image of LifeRIng participants in SF City Hal in-person meeting

Welcome to LifeRing!

We're glad you're here! Whether you're looking to enrich your personal recovery plan or you're testing the waters for the first time, we've got you covered. LifeRing Secular Recovery offers online and in-person meetings to support your recovery and to empower your sober self.

Empower Your Sober Self!

You have the power to overcome your substance use disorder. It’s hard, there are often setbacks, but in every addict, there exists the desire to find lasting sobriety.

Substance use disorder is not a character flaw. It is not the product of psychological defects. It is a problem you can overcome with self-determination. Finding the right recovery plan is an important first step to empowering your sober self.

When you’re ready, LifeRing is ready for you.

LifeRing Can Help

LifeRing welcomes you, whether you are struggling to pull together 24 hours of sobriety or are searching for new ideas to strengthen your recovery. We provide a free, abstinence-based, secular, and self-empowered substance use disorder recovery pathway through our meetings, books, and evidence-based approach.

We offer a safe haven where people can anonymously share their trials and triumphs in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment.

Unlike many other recovery support organizations, LifeRing promotes crosstalk in our meetings. Crosstalk is a conversational exchange of experiences and methods for maintaining abstinence from alcohol and other addictive drugs. These supportive, engaging interactions assist LifeRing members as they develop and improve upon their recovery path.

In our meetings, we share, listen, and encourage. We focus on the challenges and successes of the past week and plans for tackling the next week. Peers talking Sober-Self to Sober-Self learn and gaining strength from each other. We’re all in this together!

 

LifeRing offers a variety of recovery support meetings

Not sure where to start?

LifeRing offers a variety of meeting formats and over 75 online and in-person meetings every week. Have a look:

Peer-to-Peer Meetings

LifeRing Secular Recovery offers a wide variety of online and in-person meetings throughout the world. Our meetings are anonymous and designed to strengthen your commitment and help you build a personal recovery program.

Check-ins:  How Was Your Week? Focus on this and upcoming weeks

Topic:  Focus of discussion varies depending on interest of group

Focus: Recovery meetings for people with specific commonalities

Online:  Virtual meetings; focus on discussion varies

In-person:  On location group meetings; focus on discussion varies

Hybrid:  Face-to-Face and online combined; focus of discussion varies

Email:  Group messaging operating much like a 24/7 online meeting

Chat Rooms:  Online text meeting space open 24 hours a day

ePals:  Volunteers work one-on-one to help you navigate LifeRing's resources

Delphi Forum:  LifeRing's anonymous online discussion board

How Does LifeRing Work?

Founded in 1997, LifeRing Secular Recovery is an abstinence-based, worldwide network of individuals seeking to live in recovery from substance use disorder. We offer each other peer-to-peer support in ways that embrace personal growth and continued learning through personal empowerment.

Our approach is based on developing, refining, and sharing continued abstinence and crafting a rewarding life in recovery. In short, we are sober, secular, and self-directed.

We often hear that something unique happens at LifeRing meetings-you can honestly be yourself! There are as many ways to live free of drugs and alcohol as there are stories of successful sober people. LifeRing respectfully accepts what works for each individual.

Principles

LifeRing guiding principles are evidence based and evolve as new science emerges. The three fundamentals of LifeRing are sobriety, secularity and self-help. These principles are what make LifeRing Secular Recovery a healthy and accessible recovery option for everyone!

LifeRing is not a 12-step program. There’s only one “step” – Don’t Drink Or Use No Matter What (DDOUNMW).  Some people add “step two” – Get a Life.  It’s back to basics here.

The philosophy is equally bare-bones:  The “Three S” Philosophy:  Sobriety, Secularity, Self-Help.

Sobriety

Sobriety means abstinence from alcohol and other drugs, unless medically indicated and taken as prescribed. This includes medically-assisted treatment, which LifeRing views as a decision you make with your treatment providers.

LifeRing believes you succeed when you make sobriety your #1 priority. Living each day free from alcohol and other addictive drugs-living as our “sober self”-is our top goal.

Our meetings are open to people looking for positive support.

Secularity

Out of respect for people of all faiths or none, LifeRing conducts meetings in a secular way, which means we do not use prayer or talk about religion.

Our common shared belief is dedication to personal effort and the sober self through scientifically based recovery methods. We support each other in taking responsibility for our own recovery and learning the skills necessary to live a long-term sober life.

All meetings, publications and peer support activities focus on personal recovery.

Self-Help

Empowering your sober self means taking action and maintaining a perspective that supports living drug and alcohol free. Joining meetings and using various tools at your disposal brings recovery within your reach.

Your recovery is based on self empowerment, your motivation and your efforts. You decide what works for you and build your sobriety upon that foundation.

This is your journey. We’re here for support.