SMART Tees
A online Recovery group, specifically for trans folks (binary and non-binary)
SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. SMART Recovery can support our communities with goals around drug and alcohol use including PnP (Party and Play) or any other behaviours people would like to change such as gambling or viewing porn.
SMART Recovery groups are widely available in Australia across a range of regions and health districts to anyone wishing to attend. Meetings are free and available online or in-person, groups are held in the community as well as inpatient, outpatient and clinical health organisations including private, public and not for profit mental health, AOD services, and Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander health services.
SMART Tees is a free online SMART Recovery group that is volunteer run, it is a space for trans folks to come together in a supportive and trans-affirming environment to help each other. The group will use a variety of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational tools and techniques. The facilitators of this group are both trans drug and alcohol workers. They both know that experiences of transphobia can play a role in dependence and that’s why they are creating a trans-autonomous recovery space.
SMART uses a harm reduction approach to meet people where they are at, regardless of individual goals to either reduce use and/or to change specific relationship/s to use or another behaviour or abstinence. It’s important that a journey of change is defined by the individual, that trans community members can define and lead what healthy and meaningful lives means to each person. SMART supports building deeper relationships with yourself, trans communities, and friends or chosen family.
The group will start July 6 and will run weekly on Wednesdays for 90 mins. It is open to trans folks anywhere in Australia aged 18 and over.
Facilitators
Chris (he/him) – Social Worker, Counsellor, Trans Peer Worker and Certified SMART Recovery Facilitator
He works at ACON in the Trans Health Equity Team in the Trans Peer Health Navigation program P4T, Kirketon Road Centre and the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. Chris is an ACON Rover volunteer. He got his start in the alcohol and other drugs sector through volunteering at ACON’s brilliant Needle Syringe Program, learning from superstar harm reductionists Rod and Paul. Chris previously worked as a phone counsellor at QLife, the nation LGBTIQ+ phone and web chat counselling service.
Sid Pettitt (They-Them) Social worker and Counsellor.
Sid works with ACON as a Counsellor/Care Coordinator currently and has been working as a social worker for six years. They started at the Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) with the Safety Action Meetings and worked at Legal Aid NSW in policy and project work with the WDVCAS. Sid also worked as a specialist crisis trauma Counsellor with Full Stop Australia (NSW Rape crisis line) and recently left a Drug and Alcohol counselling role with the Sydney Local Health District. They work from an anti-Oppressive and anti-racist framework with a focus on client autonomy and dignity.
Core details:
Dates: Group will be running from the 6th of July and will run weekly ongoing.
Time: Wednesdays from 6:30-8pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
Who: All trans folks who are 18+ in Australia are welcome.
Contact: smartandtrans@outlook.com
Link to register: https://smartrecoveryaustralia.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEudOGhqjkuHdxC8atiugNRLhqLGqQ1jsR0