Recovery from substance use is deeply shaped by the social environments in which individuals live, connect, and find meaning. This presentation frames recovery as a social process, focusing on how changes in social networks influence recovery trajectories. Drawing on research on recovery capital and social identity, the talk will highlight how individuals move away from harmful networks and toward recovery-supportive relationships, groups, and roles.
With a strong emphasis on practice, the session will showcase how community-based programs, including peer support, recovery community centers, mutual aid groups, and family- and school-based supports, can foster social recovery capital and support identity change. Attendees will gain insight into how these approaches can be implemented across settings, how to engage individuals with varying levels of readiness, and how to address barriers to access and sustained participation.
Learning Objectives:By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe how social networks and social identity shape recovery as an ongoing, relational process.
- Recognize how shifts in social connections and group affiliations can either support or undermine recovery.
- Identify key components of effective community-based recovery supports (e.g., peer programs, recovery community centers, mutual aid, family supports).
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