Herren Project Online: Recovery Meetings and Support Groups
Recovery is different for everybody. No two stories of successful, long-term recovery will be the same. Some stories begin with medical treatment, whether an emergency room visit, detox, or rehab, while others simply start by going to a recovery meeting. However, the majority of people who have been able to maintain long-term sobriety will tell you that sustaining meaningful recovery is a continuous effort of self-development and social accountability, typically (though not exclusively) found in the form of recovery meetings or support groups. If you are unfamiliar with what a recovery meeting or support group is, please check out our previous article detailing what they are and what to expect before going. If you are familiar with recovery meetings or support groups but haven’t been to one in a while due to the pandemic or other reasons, we have got the blog for you!
Last year, the world experienced a near-immediate migration to the online realm to conduct the business and education that once was held in office buildings and school campuses. Many communities were severely impacted during this time, especially the recovery community.
With in-person meetings being put on hold for most people throughout the country, there was a dire need to supplement the recovery support that was suddenly displaced during quarantine. So much of recovery relies on personal engagement — meetings, sponsors, 12-step work, and more, all depend on community support and participation. We quickly realized that to mitigate this immediate need for support, we needed to be proactive. Thus, Herren Project’s virtual recovery meetings were born and included in our online support group offerings. The response over the past year from attendees has been incredibly inspiring and encouraging, so much so that we plan to continue hosting these meetings and groups for the foreseeable future.
For those unaware of what Herren Project meetings or support groups are, what they entail, who can join, or how to attend, we have compiled a list of questions that we have received in the past. We have answered each with as much detail as possible. We hope this information proves useful in answering any questions you may have. We encourage anyone who thinks they could benefit from these online recovery meetings and family support groups to join us and experience the power, strength, and hope that can be found in a recovery community — even in virtuality.
What is a Herren Project Recovery Meeting?
To support the recovery community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Herren Project introduced online recovery meetings in the spring of 2020, offered seven nights a week at 7:30 pm EST. These peer-led, support-based meetings are open to anyone, individuals or family members, regardless of your pathway to recovery. Whether you attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Refuge Recovery, or any other type of addiction support program (or no program at all,) all are welcome to attend and participate in our online fellowship.
Herren Project’s online drug and alcohol addiction recovery meetings provide individuals and family members with a safe space to receive mutual support and encouragement. Meetings start with a speaker, followed by group sharing and fellowship. Meetings are confidential and follow the same principles of 12-step meetings that “who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.” Participation (speaking/sharing) is not required. Attendees must be 18 years of age to participate.
Joining is easy!
No registration is required. However, you will need to download the Zoom app on your phone or visit zoom.us on your computer to create your free account. If you wish to remain anonymous when creating a zoom account, simply use an initial for your last name.
Once you have your Zoom account, you can join Herren Project Recovery Meeting on a computer, smartphone, or iPad here:
https://theherrenproject.zoom.us/j/581471639
Meeting ID: 581 471 639
OR – Call in by dialing 1 (301) 715 8592 US using meeting ID: 581 471 639
What kind of support groups do you have? How do I know which one I should attend?
In addition to the online recovery meetings, Herren Project hosts various online support groups for family members. These online support groups cater to families and love ones affected by drug or alcohol addiction.
All groups are led by licensed clinicians who can offer clinical insight. They combine support and education to provide a well-rounded perspective on coping with a loved one’s drug or alcohol addiction or the loss of their loved one due to an addiction-related death or drug overdose. Attendees have the chance to ask questions, support each other and discuss their current situation.
Support groups meet weekly in an online video classroom and are offered free of charge. All you need is a computer or phone to join. All groups meet on EST.
Grief Support Group
Herren Project’s addiction grief support group is for individuals grieving from losing a loved one to drug addiction, alcoholism, or a drug overdose. This group is open to:
parents who have lost a child
children who have lost a parent
brothers and sisters who have lost a sibling
spouses who have lost a partner
individuals who have lost a friend
Herren Project’s addiction grief support group provides a safe place to share experiences about the impact of losing someone to an overdose death or drug and alcohol-related death. People typically find solitude and benefit from receiving support from peers who share similar experiences. The close-knit community that forms helps work through feelings with those who have endured the same tragedy. A counselor will cover various grief and grief recovery topics from both an educational and supportive standpoint. All groups are led by licensed clinicians or social workers who specialize in grief counseling. Sensitive issues may be discussed.
Family Support Group
Family addiction support groups are for individuals with a family member or significant other struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction. Addiction is a “family disease.” An addicted person not only negatively impacts their own life but also those around them. Families of addicts struggle to cope with their loved one’s addictive choices and find themselves struggling with feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, and anger.
Herren Project’s family support groups provide a safe peer-to-peer environment where family members can work through feelings with others who have shared experiences. Group members will have time to express concerns, ask questions, share progress and celebrate victories about the effect the abuse of substances has had on their family. Counselors will also educate group members on topics like codependency, how to create and maintain healthy boundaries, and self-care.
All family addiction support groups are led by licensed clinicians and social workers with experience in drug and alcohol-related addiction counseling.
Parent Support Group
A parent’s natural response is to protect their children from harm. When a parent is trying to manage a child’s struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, that becomes extremely difficult and emotional. Acting out of love, parents of addicted children often find themselves unintentionally enabling their child’s addictive behavior.
Parent addiction support groups are for parents struggling to cope with an adolescent or adult child’s substance use while offering a supportive environment to share with peers in a similar situation. All groups are led by licensed clinicians and counselors specializing in drug and alcohol counseling to provide an educational component. Topics include but are not limited to understanding our child’s brain, understanding the effects on the family, codependency, creating and maintaining healthy boundaries, and self-care.
We offer two age-related online parent support groups:
Parents of Adolescents – Parents with children under age 21
Parents of Adult Children – Parents with children 21 and over
Spousal Support Group
Finding yourself in a relationship with a significant other affected by an addiction to drugs or alcohol can lead to substantial emotional stress and sometimes abuse within the relationship. As the trust is broken, many men and women find themselves alone when navigating addiction issues in a relationship or marriage. Often this leads to enabling their partner instead of helping them to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.
Herren Project’s online spousal addiction support group is open to anyone in a relationship, whether married or not, with someone with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The group focuses on supporting their loved one versus enabling the person suffering from substance misuse. Groups provide a safe peer-to-peer environment as well as an educational component. Topics include but are not limited to codependency, creating and maintaining healthy boundaries, and maintaining self-care. All groups are led by licensed clinicians and counselors who have a specialty in drug and alcohol counseling and couples counseling.
Sibling Support Group
Herren Project’s sibling support groups are designed to address a sibling’s unique dynamic with an addicted family member. Addiction is a “family disease,” and being the brother or sister of someone suffering from substance use disorder is a challenging situation. An addicted person not only negatively impacts their own life but also those around them. Siblings may feel overlooked or neglected by parents, who are constantly attending to the addicted family member. Many also develop an overwhelming desire to save their sibling from the addiction.
Sibling support groups provide a safe place where individuals in similar situations can work through feelings in a peer-to-peer environment. Group members will have time to express concerns, ask questions, share progress, and celebrate victories about the effect of substance abuse on their family and their relationship with their sibling. Group facilitators will also educate members on topics like codependency, how to create and maintain healthy boundaries, and self-care.
Still have a question? Reach out!
If you still have a question about Herren Project’s online recovery meetings or family online support groups, please feel free to reach to our recovery team.
If you are ready to change your life and start the process of recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction, our Herren Project team is available to help you. Start by filling out the inquiry form on our home page. Additionally, you can send an email to [email protected] or call 844-543-8555 for more information.
