Learn How to Facilitate SMART Meetings

Becoming a facilitator helped me in so many ways. It made me more stable in my recovery. It made me a better communicator in life and at work. Most importantly, it helped me build back trust in myself and my abilities the more I do it

Facilitating has given me a greater appreciation of the process of behaviour change in our lives, & the difference a supportive environment makes in that process. I never saw myself facilitating a group of people, but through learning new skills, in a supported environment, I've found it meaningful & enjoyable.

For me, facilitating SMART Recovery® is about creating a space where people can recognise that they can make changes in their own lives. As a facilitator, you don’t need to have all the answers – sometimes the most important thing you can do is create the space for people to find their own. I probably started out thinking I had to lead the meeting, whereas now I see my role much more as guiding the conversation and trusting the group and the SMART tools to do the work. SMART has also influenced me professionally. It has reinforced my belief that sustainable change comes from working alongside people rather than doing things for them.

I enjoy facilitating meetings and I find the SMART model and meeting structure very supportive. It's great to see people become empowered with practical tools for their recovery

I facilitate for two reasons: starting SMART was the first time I felt I could actually recover, so I want to make space for others in a similar boat. Secondly, it keeps me grounded and reminds me of how far I've come.

I credit the SMART recovery tools with helping me overcome my problematic substance use and find recovery. Through SMART recovery, I have found passion and purpose, so much so that I have changed careers to train as a psychotherapist.

Through facilitating SMART I've found a passion for personal development and a calling to help others navigate their own journeys. In my experience, as you develop, you become much more comfortable in allowing silence. I find you facilitate less and instead focus on holding the space.

I think SMART facilitating is worth doing because it gives a person a chance to experience working with people affected by addiction. You also learn tools and motivational techniques that you can put in practice when helping others in their journey. It can also help grow your confidence and learn how to handle difficult situations and how to respond appropriately.

I can see addiction very differently now than I did before as I have only ever seen addiction through my own lens and my own life experience but now I get the chance to see it through other people in the way I facilitate. I now understand that motivation can change and that it can be explored and strengthened. I think when you start to help others and really try to understand how they feel it gives you the chance to support a person rather than try and rescue them.

Facilitating Smart meetings has taught me a lot. It's given me a sense of meaning and purpose and has allowed me to feel helpful in the world. There's been a real sense of connection in groups and it's been satisfying watching people help themselves by using different Smart tools and reflecting on how they're beneficial. I'm grateful to have had the chance to facilitate over the past few years.

It has been a privilege facilitating SMART meetings for over 6 years, and seeing the recovery community growing from strength to strength. It has also helped me grow as an addiction practitioner by using SMART tools even in one to one sessions. Seeing someone turn their life around, I find so rewarding and worth continuing to support more.