
SMART Tools Changed My Life with Joel Walkowski
From SMART Recovery® Podcast by SMART Recovery
February 4, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
Joel Walkowski shares his transformative journey using SMART tools in recovery and discusses his memoir 'Honolulu Blues'.
Joel Walkowski facilitates SMART meetings in New York city, and is a huge proponent of using the practical tools that SMART provides as an effective way to navigate the stages of change in recovery. He unabashedly credits SMART with adding an incredible amount of substance to his journey of addressing trauma and substance use that ultimately led to homelessness. He is also the author of a recovery memoir called Honolulu Blues , which uses the lens of his love of the Detroit Lions football team to explore themes of family relationships, perserverance, and becoming the person you always wanted to be when you grew up.
People in this episode
Guest: Joel Walkowski
Topics covered
- recovery
- trauma
- substance use
- personal growth
- mental health
Keywords
- SMART Recovery
- recovery tools
- trauma
- substance use
- homelessness
- memoir
- Detroit Lions
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: SMART, Detroit Lions
Books & works: Honolulu Blues
Places: New York city
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