Practical Recovery

The Language of Using Again

If you have a slip in recovery, what language do you use to define it? Is it relapse? A slip? We take a look at different definitions and how they might affect you.

Atheist Barry Hazle Sues and Wins Over Mandatory 12-Step Treatment

Barry Hazle recently received media attention, and a nearly $2 million dollar settlement, after he challenged the legality of a mandate to a 12-step substance abuse treatment program. Hazle was convicted of possession of methamphetamine in California and sentenced to a 90-day treatment program. Because he was an atheist, Hazle had difficulty engaging in the […]

The Varieties of SMART Recovery Experience

by Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP There are multiple ways to experience any well-developed approach to addiction recovery, whether that approach is, for instance, SMART Recovery, a 12-step group or Stanton Peele’s PERFECT Program. In this article I present my observations about experiences in SMART Recovery. I acknowledge the foundation established for this article by The […]

Questioning Dr. Peele

Our very own Dr. Horvath questions Dr. Peele about defining addiction, recovery and many other important issues on this SMART Recovery podcast. Click here to listen to the entire audio clip.

Don’t Toss Away the Serenity Prayer

Originally posted on March 8, 2013  on the Reunion San Diego blog For people opposed to “prayers”, AA meetings, traditional 12-step-based treatment and/or prayer in general, it’s too bad that the Serenity Prayer has been co-opted. What you probably don’t know, according to “The Secret History of the Serenity Prayer” by author Susan Cheever at […]