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Help SMART Recovery Grow

Help SMART Recovery grow more meetings for individuals seeking
independence from addiction and problematic behavior. Our
training will help you learn about multiple pathways to recovery.
"Discover the power of choice!"

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PERSONAL SATISFACTION

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do! Among the top benefits you receive is the personal satisfaction of incorporating service to others in your life.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As a SMART Recovery volunteer, you will be making a big difference in the lives of others, having a real, valuable and positive effect on people, communities, and society in general.

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SKILL DEVELOPMENT

As a SMART Recovery volunteer, you'll learn new skills and gain experience, keep skills sharp, or use existing skills in new ways. Maybe even some new qualifications???

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GAIN CONFIDENCE

With volunteering you can challenge yourself to try new things, practice using your skills and achieve personal goals. You might even unearth and discover new hidden talents.

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PERSONAL GROWTH

Learning is a lifelong process. As a SMART Recovery volunteer, you can contribute and apply your "real life" experiences, skills and unique perspectives in service to others.

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MEET PEOPLE, HAVE FUN

As a SMART Recovery volunteer, you'll meet many different kinds of people. In addition to networking, volunteering can be a lot of fun and a meaningful way to make new friends.

Our Trainings & Offerings

SMART for Volunteers

No matter the SMART Recovery role you are seeking, we’ve got the training program where you’ll learn the necessary skills and knowledge to do so.
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SMART for Professionals

Are you a licensed professional seeking to use SMART Recovery with the individuals you work with in a professional setting or role? We’ve got you covered!
NAADAC approved CEs

Onsite & Zoom Training

Do you have a group of professionals or volunteers who wish to become trained in the SMART Recovery program? Check out our training options.
Live & in-person

Group Rates & Discounts

Are you a student, in the military, or financially strapped? Reduced fee pricing available for students, military personnel, veterans, and other eligible individuals.
Group rates & other discounts

We're Mobile Friendly!

Come and learn with us! You can learn "on-the-go" no matter where you are or what device you're using. With the Moodle Mobile app (available for Android and iPhone/iPad mobile devices), you can access your training courses anytime... anywhere!

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NAADAC Approved Education Provider

SMART Recovery, USA is a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, NAADAC Provider #86948. SMART Recovery USA, Inc. is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Up to 25 hours of continuing education (CE) credits will be issued to those who meet the CE requirements of eligible training courses. Visit our Professional Training page to learn more.

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What People Are Saying

Outstanding!!! This training was so much better than I thought it would be. I did this training because my supervisor wanted it. I've been a professional in the field for almost 20 years and thought I would not learn anything new, but I did! Thank you for making me a better professional than I already was.

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Rob M.
South Bend, IN, US

This training did exactly what I had hoped for increasing my insight on the SMART tools, techniques, and other practical concepts to bring to SMART meetings... even if I do not participate as a facilitator. I recommend it to anyone wishing to enhance their recovery through a greater knowledge of SMART.

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Jeff Sollee
Redondo Beach, CA, US

Being I've chaired many meetings before in business and other organizations, I questioned whether or not I'd benefit from this training in relation to the time required. On completing, I realized how much there was to learn and I'm now more equipped to help others in sharing the mission of SMART.

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Allen Keller
Lantzville, BC, CA

The team did a fabulous and thorough job with a top notch training... Far superior to some  of the college courses that I've taken. Although some presenters have loads of education and expertise, they were able to relay the information in its most basic form so that anyone can understand. Very well done!!!

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Tara A.
Mason, OH, US

I work in IT and need to do training courses all the time, either being in person, ILO (instructor led online) or self-paced. This is by far one of the better run courses I've ever taken! I am proud to have taken this course and feel like you have one of the BEST setups I've ever seen... you guys should be proud of that!

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Shawn Dawson
Durham, NC, US

Super course! Well-constructed in both its flow and organization. The resources are excellent, and the encouraging feedback was very much appreciated. The training course was challenging enough to require participants to work hard and stay consistent in their studies, but yet still manageable and fun!

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Ricky Lew
Boynton Beach, FL, US

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which training is right for me?

We have various training program courses and offerings depending on the desired role you’re seeking:

  • The GSF 200: Meeting Host Training is our training for individuals who wish to start a new hosted SMART discussion meeting. 
  • The GSF 201: Facilitator Training is our training for those seeking to start a new SMART Recovery meeting, become a co-facilitator of or to take over an existing SMART meeting. The GSF 201 training is also required for those seeking to become one of our online community volunteers. 
  • The GSF 202: Family & Friends Training is an "add-on" training for those who wish to start a SMART Recovery group for Family & Friends. Completion of the GSF 201: Facilitator Training is a prerequisite of this training.
  • The GSF 203: Facilitator/Family & Friends Training is a "combo" training which combines the GSF 201 and the GSF 202 training courses into a single course.
  • The GSF 301: SMART Recovery for Professionals course is a training offering for licensed "professionals" desiring to utilize the SMART Recovery program with the individuals they're working with in a professional setting.

NOTE: If you are intending on establishing a SMART meeting in Australia or the United Kingdom you will need to complete the training provided by the national SMART organizations in those countries.

Can I use a mobile device?

Our training site and courses are mobile friendly, and you can access by computer, laptop, tablets or Smart phones anytime and anywhere there is an internet connection available.

If you wish to use a mobile device, you'll need to install the Moodle app (available for both Android and iPhone/iPad mobile devices) and enter the full site address of the location of your training course. (Be sure to include the backslash on the end… you’ll get an error message without it.)

Are there continuing education (CE) credits available?

ceu.gifYes, there are CE credits available for SOME of our training course offerings. SMART Recovery, USA is a NAADAC Approved Education Provider (Provider #86948) and CE credits are available for some of our training course offerings.

The courses and offerings which CE credits are available will be indicated specifically within the course description and will also be designated with the NAADAC Approved Education Provider logo displayed on the left.

A listing of the organizations and boards that NAADAC continuing education (CE) hours are accepted can be found here.

NOTE: There may be other licensing boards or organizations not listed where NAADAC's Continuing Education offerings meet the standards for acceptance. Due diligence should be performed to assure these CEs will be accepted by your board or licensing authority.

Do you need to be in recovery to be a meeting Facilitator?

No… having a personal experience with a problematic addictive behavior is not a necessity to run a helpful and effective SMART Recovery meeting. Our meeting Facilitators and Volunteers are a broad mix of people, including treatment professionals, peers who have used the program and dealt with addictive behavior issues themselves, non-professionals, non-peers… and everything in between! At any given point of time, we have this broad mix of individuals participating in our training program.

SMART believes that EVERYONE has something that could be considered an addictive behavior—though not necessarily being problematic or harmful. If one accepts this premise and then searches to identify it (whatever it might be) within their own life, it allows one to be able to relate to “addictive behaviors” in general.

What is an addictive behavior?

In an article by Ruth C. Engs titled, “Addictive Behaviors”, she states:

“Any activity, substance, object, or behavior that has become the major focus of a person's life to the exclusion of other activities, or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially is considered an addictive behavior.”

Whatever addictive behavior someone is dealing with--drinking, drugging, gambling, smoking, eating, shopping, sexual, etc. (even "cutting" or other self-harm behaviors), they all have similarities and things in common. No matter the substance, activity or behavior, the process of addiction and recovery is basically the same. It is these processes that SMART Recovery focus on.

So while there are differences in the content (e.g., drinking, drugging, gambling, smoking, eating, shopping, sexual, etc.), by focusing on the processes involved, I believe you'll find the similarities no matter what the specific "addictive behavior" involves.

What's the difference between a hosted and facilitated meeting?

While both the facilitated and hosted SMART meeting formats are discussion-focused, the primary difference between the two is where the topics of discussion come from:

  • In a facilitated meeting, the discussions are focused on the specific issues attendees raise during the Agenda Setting portion of the meeting.
  • In a hosted meeting, the discussions focus on one (or more) of the SMART tools based on handouts and exercises from the SMART Recovery Handbook. 

Is there any additional costs for training materials?

No, there's no additional cost for training materials. All of the training materials are provided to you online within the training course.

Is there ongoing training and support available on completion?

Yes... we've got you covered! The end of your training is just the beginning of a new learning journey and you're not left out all on your own. In addition to the continued support available from the Central Office staff and the Training Team, there are various other means of ongoing training and support opportunities we make available to our meeting Facilitators and Volunteers:

  • FAST Forward: SMART Meeting Management meetings take place every Monday at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time and every Friday at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. If you are interested in furthering your skills in managing your meetings or smoothly handling any challenges you might encounter, these discussion meetings are for you. Discussion topics include difficult and sensitive issues that may arise in meetings, best practices and techniques in using the SMART tools, following meeting guidelines, creating an accepting and non-judgmental meeting environment, and how to "Do SMART Recovery”. It’s also a place to brainstorm ideas and share information and resources.  
  • FAST Forward: SMART for Volunteers meetings take place on the first and third Monday of every month at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. SMART for Volunteers is a one-hour support meeting exclusively for SMART Facilitators and Volunteers. The purpose of the SMART for Volunteers meetings is to provide a SMART Recovery meeting for our facilitators and volunteers who may or may not have another support system available. It is a time to discuss your own personal issues, challenges and life struggles. All SMART Recovery Facilitators and Volunteers are invited to attend. Who is there, what is said and by whom is STRICTLY confidential. 
  • SMARTCAL is a discussion group you can choose to subscribe to when submitting your Volunteer Registration Form. There, you can send one email that will go out to all SMART Volunteers, Facilitators, members of the Board of Directors, etc… everyone that is a part of the SMART Recovery organization who has subscribed to the group.
  • SMARTTxPro is a discussion group you can choose to subscribe to if you are a certified addiction treatment professional.  Check the box when submitting your Volunteer Registration Form and begin to communicate with other treatment professionals serving SMART Recovery.
  • Facilitator’s Forum on the SROL Message Board, which has been set up as a means of communication and support for both our existing face-to-face and online meeting Facilitators, as well as the “graduates” of our Training Program. This allows you to continue share your progress in getting your meetings up and running, and provides another venue in which you can get feedback and share thoughts, ideas, concerns, issues or problems encountered, etc. relating to your meetings.

NOTE: The ongoing training and support meetings take place utilizing the online Zoom meeting platform. Notices and access details for the meetings are posted in the SMARTCAL discussion group. The meeting times and dates are also listed in the Calendar of Events. 

 

Can I be a Facilitator if I've not had an addiction?

Having a personal experience with a problematic addictive behavior is NOT a necessity to run a helpful and effective SMART Recovery meeting. Our meeting Facilitators and Volunteers are a broad mix of people, including treatment professionals, peers who have used the program and dealt with substance abuse issues themselves, non-professionals, non-peers… and everything in between! At any given point of time, we have this broad mix of individuals participating in our training courses.

Generally speaking, SMART believes that EVERYONE has something that could be considered an addictive behavior—though not necessarily being problematic or “harmful”. If one accepts this premise and then searches to identify it (whatever "it" might be) within their own life, it allows one to be able to relate to “addictive behaviors” in general.

Is SMART Recovery evidence-based?

Our approach is consistent with evidence-based practices in addiction treatment and our program is based on treatments with strong scientific support, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Prochaska and DiClimente’s Stages of Change, and Miller and Rollnick’s Motivational Interviewing. Also used is components of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), by Dr. Albert Ellis, because they are easy to understand and convey CBT principles easily.

Because of the evidence and scientific research behind these various methods which the SMART Recovery program have drawn upon, we are confident that our approach works very well for many people.

Come Learn With Us!

SMART Recovery is unique in the way it supports those desiring to abstain from various forms of addictive behavior. The way we train individuals to become a SMART Recovery meeting facilitator is also unique. We believe our recovery concepts, tools, and meeting facilitation quality play a very significant role in helping individuals abstain from their addictive behavior and in developing life-long healthy self-management choices.

Our training will help you learn about multiple pathways to recovery. "Discover the power of choice!"

COME LEARN WITH US! Our training offerings will give you the knowledge, confidence, and support you need to start a SMART Recovery meeting in your community. Scroll through our training course offerings above to decide which training is right for you!

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SMART Recovery USA
7304 Mentor Avenue, Suite F
Mentor, OH 44060
Phone: 440.951.5357

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. (ADMIN ACCESS ONLY)
  • ABOUT
    • About SMART Training
    • Meet the Training Team
    • SMART Recovery Website
    • SMART Recovery Online (SROL)
    • Search Local SMART Meetings
    • Search Online SMART Meetings
  • TRAINING
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  • RESOURCES
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    • SMART Recovery Dictionary
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    • Ongoing Training & Support
    • SMART Online Store (US)
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  • QUESTIONS? CONTACT US
    • Online Training
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