When Loretta Billingsley found SMART Restoration, she wasn’t completely committed to dealing with her problem drinking, but wanted to learn more about it. Her background as an editor in the media industry may have led to her habit of analyzing issues with a keen eye for detail. In this case, Loretta was drawn to the behavioral science aspect of SMART and saw its relevance to her situation. After learning more, she decided to take part. Then, she chose to go even further.

Loretta realized early on that she wanted to contribute to SMART. She decided to become a facilitator and start a meeting, but not of the usual kind. “I chose to make it a women’s meeting. It was important to me; I saw the need for it.” Furthermore, she saw a women’s meeting as important for SMART itself as part of an organizational evolution towards greater inclusiveness.

Loretta is especially pleased by observing women grow in their recovery by implementing the practices of SMART, also known as tools. She says she sees women starting to listen to their “inner ally” rather than their “inner critic.” This is accomplished together as the bond between people gets stronger, “Not only are you sharing possibly what has made your recovery relevant—you learn from people who are progressing in their recovery.”

Loretta, now a Regional Coordinator in Georgia, believes that we should all strive to learn, grow and heal. She believes that a women’s gathering provides a safe environment for people to share their feelings and help each other. This makes her efforts worthwhile.

Assist Us Attain Extra Ladies in Restoration

As Loretta’s story shows, the effect of one person choosing to help others can be huge. Loretta used what she’d learned from SMART to help other women in her community. This meant that SMART was able to reach more people who needed help.

Your donation will go a long way in helping Loretta and the women in her group find the support they need to beat addiction and start a new life.

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