A key theme in “Memo to Self” is the overcoming the urge to isolate that many people in early recovery struggle with and seeking out healthy the social interaction needed for the previously addicted brain to heal. Research is clear that participation in meetings with recovering peers - known as Mutual Support Groups - is a strong factor in promoting sustained remission from substance use disorders. There are many reasons for this: modeling of sobriety behavior, setting of sobriety norms, ready access to peers who can help one cope with the stresses of early sobriety, and both giving and receiving compassion and forgiveness to name just a few.

Memo to Self: “Who my friends are matters,” to my chances of recovery.

What we did at Le Mont: While we did not require 90 mutual support group meetings in 90 days, we highly recommended this benchmark of sobriety to our residents. People who did not wish to attend twelve-step meetings were encouraged to attend local non-twelve-step or faith-based meetings and develop a peer group within those meetings. Once per week (Thursday nights), the entire house and staff attended the Park City Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and participated in the tradition of going to dinner after the meeting. This meeting was one of the best examples of Mutual Support Group fellowship I have ever experienced.