A new program, championed by the Golden Family Centre, is aimed at providing the tools for a substance-free lifestyle.

Smart Recovery is an educational, group-style program that is meant to be an alternative or can be used alongside the existing 12-step programs out there today to help those wishing to recover from substance abuse.

Yvonne Solorio, addictions supervisor with alcohol and drug services at the Golden Family Centre, says that Smart Recovery is a structured support program that is more of a conceptual injection of principles with an educational component.

“It is not focused on sharing so much as learning the tools to cope with addiction.”

Solorio and Vicki Kennedy, community mental health nurse, are hoping to facilitate the program for eight weeks and then teach the training to some participants so the group can keep going themselves.

“We hope there will be a few people in the group that will want to take the training and take over in facilitating,” says Kennedy.

Kennedy explains that during Smart Recovery, there will be certain tools taught each week.

“The first week will be an introduction and in the weeks following, we will give the tools for a substance-free lifestyle. We are inviting individuals to take a close look at the price and benefits of using and then take a more intelligent approach to making the transition.”

Solorio explains that though the program includes group sessions, Smart Recovery is not therapy.

“We hope to assist people and give them the guidelines to self guide themselves with the tools they are given. If other things (for example, a program like Alcoholics Anonymous) haven’t helped, then this program could be something different. This program is for people who haven’t yet found the right solution.”

Kennedy explains that Smart Recovery is a program out of the United States that is based on a concept called rational emotive development behavioural therapy.

“It is not an intervention, we want to assist people to be rational about their emotions, says Kennedy, adding that she got the idea from a colleague while working in addictions in Scotland.

“When I taught it to my clients I found that it really made a lot of sense to a lot of people. It’s the organization of information that a lot of clients need. It’s very practical.”

The Smart Recovery idea came to fruition in Golden when Kennedy and Solorio, after talking with some of their clients, found that there was an interest for the program here.

“We took the online, four week training course and anyone can take this course,” explains Solorio, adding, “In spite of how basic the training was, it still made me think.”

Smart Recovery is being offered to adults aged 19 and over and there are already people signed up for the program.

To register, contact Tracy Suhan at the Golden Family Centre, at 250-344-2000.

“This program is for anyone that feels they need the assistance of this kind of service,” says Solorio, adding, “Our goal was to offer something different. One extra tool to give to people whose substance misuse is defeating their efforts of recovery.”

Smart Recovery weekly sessions, start on September 8 and run every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Golden Family Centre.

According to their website, www.smartrecovery.org, Smart Recovery teaches how to enhance and maintain motivation to abstain, cope with urges, manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and balance momentary and enduring satisfactions.

“Our Purpose is to support individuals who have chosen to abstain, or are considering abstinence from any type of addictive behaviours (substances or activities), by teaching how to change self-defeating thinking, emotions, and actions; and to work towards long-term satisfactions and quality of life.”