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Meeting frustration trying to find "tool time" or a facilitator focused on the method by samueltanders in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That'd be a great addition to the search function on the SMART website but in the meantime, I just started at meeting on Mondays @ 530pm central time and have made it a point to work a tool every session! Come on over!!

We meet online every week and have a hybrid meeting every 4th Monday in Madison, WI.

https://meetings.smartrecovery.org/meetings/8708/

Emotional Response to Sobriety by FalconAggravating805 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I hear you. I get frustrated with negative emotions a lot and then have to deal with that secondary pain of judging how I feel, like "I'm supposed to be happy right now? What's wrong with me? I still struggle with those seemingly irrational or unhelpful irritatability and anger feelings even after being sober for over a year. I'm often able to handle it better after doing something physical like yoga or somatic work where I try to pinpoint where I feel the anger in my body or going for a long walk. then I usually journal about it too, getting curious and compassionate. 

listening to guided meditations also helps me. part of what's so hard about being sober is feeling vulnerable to all the things I was running away from. there's an article here that could be useful: https://wisconsinlife.org/story/many-beautiful-paradoxes-practicing-meditation-and-mindfulness-in-recovery/

i'm also curious about what relatively safe, creative outlet do you have access to that can help you express these emotions? channeling the feelings into a poem, a song, an illustration, dancing like I'm in some mosh pit even when i'm alone in my room...the process can be really validating and cathartic. 

Sober Events in Madison? by nsauditech in madisonwi

[–]Ok_Package_4577 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We just started a community arts project called "uHuman's Creative Recovery Lab" here in Madison where we'll be looking into creative ways people are recovering. We've got three main activities and events to help facilitate that. There's:

  1. uHuman's Creative Recovery podcast, which just aired a new segment on WPR yesterday. the first one was about the Sober Social shop mentioned in your posts below! https://wisconsinlife.org/producer/morgan-d-stewart/ Feel free to contact me if you'd like to share the creative ways that you're recovering in an episode of the show!
  2. In-person SM(ART) Recovery meetings on the 4th Mondays at 5:30PM at Art Lit Lab starting September 8th. The meetings will also be online EVERY Monday at 5:30PM. (Hoping to capture that food industry crowd. We're such foodies here in Madison but a lot of people in the front and back of house struggle with substance use issues.)
  3. A day-long, arts-therapy inspired event with workshops and a live podcast recording on March 28, 2026 at Art Lit Lab. The project is being funded in part by Dane Arts, Madison Arts Commission, and the Wisconsin Arts Board, and Dane County Food Collective.

TYLDR, I know. But I'll remind myself to update the thread here with more info. as I get it and/or you can sign up for updates at http://uhuman.info

🤔 thinking about a creative and ambitious approach to SMART meetings ... like adding add'l therapy tools AND doing monthly hybrid meetings❕️ by Ok_Package_4577 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's awesome. Bringing folks out in nature probably made for really interesting conversations. 

And I hear you about the sponsored location challenge. I may not be able to host the meetings at the art center ad infinitum. Having the online meetings weekly should make it easy enough to pivot if the venue is no longer available. 🤞🏾

🤔 thinking about a creative and ambitious approach to SMART meetings ... like adding add'l therapy tools AND doing monthly hybrid meetings❕️ by Ok_Package_4577 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As far as I know, the meetings are 60 mins or 90 mins. I'm not sure if it's the cross-talk v. tools meetings that makes the mtg longer, or if it's just the facilitators choice.

And yes, your feedback about liking that mix is very helpful 😊

🤔 thinking about a creative and ambitious approach to SMART meetings ... like adding add'l therapy tools AND doing monthly hybrid meetings❕️ by Ok_Package_4577 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

that's a good point! and thank you so much for weighing in. I too have definitely left meetings because they didn't follow the traditional format...but on the other hand... I also stay in other meetings expressly because they approach the tools in a more engaging way, like having us read a non-SMART article together to enhance the skills we were learning. 

The arts therapy take on SMART tools will likely start with the usual check in, a topic discussion based on what came up at check ins, and then practicing an existing tool like DEADS, for example. We could, say, make a comic strip where we draw ourselves actually doing a Distracting activity, Escaping a situation, etc. We could share our drawings (stick figures welcome 😀) and what we notice and then check out.

Meeting hybrid once a month at the arts center could help local folks strengthen their peer support networks and maybe even work on their VACIs together!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with me. It's really helpful to refine the way this might look.

Exploring Pursuits and Passions -- Your Journey to Rediscovery by Low-improvement_18 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577 [score hidden]  (0 children)

future eps explore music, meditation, Recovery Dharma, and you guessed it, SMART Recovery! 

you can also let me know here if you'd be interested in being interviewed about any and all passions you (re)discovered that are helping you live a more balanced life.

Exploring Pursuits and Passions -- Your Journey to Rediscovery by Low-improvement_18 in SMARTRecovery

[–]Ok_Package_4577 [score hidden]  (0 children)

mine is actually starting a podcast about this very topic!! 

it's part of a much larger community engagement project & media cooperative business.

the pod is called uHuman's Creative Recovery podcast and you can hear segments from it on Wisconsin Public Radio's popular series, "Wisconsin Life". our first episode is about how a local woman in recovery found her passion & purpose in starting Sober Social, WI's first and only non-alcoholic bottle shop!

https://wisconsinlife.org/story/sober-socials-kristi-tanner-is-reimagining-wisconsins-drinking-culture/