LifeRing Secular Recovery is a network of support groups for people who want to overcome addiction. LifeRing is a relatively new mutual support organization, started in 2001. You can participate in LifeRing meetings in person or online. Meetings and materials are free and the organization runs on donations and sales from some materials. Although LifeRing is called secular recovery, it welcomes people of all faiths or none. Religion is simply not an element of the program, but members are always free to incorporate any methods that work for them. Of the various mutual support groups out there, LifeRing is probably the least structured. The only step is to not drink or use drugs no matter what. LifeRing encourages members to work out their own plan of recovery. The idea behind sharing struggles and successes among others who are fighting addiction is to spread ideas, strategies, and tactics that others might find useful. To that end, LifeRing is also very inclusive of other methods. If you want to attend 12-step meetings too, that’s fine. The open nature of LifeRing also makes it well suited to people who have been in therapy or treatment for addiction. The meetings are meant to support whatever kind of recovery plan members have put together. In this way, LifeRing might be better for some people than 12-step groups, which sometimes frown on on methods such as medication assisted therapy or taking antidepressant medication. LifeRing works through positive reinforcement. It assumes you have within you an addicted person and a sober person and the one that grows is the one you feed. They call this the “A and the S conflict.” To help grow the S, the sober person, you connect with the S in others and engage in mutually reinforcing dialog. If you reinforce your successes and other members’ successes, you begin to see yourself as a sober person with control over your own behavior. The main goal of LifeRing is to facilitate these S-to-S interactions. LifeRing meetings are among small groups. They focus on members sharing challenges they faced during the week and how they overcame those challenges. There is a particular emphasis on the wins and “war stories” are discouraged. Unlike 12-step meetings, there is cross-talk, making meetings more like discussions. Members are encouraged to be respectful and refrain from offering unsolicited advice. Meetings are run by a member in recovery and typically begin with the question, “How was your week?”
If you’re struggling with substance use, Recovery Ways can help. We encourage patients to continue their recovery after treatment by participating in mutual aid groups such as LifeRing programs. We also offer extensive alumni support including aftercare for individuals and families, an alumni network, reunions, and events. Recovery Ways is a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our mission is to provide the most cost-effective, accessible substance abuse treatment to as many people as possible. Request information online or call us today at 1-888-986-7848.
