Welcome to the latest podcast from SMART Recovery. What is “unconditional acceptance” of self, others, and life? How can I “accept” unpleasant people and situations that I strongly dislike? Why should I, and is that even possible? What is the role of “unconditional acceptance” in addiction recovery?

Unconditional Acceptance of Self (USA), others, and life, is a core principle taught by SMART Recovery and is based on Dr. Albert Ellis’s Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). In Dr. Ellis’s words:

“Emotionally healthy human beings develop an acceptance of reality, even when reality is highly unfortunate and unpleasant. REBT therapists strive to help their clients develop three types of acceptance: (1) unconditional self-acceptance; (2) unconditional other-acceptance; and (3) unconditional life-acceptance.” ~ REBT Network

People often measure “worth,” by looking at accomplishments or mistakes. REBT suggests these are artificial, false, and potentially harmful constructs. In the words of Vince Fox:

“Your worth is intrinsic to you as a human being distinguished from all other forms of life. You can neither increase nor diminish your worth. Among humans, you are not just special-you are unique. Please don’t concern yourself about self-esteem and self-love. Those ideas involve rating, measuring (comparing to others), and judging. Just accept yourself for what you are, a diamond in the rough. (But polish it once in a while.”)

Tom Horvath, Ph.D., a California licensed and board certified clinical psychologist (ABPP), has been President of SMART Recovery® for over a decade. He is the founder and president of Practical Recovery, a self-empowering addiction treatment system in San Diego. He is past president of the American Psychological Association’s Society on Addiction Psychology (Division 50), the world’s largest organization of addiction psychologists. He is the author of Sex, Drugs, Gambling & Chocolate: A Workbook for Overcoming Addictions (listed by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies as a “Self-Help Book of Merit”).

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Welcome to the latest podcast from SMART Recovery. What happens inside drug and alcohol rehab centers and how rehab works has been a mystery to those outside the industry – and sometimes even to those inside it. In this webinar, award-winning author Anne Fletcher explores the gap in addiction treatment between “best practice” and reality, as well as offering solutions for those contemplating rehab.

Anne M. Fletcher, M.S., R.D. is a nationally known health and medical writer, speaker, and consultant on the topics of weight management and lifestyle change, as well as treatment and recovery from addiction. She spent nearly five years writing her latest book, Inside Rehab: The Surprising Truth about Addiction Treatment – And How to Get Help That Works, which will be published by Viking in February of 2013. In advance of publication, Inside Rehab has received high acclaim from numerous experts in the field, as well as several starred reviews.

As a registered dietitian with a B.S. degree from Cornell University and an M.S. from Drexel University, Anne has counseled hundreds of people with weight problems. She is a founding member of her county drug court in Minnesota and helped develop its treatment program, remaining on its steering committee. She serves on the advisory board for a high school for adolescents with substance use disorders and also serves on the editorial board for BASIS (Brief Addiction Science Information Source) of Harvard University’s Division on Addictions.

Known for her ability to weave together her inspiring findings from real-life success stories with state-of-the-art information about health issues, Anne is the author of seven other books (Houghton/Harcourt), including the award-winning national bestsellers, Thin For Life: 10 Keys to Success From People Who Have Lost Weight & Kept It Off and the New York Times bestseller, Sober for Good: New Solutions for Drinking Problems - Advice From Those Who Have Succeeded.

To visit Anne's website and to find out more about her latest book, visit annemfletcher.com.

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Welcome to the latest podcast from SMART Recovery. A key component to maintaining motivation and sustaining addiction recovery is covered by the SMART Recovery 4-Point Program’s 4th point: Living a Balanced Life. Dr. Bill Knaus backs up this point with a live presentation from December 29, 2012: “Thirteen Tips to Make 2013 Your Best Year Ever”.

Bill is famous for his work in helping people overcome procrastination. He originated the self-help movement in procrastination and has three bestselling books in this area. He has worked with thousands of people who were plagued by procrastination. An original director of post-graduate training in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, Bill directly helped train over 1000 professional counselors and psychotherapists.

In addition, Bill originated rational emotive education, an evidence-based positive mental health program for kids and teens. He donated this outstanding program to the public. He is known by many in SMART Recovery as the author of The SMART Recovery Primer, a manual that helped launch SMART. This former professor has authored more than 20 books.

To read his 13 Tips for 2013, and to participate in a discussion, login to SMART's online forum and visit the messageboard.

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Richard Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, introduces the 2012 SMART Recovery Conference.

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This podcast, titled "Faith & Reason: Adversaries or Partners in Life?," is the third of more to come in our workshop series, The Art of Living, featuring Ed Garcia, one of the key innovators of REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy). Please check back in the coming months for the next workshop in this series.

If you are a already signed up at SMART Recovery® Online, feel free to join an ongoing discussion regarding this installment in the workshop on the SMART Recovery message boards by clicking here.

Also, be sure to listen to last year's 3-part workshop podcast series by Ed Garcia, The Anatomy of Emotions. Here is part 1 of that series.

Mr. Garcia has an extensive and diversified background in the field of human behavior. He holds both an undergraduate and graduate degree from New York University. His post graduate work was conducted at the Institute for Advanced Study in Rational Emotive Therapy, where he worked extensively with Dr. Albert Ellis, one of the nation’s top Cognitive/Behavior Psychologists, whose work is represented in the SMART Recovery program. Upon completion of his four year internship, Mr. Garcia became a Fellow of the Institute and was appointed Co-Director of Clinical Training there, a position he held for five years until his move to Atlanta, GA, where he currently resides.

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This podcast, entitled "Who Am I?," is the second of more to come in our workshop series, The Art of Living, featuring Ed Garcia, one of the key innovators of REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy). Please check back in the coming months for the next workshop in this series.

If you are a already signed up at SMART Recovery® Online, feel free to join an ongoing discussion regarding this installment in the workshop on the SMART Recovery message boards by clicking here.

Also, be sure to listen to last year's 3-part workshop podcast series by Ed Garcia, The Anatomy of Emotions. Here is part 1 of that series.

Mr. Garcia has an extensive and diversified background in the field of human behavior. He holds both an undergraduate and graduate degree from New York University. His post graduate work was conducted at the Institute for Advanced Study in Rational Emotive Therapy, where he worked extensively with Dr. Albert Ellis, one of the nation’s top Cognitive/Behavior Psychologists, whose work is represented in the SMART Recovery program. Upon completion of his four year internship, Mr. Garcia became a Fellow of the Institute and was appointed Co-Director of Clinical Training there, a position he held for five years until his move to Atlanta, GA, where he currently resides.

SMART Recovery depends on your donations!
Please visit SMART Recovery
or Click the Donate button below.

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Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most widely used psychological method for combatting depression, for one simple reason: it works. In this brief workshop, Dr. Bill Knaus introduces you to cognitive, emotive, and behavioral techniques to overcome and prevent depression. He shares innovative, practical and evidence-based ideas from the newly published The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression 2nd Ed. (New Harbinger, June 2012).

Bill Knaus, Ed.D. is famous for his work in helping people overcome procrastination. He is a clinician and was Director of post graduate training in REBT. He originated the self-help movement in procrastination and has three bestselling books in this area. Bill originated rational emotive education, an evidence-based positive mental health program for kids and teens. He is known by many in SMART Recovery as the author of The SMART Recovery Primer, a manual that helped launch SMART. This former professor has authored more than 20 books.

For more of Bill's work on defeating procrastination, please listen to the workshops from the summer of 2011, available here at Smart Recovery Podcasts. Click here for the first of four workshops in that series. Also, check out the "Combatting Procrastination" online presentation on YouTube by visiting the Smart Recovery® Channel. Click here for the first of three currently available presentations, and stand by for more to come!

SMART Recovery depends on your donations!
Please visit SMART Recovery
or Click the Donate button below.

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This podcast is the first of more to come in our workshop series, The Art of Living, featuring Ed Garcia, one of the key innovators of REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy). Please check back in the coming months for the next workshop in this series.

If you are a already signed up at SMART Recovery® Online, feel free to join an ongoing discussion regarding this workshop on the SMART Recovery message boards by clicking here.

Also, be sure to listen to last year's 3-part workshop podcast series by Ed Garcia, The Anatomy of Emotions. Here is part 1 of that series.

Mr. Garcia has an extensive and diversified background in the field of human behavior. He holds both an undergraduate and graduate degree from New York University. His post graduate work was conducted at the Institute for Advanced Study in Rational Emotive Therapy, where he worked extensively with Dr. Albert Ellis, one of the nation’s top Cognitive/Behavior Psychologists, whose work is represented in the SMART Recovery program. Upon completion of his four year internship, Mr. Garcia became a Fellow of the Institute and was appointed Co-Director of Clinical Training there, a position he held for five years until his move to Atlanta, GA, where he currently resides.

SMART Recovery depends on your donations!
Please visit SMART Recovery
or Click the Donate button below.

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Hank Robb, Ph.D., Supervisor for the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy and founding member of SMART Recovery presents thoughts of great interest to those in the forefront of psychological thought as well as to the individual who wants to create the life he/she wants to live.

Though it often seems as though the most important question is: “Is it true?” we actually have choices about which questions we make the most important in our lives. For example, it is likely “true” that you have a nose on your face, but is this fact really helpful? In this presentation, Dr. Robb will explore an alternative basis for choosing which questions we make the most important in our lives. Asking ourselves “Is this helpful?” may better help us to develop a more fulfilling life than “Is this true?” Join us and find out for yourself!

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Dr. Tom Horvath, President of SMART Recovery, has been kind enough to join us for a timely discussion of relapse during the 2011 holiday season, reviewing the causes and situations most commonly associated with relapse and discussing methods for prevention, and if necessary, coping.

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Please visit SMART Recovery
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