Expanding Pathways to Recovery: SMART Recovery Grows at Seafield
Recovery doesn't have to be dull, uninspired, or confined to a single path. In fact, I believe the more opportunities people have to discover what works for them, the more likely they are to find something they genuinely connect with.
It has become a personal mission to explore and introduce patients to the many recovery fellowships, communities, and programs available to them. There is an entire world of recovery support beyond what many people know, and I want our patients to know those options exist. One option is SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training), an evidence-based program we've offered at Seafield's Westhampton Beach residential facility.
The response from our patients has been remarkable.
What Is SMART Recovery?
SMART Recovery is a science-informed approach to overcoming addictive behaviors. Drawing from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), and motivational approaches, SMART helps people understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while developing practical skills to support recovery.
The program is built around four points:
Building and maintaining motivation
Coping with urges and cravings
Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Living a balanced life
SMART meetings are collaborative, practical, and focused on real-life challenges. Participants learn tools to challenge unhelpful thinking, manage difficult emotions, strengthen motivation, and make healthier decisions.
What I particularly appreciate about SMART is its emphasis on self-management. It encourages people to recognize that while they cannot always control what happens around them, they can learn to respond differently.
It's not about having all the answers. It's about learning new ways to approach old problems.
What We're Seeing at Seafield
I currently facilitate SMART Recovery meetings every Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. for our patients in Westhampton Beach. Because many patients have never heard of SMART, I begin each meeting with a brief introduction to the program, its four points, and its principles. From there, we move into an open SMART meeting, explore a particular topic or tool, and discuss how it relates to the challenges patients face in their own recovery.
What has been especially rewarding is watching patients take an interest in SMART beyond our scheduled meetings. Some have taken it upon themselves to organize informal SMART discussions in the evenings, working through the handbook and practicing the tools together without being asked. Others have expressed an interest in completing facilitator training themselves so they can eventually bring SMART Recovery to others.
To me, that speaks volumes.
These patients aren't simply attending another required group. They're finding something that resonates with them, taking ownership of their recovery, and imagining ways they might help others along the way. That kind of enthusiasm is exactly what I hoped to encourage when I first brought SMART to Seafield.
Why Having Choices Matters
At Seafield, we understand recovery isn't one-size-fits-all. Twelve-step fellowships such as AA and NA have helped countless people build lasting recovery and remain valuable sources of support. But not everyone connects with the same approach.
Some people struggle with spiritual language or the concept of sponsorship. Others may have had negative meeting experiences, feel uncomfortable in certain group settings, or learn better through practical exercises and structured tools.
This is particularly important when we consider trauma-informed treatment.
Many people entering treatment have experienced situations in which they felt powerless, unheard, or without choices. Offering different recovery pathways gives them an opportunity to exercise autonomy, explore their preferences, and participate more actively in decisions about their own care.
SMART complements the work we're already doing in treatment, including relapse prevention, emotional regulation, coping skills, and cognitive restructuring. It also gives patients tools they can continue using in community meetings and everyday life after leaving Seafield. For some, SMART may become their primary recovery fellowship. For others, it may work alongside AA, NA, therapy, or other supports.
There's room for all of it.
The Next Step: SMART Recovery Family & Friends
As I've continued facilitating SMART Recovery, I've become increasingly interested in extending these resources to the people who are often deeply affected by addiction but sometimes overlooked: family members and loved ones.
I recently completed additional training as a SMART Recovery Family & Friends facilitator, and I'm excited about bringing this program to Seafield as well. Addiction rarely affects just one person. Parents, spouses, partners, siblings, children, and friends often find themselves caught in the chaos of someone else's substance use. They may spend years worrying, trying to help, managing crises, and putting the pieces back together. Along the way, they can lose sight of their own emotional needs.
SMART Family & Friends recognizes that loved ones also need support and tools for recovery. The program draws on SMART principles and CRAFT interventions (Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training). It helps family members and friends develop healthier communication skills, establish boundaries, manage difficult emotions, and care for their own well-being.
Importantly, the focus is not on controlling or fixing the person struggling with addiction. It's about helping loved ones understand what they can control, respond more effectively, and reclaim balance in their own lives. I see this as a natural progression of the work we're doing at Seafield. When we support the individual but overlook the family, we may be leaving an important part of the recovery process unaddressed. Families often need opportunities to heal, learn new ways of relating, and find support for themselves, too.
My hope is that SMART Family & Friends will soon become another option for loved ones connected to Seafield. While we haven't scheduled a meeting yet, I'm looking forward to exploring how we can make this resource available.
Recovery Can Be Something to Look Forward To
One thing I want patients to understand is that recovery isn't just about giving something up. It's also about discovering what becomes possible when substance use is no longer at the center of their lives. Recovery can involve new friendships, interests, purpose, community, and opportunities to help others. It can be challenging, certainly, but it can also be meaningful, engaging, and even exciting.
The enthusiasm I've seen from patients participating in SMART has reinforced something I strongly believe: when people are given choices, encouragement, and practical tools, they often surprise themselves with what they're capable of. My goal is to keep exploring and sharing the many pathways available, so that every patient has a better chance of finding a recovery community that feels right for them. And with SMART Family & Friends on the horizon, I hope we can extend that same spirit of choice, connection, and support to the people who love them.
SMART Recovery at Seafield
SMART Recovery meetings are held Tuesdays at 1:15 p.m. at our Westhampton Beach inpatient location.
For more information, contact Thea Terenzi, LMSW, at dterenzi@seafieldcenter.com.
Learn more about SMART Recovery and SMART Recovery Family & Friends.
