A Study of the Effectiveness of SMART Recovery with Dr. Sarah Zemore

The results speak for themselves. Alternative treatment programs are as effective as traditional 12-step programs for alcohol recovery. These results have been identified thanks to Dr. Sarah Zemore’s 2018 research project, “A longitudinal study of the comparative efficacy of Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and 12-step groups for those with AUD,” published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.

The findings were positive and confirmed that the same level of involvement has the same level of benefit no matter which program is used: people have a choice of treatment. This research has set the foundation for future studies.

Dr. Zemore is the Senior Scientist, Center Associate Director, and Training Grant Director for the Alcohol Research Group in Emeryville, California. She is also the 2019 SMART Recovery Science Award recipient. In this podcast she talks with SMART Recovery about her project, the findings, and what it means for the future of alternative treatment options.

You can find this podcast interview on: 

• The SMART Recovery website

• Apple iTunes

• Google Play

• Spotify

• iHeartRadio

• RadioPublic

The Importance of Staying Social During COVID-19

Staying socially connected is a key factor in recovery. Although we have to deal with physical distancing for the time being, that doesn't mean social isolation, too. Here are some tips from the team at SMART Recovery USA on how to stay social during COVID-19 and succeed in your recovery.

You can access the SMART Recovery Online Community from wherever you are in the world and you can find the online meeting schedules for all of our SMART member countries at this LINK .

UK SMART Recovery welcomes Marcantonio Spada as the new Chair of their Board of Trustees

The Board of SMART Recovery International welcomes Professor Marcantonio Spada as the new Chair of the UK SMART Recovery Board of Trustees.  Marcantonio has served UK SMART as a trustee since 2015. He succeeds Professor Robin Davidson who was the Chair until March 2020.  

 Marcantonio brings with him a wealth of experience in the field of addictive behaviours across the public and private sectors.  He is currently appointed Professor of Addictive Behaviours and Mental Health at London South Bank University where he is also the Deputy Lead of the Centre of Addictive Behaviours Research.  He was recently appointed Fellow of the British Psychological Society for his scientific contribution to understanding the role of cognition in addictive behaviours. Marcantonio is also a Trustee of GambleAware and Editor-in-Chief of the leading addiction and psychiatry journal Addictive Behaviours.  He has been working as a Clinician for the last 20 years.

 You can read more about Marcantonio’s appointment and the work of UK SMART Recovery at this LINK

Staying on Track with Tips & Tools for Recovery - THAT WORK!

There is no doubt that these are challenging times. Physical distancing can make us feel cut off and disconnected from our usual support networks. One helpful way to stay on track is to subscribe to the SMART USA Youtube channel and tap into their Tips & Tools series. These short, impactful videos walk you through the individual SMART tools and will help you to stay on track.

What things are IN your hula hoop right now?

UK SMART Recovery are applying SMART tools to illustrate their adaptability to all areas of our lives. This is particularly helpful for all of us in these challenging times. 

The feeling of not being in control can increase our emotional discomfort, so by applying a rational approach (REBT) to events it can help us regain some perspective and in turn help us manage our feelings.

The hula hoop is a tool we use in our family and friends programme to help us with boundaries when dealing with a loved one with an addictive behaviour. As with many tools this is adaptable for other areas of our lives.

This is an example from a recent meeting.

What things are IN your hula hoop right now?

Follow the UK SMART Recovery Facebook page to find out more about how the SMART tools can help you. 

SMART in Malaysia

In Malaysia the stigma of addiction and subsequent loss of face are powerful influencers of behaviour and are often a significant barrier to people seeking assistance to manage problematic behaviours.

Our SMART Recovery Malaysia Facilitators, Patrick Clancey and Seow Yu Li, have structured their support for participants in recognition of this cultural barrier. As well as running face to face meetings, Patrick has established the first weekly SMART on line meeting for the Malaysian time zone and Yu Li provides telephone support to participants as needed.

On a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur our Executive Officer, Kim McCreanor was able to spend time with Patrick and Yu Li learning about the application of SMART programs in the Malaysian cultural context.

SMART Recovery Australia Executive Director Ryan McGlaughlin’s End Of Year Reflection

2019 was a huge year for SMART Recovery Australia. Our growing community has helped more people than ever before realise their potential and overcome addictive behaviours. 

Over the past year, we have accomplished some amazing things.

2019 started with SMART Recovery Australia’s Chairperson Anthony Wales AM becoming a recipient of the Order of Australia on Australia Day. This was for his longstanding commitment to SMART Recovery and other charitable pursuits. SRAU has been able to grow and have much more impact due to the generosity and support of the Wales Family. 

The SMART Program continues to be utilised by more Australians and New Zealanders every year. There are now 355 weekly meetings, which is an increase of 61 over the 294 groups at the end of 2018. This represents over 2,000 people attending weekly meetings. We grew our online meetings, and now have 5 each week. We successfully launched online facilitator training to supplement the premium face-to-face training, ensuring that there are no barriers because cost or locality. We are pleased that a weekly meeting for family and friends has commenced in Surry Hills, New South Wales to add to the number of meetings of our award winning family and friends program. A manual for family and friends was produced this year as a self-help book for people affected by the addictive behaviour of someone close to them.

To find out more go to SMART Recovery Australia website

Indian Substance Use Report

As an endeavour to explore the epidemiology of substance use in India, this report represents an important milestone in public health and social welfare in India. The vision behind the study and the wide scope of its implementation makes it a historical, unprecedented undertaking. Results indicate that there is a sizeable population in India which is affected by substance use disorders and is in need of urgent help. We also understand now that while substance use exists in all the population groups, it is the adult men in India which bear the brunt of substance use disorders, the most.

Ambekar A, Agrawal A, Rao R, Mishra AK, Khandelwal SK, Chadda RK on behalf of the group of investigators for the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India (2019). Magnitude of Substance Use in India. New Delhi: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi, February 2019

http://socialjustice.nic.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Magnitude_Substance_Use_India_REPORT.pdf

SMART in Denmark

How did SMART Denmark begin? 

It began in 2010 when Danish psychologist Bendt Skjold Hansen led the charge to bring SMART Recovery to Denmark. For years he had been exploring the theories and thoughts of Proschaskas and DiClemente, Ellis, Marlatt and others and found they were all engaged in the SMART Recovery program.  Bendt saw that SMART Recovery would serve as a powerful alternative to existing available methods in helping people struggling with addiction.

The first three SMART Recovery groups began in 2011, and the network of practitioners grew slowly but steadily. From 2013 to 2016 SMART were selected to be a part of a government funded research program concerning primarily people with drug problems which resulted in further growth and an extensive evaluation proving the efficiency of the program. The funding made it possible to translate the manuals into Danish thereby transcend the limitations of on-line training and a highly effective in-person training program and learning environment was started.  

What SMART Recovery programs do you currently run? 

The most widespread activities in SMART Denmark are the regularly scheduled and facilitator lead SMART Recovery meetings. The meetings are held in eleven cities around the country and with many in the in and around Copenhagen. Some cities have expanded the program to include Family and Friends meetings. 

Why do you think SMART Recovery is working in Denmark? 

The SMART concept is relevant for people with addiction problems who want an alternative to the twelve-step model. Denmark is to a great extent a non-religious country and therefore the pragmatic approach that SMART embodies is very attractive to the Danish culture, which aligns with the basic principles of SMART. These principles based on the right of the individual to make their own choices and not surrender to a higher power appeals to Danes. The individual knows what will work best for them and SMART recognises that each individual has their own path, that one size does not fit all, and that enforcement of strict limitations and prohibitions are not necessary to successfully conquer addiction - on the contrary.

Are there any cultural challenges in delivering SMART Recovery in Denmark? 

Yes - In a word; Funding. 

In Denmark there is not a deep tradition of voluntary work within the field of addiction and zero tradition of donating money to drug treatment. The country is small, and we haven't been able to find donors willing to fund the programs. 

Furthermore, because healthcare is traditionally free and paid for by the government, we do not have a strong fundraising mentality like in other countries, so our facilitators feel uncomfortable explaining the donation system to participants so that is a huge challenge because it to a great extend make us dependent on the cycle of government grants.

A third reason for our challenges might be that SMART Denmark started out within the field of drug abuse. People with drug addiction face deeper stigma compared to people with other addictions, for example alcohol, and we have not had the power yet to approach the field of alcoholism but hope to do so within the coming years to expand the benefits of the program to a wider segment of the population struggling with various forms of addictions.

Another minor challenge is the educational material. Although it has been translated into Danish, the illustrated case stories have not yet been localised to meet Danish culture and the experiences of Danes.  For instance, when cases refer to the English pub culture which is non existing in Denmark, this can make it a challenge for Danes to relate to.

What plans and goals do you have for SMART Denmark?  

To expand the program from eleven cities to cover the entire country. Just recently we have submitted applications for government funding. We should know by year end. If awarded it will enable us to meet that goal and allows us to expand services in smaller cities, rural areas and other underserved populations. During several years SMART Denmark was mainly driven by Bendt Skjold Hansen supported by a rotation of interns. During 2018 and 2019 an actual board consisting of experienced SMART facilitators/teachers/practitioners has been established. The board members are dedicated to the program and the shared vision of expanding SMART to all parts of Denmark and wider population of addicts within the next few years.

If we fail to get any funding, the board is dedicated to the mission to establish new SMART groups around the country but will have to extend the timeline and resources of a 100% volunteer basis.

A key goal is to strengthen the SMART organization by establishing a support network to attract more facilitators, provide ongoing education and increase retention by avoiding burn-out. 

How do you say 'The Power of Choice' in Danish? 

Valgets kraft

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

It is the rapid, empowering and positive changes that people in the SMART program experience that fuels our motivation to make the program available nationwide. It is wonderful to see how people grow and develop from one meeting to the next and watch how people grow by helping others. 

Introducing the SMART Recovery Denmark Board

Top from left to right: Marianne, Nanna, Jan. Bottom from left to right: Trine, Nicolaj, Bendt, Joachim.

Tine Ladegaard

My name is Trine, and I was introduced to SMART Recovery as a manager of a volunteer center. I saw first-hand the immense impact in people's lives. We launched a three-year project which aimed to introduce and test the SMART method in a Danish context. We established and maintained two SMART Recovery groups for people with addiction and two support groups for relatives. 

The results of the work inspired me to join the board in the beginning of 2018. I want to contribute to establishing a viable organization that offers SMART Recovery groups throughout Denmark. I have a solid background in volunteer management and organizational development and in my professional life I am currently the leader of a small NGO that works with volunteers in the public -school system.

Nicolaj Hockerup Olsen

I am Nicolaj H. Olsen, a family and businessman. I have been a part of the Danish board since the summer of 2019. I am a serial entrepreneur who struggled with addiction until discovering SMART. I am dedicating my business experience to drive the success of SMART and empower others to experience the life changing benefits that I myself has enjoyed. 

Bendt Skjold Hansen

I am Bendt Skjold Hansen. After working for more than twenty years as a psychologist, and leader within the addiction field. I discovered SMART through some of the leading scientists in the field. Since 2011 I have been focused and dedicated to launch for SMART to become a recognized treatment methodology to benefit all Danes struggling with addiction. Since my retirement I have dedicated my time to serve as chairman of the Danish SMART board.

Email: bendt.s.hansen@gmail.com

Joachim Borup

My name is Joachim, and I was among the first people who took the SMART facilitator education in Denmark. I still remember when we were sitting during the night to go online with the US to become SMART Facilitators. At that time there were no such thing as a SMART Meeting in Denmark. However, we changed all that. Today there are many meetings throughout Denmark and that makes me really proud. I am a Social worker with a heart for volunteer work as well and I am a member of the SMART Board which consists of people with a great passion for volunteer work. I believe that people are different and have different needs and therefore I think that SMART Recovery is a great alternative to other established programs. It is simple, easy to use and a scientific approach which makes it really effective.

Marianne Baekboel

I am Marianne Baekboel. I became a part of the Danish Board in May 2019. I have worked as a drug abuse consultant for institutions, nine years as head of department in outpatient treatment facilities for adolescents, formed a national network of substance abuse consultants and as a journalist specializing in the field of drug abuse and treatment with articles published in major journals. My main focus is to support the organization communicating the power of the program through my network and my journalistic skills.  

Nanna Schmidt, Secretary

My name is Nanna and I have been with SMART Recovery in Denmark since early 2014.

In the early days of SMART Recovery, I served as Bendt’s assistant through the many stages and challenges to establish the program in Denmark. Since the official formation of SRDK in 2018 I have formally been serving as Board Secretary. Additionally, I head the weekly strategy meetings of the board and have done so for 5 years and counting.

As a professional I work as an Anthropologist in the Copenhagen Municipal Rehabilitation Center where I help develop treatment programs for people with co-occurring disorders. 

Jan Frederiksen

My name is Jan and I have been with SMART since 2011. Along with Bendt I attended the on-line facilitator class and together we started the first SMART meeting in Denmark. Since then I have led weekly meetings as well as I have been working as a self-employed psychotherapist. I am currently working on becoming a facilitator trainer and among other reasons I have joined the board in order to enhance the coordination of the Danish meetings.

http://smartrec.dk/

VIDEO: Are Relapse and Recycling Necessary for Addictive Behaviour Change?

Are relapse and recycling needed for recovery? Who better to answer this question than Carlo DiClemente, Ph.D., the co-creator of the Stages of Change model? In this highly informative presentation, Dr. DiClemente discusses relapse models, recycling and relapse, how they fit together, and the need to rethink the term “relapse.”

Click here to view Dr. DiClemente’s presentation slides