Few places have weather as consistent as San Diego’s. That same consistency applies to the presence of SMART Recovery in the community, as well. In part, that’s because one of SMART’s co-founders has lived in San Diego since the beginning of our self-empowering existence. It’s a lot more about what’s been cultivated by a large number of volunteers over SMART’s 30 years, though. With 40 meetings per week, in-person and online, it’s often recognized as the largest SMART community of empowerment in the world. But Kristi Porter, SMART San Diego’s Community Coordinator since January of 2022, doesn’t allow the community to become complacent. “A community isn’t something you build once; it takes continuous work,” she says.
Porter, herself a trained facilitator, considers community to be an ongoing process. As circumstances change, there have to be adjustments and efforts to keep renewing the energy and resources that drive the community forward. “Our greatest resource is our people. If someone shows an interest in SMART, we need to find ways for them to be included and involved.”
This has led Porter to the major project of re-establishing a monthly newsletter that announces upcoming social events and meeting changes. It also highlights contributions from the community and recognizes volunteers in myriad ways. At the same time, Porter says, she recognizes that there is a larger recovery community to connect with outside of SMART. That’s why there have been collaborations with organizations like The Phoenix, a national “sober active community” that organizes events and gatherings. These partnerships have continued to breathe life into SMART San Diego.
“The Phoenix gives individuals a convenient and supportive way to get together outside of meetings. It has connected SMART to many other groups and individuals working in the recovery space around Sand Diego.” This raises SMART’s visibility and has helped access resources like new meeting spaces.
Partnering with other organizations also demonstrates that it can be more efficient to share resources and avoid repeating the same kind of activities when it comes to outreach efforts. Porter says that it is important that the general public understands there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to addressing addictive behaviors and making positive changes. When a variety of groups join together and provide comprehensive information about multiple pathways to recovery in one place, it benefits the entire community.
On a more personal note, Porter likes to reference the writer Johann Hari’s idea that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but connection. “That really resonates with me. In addition to learning skills, a sense of community and mutual support are essential parts of what makes SMART meetings effective and meaningful.” That’s why she wanted to put her time and energy into the Community Coordinator role. She likes the challenge of coming up with ways to engage both SMART participants and those who are not yet aware of its principles and practices.
Although SMART is a flexible and evolving research-informed approach, Porter says one great feature of SMART remains constant year round and in all weather. “SMART truly meets people where they are and helps them work toward their own goals.”
