At one point, Steve Kind had to drive 70 miles from his home in Mankato to attend the closest in-person SMART Recovery meeting in Minneapolis. Today no one has to venture out from Mankato to sit with others who are embracing SMART as a pathway to recovery. A thriving network of facilitators, participants, and advocates has blossomed into a hub of recovery right there along the Minnesota River.
Kind says it all began when he was at a low point in trying to deal with his substance use. He was on treatment center #4 and he says he honestly didn’t give himself much of a chance to succeed at that point. Then an offhand comment by a counselor sent him to YouTube to search for SMART Recovery videos. He happened upon a lecture about some of the tools that SMART developed to help individuals who are trying to make changes in their lives and immediately felt hopeful. “I thought: This could work for me. This is a whole different approach. This makes sense and is how I feel comfortable looking at my addiction.”
At the same time, Kind was convinced that there had to be others out there who felt helpless like he had because they weren’t connecting with other recovery pathways and didn’t know about SMART. He took that conviction and started looking around, which led him to Minneapolis. It was an easy decision to take the facilitator training and start a meeting.
At first, the meetings in Mankato languished, but Kind kept showing up. It was six weeks before a single person showed up. Finally it seemed to catch on and attendance started growing to a dozen or more per meeting. Then the pandemic hit.
One unexpected benefit from moving meetings online came in the form of a retired teacher named Doug. He embraced SMART and took Steve's suggestion that he become a facilitator. Doug then became a real catalyst for expansion and post-pandemic regrowth.
Kind’s naturally outgoing nature led to speaking opportunities at local events. He not only shared SMART-specific information, but made it a point to talk about the fact that SMART as a pathway is compatible with other approaches to recovery. This affirming perspective created an atmosphere of inclusion. Soon members of the group started building relationships that included social events and gatherings. Now there are thirteen trained facilitators in the “Mankato hub.”
Kind says the network is certainly an example of peer-to-peer growth based on personal relationships, but that there is a replicable structure underneath as well. It involves consistent outreach and not discounting any opportunities to talk about what SMART is and what it is not. He says he’s had to dispel myths that SMART is for atheists or some kind of cult, and that it can’t be used in combination with other pathways.
Instead, he and others emphasize that SMART is part of the larger community, and that the tools and techniques are applicable to anyone seeking to create a balanced and fulfilling life. Kind says his SMART group demonstrates this by participating in community food drives and awareness events as a way to give back.
Ultimately, Kind says, persistence is the key. “It can take some time, but once you get a few people that really understand the value of SMART, that word of mouth will spread, and you’ll expand beautifully.”
