LifeRing Secular Recovery

LifeRing Secular Recovery (LifeRing or LSR) is a secular, non-profit organization providing peer-run addiction recovery groups for anyone with a desire to recover from alcohol and drug addiction or who are in a relationship with an addict or alcoholic. LifeRing split from Secular Organizations for Sobriety in 1997, and incorporated officially in 1999. LifeRing has meetings in the United States, Canada and Europe.cite book |last=White |first=William L. |title=Addiction Counseling Review: Preparing for Comprehensive, Certification and Licensing Examinations |chapter=Part I: Addiction Basics: Chapter 4 History of Drug Policy, Treatment, and Recovery |editor=Coombs, Robert Holman |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers |location=Mahwah, New Jersey |year=2005 |pages=81-104] cite journal |last=White |first=William L. |title=Management of the High-Risk DUI Offender |year=2003 |month=August |url=http://cspl.uis.edu/ILAPS/Research/documents/DUIMonograph.pdf |format=pdf] cite news |first=Jodi Mailander |last=Farrell |title=Options abound for people seeking treatment |location=Newport News, Virginia |date=2006-09-06 |accessdate=2008-04-25 |publisher=Daily Press |url=http://www.dailypress.com/features/lifestyle/dp-addiction5asep06,1,93513.story?coll=dp-features-healthylife]

LifeRing encourages an experimental approach to maintaining abstinence from addictive drugs and its members are free to incorporate ideas from any source they find useful, including other addiction recovery groups. LifeRing encourages members to use relapses as learning experiences and discourages admonishing members for relapsing. The LifeRing philosophy is expressed in three principles: Sobriety, Secularity, and Self-Help. Sobriety is defined as abstinence from alcohol and addictive drugs (prescription or otherwise). According to the principle of Secularity LifeRing meetings do not open with prayers and members are not encouraged to believe in a Supreme Being. The principle of Self-Help encourages each member to develop their own program of recovery. Unlike twelve-step programs, members do not have sponsors, but are encouraged to help each other. Meetings are run by peers, not led by professionals, and members are allowed to give each other feedback during them.cite book | last = Solomon | first = Melanie | title = AA: Not the Only Way: Your One Stop Resource Guide to 12-Step Alternatives | year = 2005 | publisher = Capalo Press | isbn = 0976247992 | oclc=77565735 | location=Anchorage, Alaska | chapter = Section I: Self-Help Groups, Part One: Total Abstinence, LifeRing | pages=27]

LifeRing uses the book "How Was Your Week"cite book |last=Nicolaus |first=Martin |title=How was your week? : bringing people together in recovery the LifeRing way : a handbook |publisher=LifeRing Press |year=2003 |location=Oakland, California |isbn=0965942945 |oclc=57334759] which replaced the "Handbook of Secular Recovery"cite book |author=LifeRing |title=Handbook of Secular Recovery |publisher=LifeRing Press |location=Oakland, California |oclc=46597744 |year=2000] which replaced the text used in Secular Organizations for Sobriety, the "Sobriety Handbook".cite book |author=Secular Organizations for Sobriety |title=Sobriety handbook, the SOS way : an introduction to Secular Organizations for Sobriety / Save Our Selves (SOS) |location=Oakland, California |publisher=LifeRing Press |year=1997 |isbn=0965942902 |oclc=37853736]

See also

*Addiction recovery groups
*Alcoholism
*Cognitive Behavior Therapy
*Drug addiction
*Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
*Rational Recovery
*SMART Recovery

References

External links

* [http://www.unhooked.com LifeRing Secular Recovery]