Becoming a Facilitator is Just the Start

Every year hundreds of people take the SMART Recovery Facilitator training. Many professionals take the course to broaden the services they can offer their clients. For some people it is part of their own recovery and some people find the course through their studies or personal interest in giving back to their community.

We recently spent some time with Denis who is an Australian that has called Indonesia home for many years.  Denis shares his reflections on the SMART Recovery program and his decision to become a SMART Recovery Facilitator. 

How did you first hear about the SMART Recovery program?

 I initially came across SMART Recovery through my health science studies. I went to an online meeting to see what it was all about and have been going ever since. I also subscribed to the SMART podcasts which gave me a perspective on the program.

 What elements of the program really resonated with you and continue to resonate with you?

 The practical nature of the program is what appeals to me the most. In particular the tools, learning from the discussion and having a plan each week.

 I also like that SMART is science based and so I’m working with the best treatment approaches and theory in the field. 

What difference did SMART Recovery make to your life?

SMART helped me work on the unhelpful beliefs and thinking that was holding me back from leading a more contented life. I’ve since become a big fan of the CBT approach and read everything I can on it.

 Also, I had some unhelpful behaviours that I wanted to change. I had done the personal work but needed to go that extra step and talk about it and have some accountable for myself through the calls.  

You recently completed your Facilitator training, what led you to make the decision to become a SMART Recovery Facilitator?

 I did the training because I wanted to help others and do something which had a sense of purpose. If I could look back in a few years and see that I helped support people to be self-empowered in their addiction and make positive change – that would be worthwhile.

 I had been in the corporate world for most of my life. However, I often asked myself if I could do more to help others and how could I give back? SMART gave me that opportunity.

 Any highlights from your meetings that you would like to share?

 The major highlight for me is to watch people progress with their programs. It’s great to see people taking steps towards leading a better life and build a sense of hope.   

 Would you recommend becoming a SMART Facilitator to others?

I would definitely recommend becoming a facilitator for the learning and personal growth that it offers.

Becoming a facilitator is just the start. There are catch up’s with other facilitators, opportunities for further training, newsletters with the latest science and podcasts. I also find it helpful to learn from other facilitators at their meetings and keep a reflective journal.

 If you are studying health or psychology, then this is a great program because it uses proven science and helps with recognisable skills. I had studied some of the treatments used in SMART before but the facilitator role bought it all to life.