In recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs) and behavioral addictions, support groups play an important role. While many people are familiar with 12-Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), other groups take a different approach. One such group is SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training), which helps people take control of their recovery through evidence-backed tools and motivational techniques. In this way, SMART Recovery members can benefit from a supportive environment grounded in science and rational decision-making.
What is SMART Recovery?
SMART Recovery is an international support group program designed to help people overcome problematic behaviors and addiction, including substance use disorder, gambling, and overeating. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training.
Originally developed by medical professionals, SMART Recovery has grown into a global community that helps people take control of their recovery. Grounded in evidence-based behavioral therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), SMART Recovery emphasizes self-empowerment and personal responsibility for achieving lasting change. Established in 1994, SMART Recovery meetings are peer-led and open to anyone seeking support. Meetings are free of charge making them an accessible option for those who are looking for help getting into treatment.1
How Does SMART Recovery Help Treat Addiction?
Unlike religious support groups that call upon a higher power or that require participants to admit powerlessness over their addictive behaviors, SMART Recovery is rooted in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) to teach people how to control their behavior by focusing on underlying thoughts and feelings.9 Trained volunteers help participants examine their behaviors to locate those problems that warrant attention.1
SMART Recovery boasts solid evidence, demonstrating a success rate comparable to that of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A 2018 study that compared the self-reported success of SMART Recovery members among those of other addiction support groups found that, after normalizing for demographic variances and treatment goals, those pursuing abstinence in SMART Recovery found success equal to that of AA.2
Four Points of Smart Recovery
So, how does SMART Recovery work? It works off of a 4-Point Program focusing on:1
- Building and maintaining motivation. Maintaining the commitment to stay sober is an important part of attaining long-term recovery. SMART Recovery participants often make lists of their priorities, then weigh the costs and benefits of using substances versus being sober.
- Coping with urges. SMART Recovery participants examine what triggers their cravings. Participants are taught to identify and overcome irrational beliefs about their urges to use.
- Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Participants learn and discuss how to prevent relapse by examining the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that led them to substance use. Participants learn self-acceptance and how to manage difficult feelings.
- Living a balanced life. Sobriety can be a drastic lifestyle change, and so learning how to thrive in sobriety is crucial to a successful recovery. Participants take inventory of what is important to them and learn realistic goal-setting techniques to plan for a healthier future.
Therapies Used in Smart Recovery
SMART Recovery is founded on the principles and practices of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and is led by trained facilitators.
CBT is a goal-oriented form of psychotherapy that helps people identify and change their patterns of unhelpful thinking and behavior. The therapy works by breaking down complex problems into distinct, manageable parts.3
In addition to CBT, SMART recovery utilizes other evidence-based therapy modalities. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a therapy that addresses the patient’s ambivalence toward change and attempts to resolve it by exploring their motivations and values.4 Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is a form of CBT that addresses irrational or unhealthy thoughts and emotions. Working with a therapist, individuals learn to recognize and challenge harmful thinking patterns and behaviors.5
SMART Recovery accepts the use of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), meaning people can choose to use prescription medications to help with withdrawal if their doctor recommends it.6
Principles of Smart Recovery
SMART Recovery’s mission is to help participants free themselves of their addictive behaviors. This entails teaching and encouraging people to take responsibility for their own change.
The principles of SMART Recovery are:1
- Self-Management, that people can manage their own behaviors.
- Mutual Support, that there is value in connecting with and learning from peers who have had similar experiences.
- Choice, that people can choose their own goals, skills, and tools.
- Evidence, that all SMART Recovery programs are based on scientific evidence that can be reevaluated.
- Person-Centered, that people with lived experience remain central in the SMART Recovery mission.
SMART Recovery vs. AA
Both AA and SMART Recovery were at least partially founded on the idea that people are more likely to succeed in their recovery goals if they have some support within a group of people who have undergone similar experiences around addiction. While AA groups are led by their own members, SMART Recovery meetings are led by trained facilitators. These facilitators are not required to be in recovery themselves.
There are other key differences. AA adheres to a 12-Step program, defined as a set of spiritual principles that help people achieve sobriety. While believing in a formal deity is not required to join AA, reliance on “a power greater than ourselves” remains a key component of its philosophy.7
SMART Recovery, on the other hand, offers a secular, science-based alternative to traditional 12-Step programs. Its evidence-informed recovery method is grounded in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to teach people to build and maintain personal motivation to attain long-term recovery.
According to the findings of at least one study, SMART Recovery members tend to struggle less with substance use than members of AA. SMART Recovery members have also been found to have more education, higher rates of employment, and greater economic resources than those in AA.8
SMART Recovery in Atlanta
Roughly 20 SMART Recovery meetings, run by trained SMART Recovery facilitators, are available each week within a 25-mile radius of downtown Atlanta. Most meetings are in English, though some are in Spanish. All are available to citizens, veterans, and first responders. For specific times and locations, go to https://smartrecovery.org/meeting.
SMART Recovery at Empowered Recovery
Empowered Recovery Center in Atlanta offers a variety of addiction therapy options to suit your needs. Our rehab programs include partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and standard outpatient (OP). All of our programs include one full year of recovery coaching at no extra cost to provide continued support once you’ve completed your program. Holistic therapies are also available.
We accept several insurance plans and are more than willing to work with out-of-network plans to ensure you receive the help you need. Our admissions team can verify your insurance benefits so that you’ve got what you need when it comes to paying for rehab or using insurance to pay for rehab.
If you’d like to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol rehab, call us today or fill out our online contact form.
References
- SMART Recovery (n.d.). About Us. SMART Recovery. Retrieved June 18, 2025, from https://smartrecovery.org/about
- U.S. National Library of Medicine (2019). A Longitudinal Study of the Comparative Efficacy of Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and 12-step Groups for those with AUD. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 18, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5884451/
- American Psychological Association (2017). What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? American Psychological Association. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral
- U.S. National Library of Medicine (2019). Motivational Interviewing as a Counseling Style. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571068/
- Albert Ellis Institute (n.d.) Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://albertellis.org/rebt-cbt-therapy/
- SMART Recovery. (n.d.). What is SMART Recovery’s Stance on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)? Retrieved July 9, 2025, from https://smartrecovery.org/blog/what-is-medication-assisted-treatment-mat
- Alcoholics Anonymous (n.d.). The Twelve Steps of AA. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://aa.org.au/twelve-steps/
- Harvard Health Publishing (2024). Want to stop harmful drinking? AA versus SMART Recovery. Harvard Medical School. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/want-to-stop-harmful-drinking-aa-versus-smart-recovery-202409053068
- SMART Recovery. (n.d.). What is SMART Recovery?. SMART Recovery. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from smartrecovery.org/what-is-smart-recovery
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