Spirituality is a potentially important but little-understood ingredient of the recovery process. The role of spirituality to provide hope, neutralize stigma and shame, and bolster strength and courage is frequently noted in recovery narratives. The addictions field has a long history of emphasizing the role of spirituality in the recovery process-so much so that purely secular frameworks of recovery are lauded as innovations. Mental health professionals, on the other hand, are just beginning to explore the role of spirituality in recovery and to recognize its critical role in the recovery narratives of many people.

What the addictions field is slowly learning is that, like many aspects of recovery, spirituality is a highly personal experience and a choice, not something to be codified within a "program." Where spirituality is a centerpiece in many recovery narratives, there is also an increased interest in the varieties of secular (without religious or spiritual dimensions) recovery experiences.