loretta Billingsley found SMART Recovery, she says she wasn’t fully committed to addressing her troublesome alcohol use, but wanted to understand more about it. Perhaps her long career as an editor in the media industry led to her practice of breaking down issues with a keen eye for component parts. In this case, Loretta […]

This special event is a celebration of community by observing together the arriving new year in each time zone. Schedule of Meetings Time (EST) When It’s Midnight In… Topic & Facilitator & Zoom Link 5:30 – 6:30 a.m. New Zealand Dealing with Loss in Recovery – Facilitated by Kevin Minnickhttps://smartrecovery.zoom.us/j/92214371100 6:30 – 7:30 a.m. Marshall […]