Dr. Tom Horvath - SMART Recovery

The Addiction Psychologist

People attempting recovery from addiction are best served when recovery can be achieved through multiple, diverse, pathways that fit their needs and recovery goals. Although the most commonly used recovery support service is Alcoholics Anonymous (or a similar Anonymous affiliated group), some object to core tenets or cultural elements and may benefit from alternative options. SMART Recovery is one example of an alternative mutual help group that was created to meet the needs of those who may benefit from a different pathway to recovery. In this episode, Dr. Horvath discusses the history, core tenets, structure, and evidence base for SMART Recovery. Dr. Horvath is a licensed clinical psychologist and President of Practical Recovery. Dr. Horvath was a founding board member and served as the president of SMART Recovery for 20 years. He has facilitated approximately 1000 SMART meetings and has supported San Diego to become the locality with the greatest concentration of SMART meetings at approximately 40. Dr. Horvath is also a past president of Div 50 (1999-2000).