12-Step Programs And Peer Support Groups At Bedrock

The most well-known peer support groups in the behavioral health field are the 12-step groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). However, these are not the only options.

For one thing, people facing depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health disorders, not only addiction, benefit from peer support too. And some people are put off by AA’s and NA’s reliance on a higher power in achieving recovery.

This is why we offer a wide variety of peer-based options at Bedrock Recovery Center, including 12-step groups but also SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, LGBTQ+ groups, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) groups, young adult groups, mental health groups, and more.

Overall, peer support groups offer you the opportunity to share your experiences, learn from other people facing similar experiences, build connections, find comfort, and feel less alone, among other benefits.

12-Step Groups For Addiction Recovery

Although they may not be the right match for everyone, AA, NA, and other 12-step-based groups are extremely popular and have helped many people recover from addiction, including those who wouldn’t consider themselves religious or spiritual.

Developed in 1935 by Bill Wilson (“Bill W.”) and Bob Smith (“Dr. Bob”), two men recovering from alcohol addiction, AA and 12-step groups like it are offered by many rehab centers today. In fact, this is often where people are introduced to AA or NA and then transition to attending meetings in their own communities once treatment is completed. These meetings are free to attend. The only requirement to participate in this addiction treatment option is a desire to get sober. However, reliance on a higher power, not necessarily god, is a key facet of the program.

The 12 steps serve as a foundation for recovery, with meetings providing a time to share experiences, connect with peers, and build community and accountability. Mentoring is also a key aspect of the program, providing benefits for both mentor and mentee.

In some cases, there are disagreements among group members regarding whether or not people using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can attend the meetings. Although MAT is backed by science as an effective addiction recovery option, some AA and NA members don’t consider people using MAT to be abstinent. However, many people believe the two approaches can be used simultaneously, and online AA or NA meeting options also make it easier for everyone to find the right group.

This is one reason why we offer MAT peer support groups at Bedrock Recovery Center. Many of our clients have found that the more particular the group, the easier it is to relate to each other and make connections.

SMART Recovery

Developed in 1994 to offer a nonsecular alternative to 12-step meetings, SMART Recovery is for people with drug or alcohol addiction, gambling disorder, or other behavioral health issues looking for research-based approaches. “SMART” stands for “self-management and recovery training,” and the group follows what is known as the 4-Point Program.

The 4-Point Program focuses on:

• building and maintaining motivation
• coping with cravings
• managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• living a balanced life

To achieve these aims, a tool kit is provided. Tools are based on principles and strategies from a few of the most highly regarded evidence-based therapy options available: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT).

Meetings generally last 60 or 90 minutes and are led by trained facilitators.

Refuge Recovery

Another nonsecular peer support group available at Bedrock Recovery Center is Refuge Recovery. This group follows a program based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, a man who lived 2,500 years ago in India and came to be known as the Buddha. Although Buddhism is considered by some people to be a religion, many others see it instead as a philosophy, since it doesn’t involve a belief in god or other aspects common to religions.

One of Siddhartha’s teachings that is a focus of the Refuge Recovery program is that humans cause and experience a lot of suffering in life due to “uncontrollable thirst or repetitive craving,” much like what is experienced by people with substance use disorders, but there is a solution to this craving.

The solution he discovered involves meditation, wise actions, and compassion, each of which is woven into the Refuge Recovery approach. In addition to daily meditation, group members journal to discover the causes and conditions of their addiction and take steps to find or create a supportive community.

Celebrate Recovery

Founded in 1991, Celebrate Recovery is a biblically based support group option at BRC. This faith-based program is aimed at all “hurts, habits, and hang-ups,” including but not limited to drug and alcohol addiction, high anxiety, mental health disorders, compulsive behaviors, and eating disorders.

Celebrate Recovery follows the same 12 steps provided by AA, plus a similar set of eight sequential principles understood to be based on the Beatitudes of Jesus.

The program was founded by John Baker, a member of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, who recovered from alcohol addiction using the methods he spelled out in The Celebrate Recovery curriculum and materials.

Meetings are typically held at churches and involve small groups of “accountability partners,” or people all experiencing the same challenge and offering one another close support.

Other Support Groups At BRC

Due to the varied needs of our clients, we offer a wide range of additional peer support groups.

Other peer recovery groups at Bedrock Recovery Center include:

• mental health groups
• LGBTQ+ groups
• MAT groups
• young adult groups

Contact Us To Learn More

To learn more about the peer support groups and other evidence-based treatment options at Bedrock’s inpatient treatment center, please call us today, or use our contact form.