Ethically enriching alumni programs with multiple mutual support group pathways

In this presentation, Pete will explores what the ethical codes of the helping professions have to say about client choice and autonomy. He then explores the unique nature and benefits of peer-led mutual support groups generally before talking more specifically about SMART Recovery and the ways that the SMART organization can help make multiple pathways a reality for your alumni program.

Speaker Bio

Pete Rubinas believes that SMART Recovery should be available in every community and to individuals from all walks of life. He was a SMART participant, facilitator, and volunteer leader before taking on his current role as Executive Director. While he has a lived experience with addictive behaviors, he’s careful not to universalize his experience to others. That’s easier to do at an organization like SMART where individual autonomy and choice are prioritized over pathologization and paternalism.

Interested in helping SMART be a voice of empowerment for all who struggle with addictive behaviors, Pete has studied our society’s dominant narratives around addiction, as well as how power is held and wielded. Ultimately, he believes that creating communities of empowerment that are effective for those who struggle will not just benefit those folks, but everyone. He made significant contributions to the 4^th edition of the SMART 4-Point Program Handbook and the 2^nd edition of the SMART Family & Friends Handbook.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Pete spent ten years focused on internal controls and risk management at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Chicago, and another ten leading a non-profit Montessori school in Chatham County, North Carolina. He also completed coursework toward a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, a journey he put on hold to take his current position. 

He has worked hard to build a balanced life that includes time for his family, birding, native pollinator gardening, and running. He continues to facilitate local SMART Recovery and SMART Family & Friends meetings in Chapel Hill, NC. His mantra is “You are enough.”