LifeRing Secular Recovery

LifeRing Secular Recovery (LifeRing or LSR) is a secular, non-profit organization providing peer-run addiction recovery groups for anyone with a desire to recover from alcohol and drug addiction or who are in a relationship with an addict or alcoholic. LifeRing split from Secular Organizations for Sobriety in 1997, and incorporated officially in 1999. LifeRing has meetings in the United States, Canada and Europe.

LifeRing encourages an experimental approach to maintaining abstinence from addictive drugs and its members are free to incorporate ideas from any source they find useful, including other addiction recovery groups. LifeRing encourages members to use relapses as learning experiences and discourages admonishing members for relapsing. The LifeRing philosophy is expressed in three principles: Sobriety, Secularity, and Self-Help. Sobriety is defined as abstinence from alcohol and addictive drugs (prescription or otherwise). According to the principle of Secularity, LifeRing meetings do not open with prayers and members are not encouraged to believe in a Supreme Being. The principle of Self-Help encourages each member to develop their own program of recovery. Unlike twelve-step programs, members do not have sponsors, but are encouraged to help each other. Meetings are run by peers, not led by professionals, and members are allowed to give each other feedback during them.

LifeRing uses the book How Was Your Week which replaced the Handbook of Secular Recovery which replaced the text used in Secular Organizations for Sobriety, the Sobriety Handbook.

Family members and friends of LifeRing members can attend meetings provided they are clean and sober at the time of the meeting. A separate LifeRing Partners organization is planned.