- Who Attends: Anyone in the recovery community
- Why: Learn skills to overcome addictions and transform your life
- What To Expect: Moving from addictive substances and negative behaviors to a life of positive self-regard and willingness to change.
Charleston County Location – Mt. Pleasant, SC
- Who Leads: Tim Maguire, tim@wakeupcarolina.org
- When: Mondays at 6:00 pm
- Where: 217 Lucas St., Suite G, Mt. Pleasant, SC, 29464 (WakeUp Carolina’s Office)
Berkeley County Location – Moncks Corner, SC
- Who Leads: Chip Perkins
- When: Thursdays at 6:00 pm
- Where: 325 E. Main St., Moncks Corner, SC 29461 (WakeUp Carolina’s Office)
Our meetings focus on how to abstain from any addictive behavior. SMART is abstinence-based and focuses on four points:
- First – Enhancing and maintaining motivation;
- Second – Coping with urges;
- Third – Managing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and
- Fourth – Living a balanced life.
Using Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy and other cognitive-behavioral techniques, we operate on the premise that people are responsible for their behavior and can change it by changing their thinking.
The in-person meeting hosted at WakeUp Carolina lasts 60 minutes, is confidential, and operates in a workshop format. At each meeting, we practice one of the SMART Recovery techniques. We are a self-help peer support group, not professional therapy. The host’s job is to make sure everyone has a chance to participate, to keep the focus on addictive behaviors, and to encourage a rational perspective.
SMART meetings provide an opportunity to learn and practice new techniques. If you are struggling with urges or if you relapse, come to a meeting and discuss what happened. We can help you learn to prevent more relapses by managing your urges. It takes time to understand the SMART tools and to deal with the daily hassles without relying on addictive behaviors.
Be patient with yourself, but be persistent. By exercising the power of choice, you can take responsibility for your behavior and emotional life.