LifeRing Secular Recovery

What LifeRing Secular Recovery does

LifeRing Secular Recovery is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Hayward, California, that operates a peer-led, abstinence-based recovery support community for individuals seeking secular alternatives to 12-step programs. The organization delivers over 150 online and local meetings weekly, using the 3-S Philosophy (Sobriety, Secularity, Self-Empowerment) and the Crosstalk facilitation methodology as its core frameworks. It serves individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, family and friends, and specialized populations including liver disease and transplant patients, veterans, LGBTQIA+ members, seniors, and trauma survivors. The Liver Spot sub-brand, launched December 2020 and anchored by a UCSF Health partnership since January 2025, extends the model into medical peer support for alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and post-transplant recovery, with endorsements from at least eight major academic medical centers (UCSF, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Vanderbilt, UT Southwestern, Sutter Health CPMC, UC Davis).

The organization's product portfolio includes online and in-person meetings in multiple formats (How Was Your Week, Topic, Focus, Co-Occurring Disorders, Family & Friends, Workbook), a one-to-one email support program (ePals, ~250 requests/year), subscriber email groups (eGroups), a Delphi-hosted online forum, and a bookstore of proprietary recovery literature (Recovery by Choice, Empowering Your Sober Self, How Was Your Week?, Humanly Possible) plus merchandise (lapel pins, wristbands, pamphlets). There is no proprietary technology platform; meetings are delivered through commodity video conferencing (Zoom, Pathminder), with Pathcheck used for attendance verification and OpaVote used for governance voting. Integrations are limited to these third-party operational tools.

LifeRing is primarily volunteer-staffed with 1–10 paid staff and is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors operating through an annual Congress. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: growth is driven by word-of-mouth, volunteer-convenor proliferation, and medical-institution referrals rather than paid marketing. Revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations and contributions, voluntary meeting contributions, and modest bookstore sales. The organization has earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar for four consecutive years (through 2026), reinforcing donor credibility.

Name

LifeRing Secular Recovery

Legal name

LifeRing Secular Recovery

Website

https://lifering.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LifeRing Secular Recovery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs over 150 weekly peer-led, secular recovery meetings serving individuals in substance use recovery, including specialized Liver Spot communities for liver disease and transplant patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Addiction Recovery Support Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Secular recovery support
• Peer-led recovery meetings
• Addiction recovery community
• Abstinence-based meetings
• Organizational support

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: LifeRing is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit (EIN 94-3267919) that relies on tax-deductible donations from the public to fund operations, meeting start-up kits, new meeting venues, and new member outreach.
2. Bookstore Sales: LifeRing sells recovery-related books (Recovery by Choice at $25, Empowering Your Sober Self at $20, How Was Your Week at $15, Humanly Possible at $10), pamphlets, wristbands ($1), and lapel pins ($5) through its online bookstore.
3. Meeting Attendance (Free with Voluntary Contributions): LifeRing meetings are free to attend. Voluntary contributions are accepted at meetings. Attendance can be credited by courts and treatment programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LifeRing Secular Recovery runs a volunteer-led network of free, secular recovery meetings for people seeking abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. Meetings are built on the 3-S philosophy (Sobriety, Secularity, Self-Empowerment) and a peer conversational format called Crosstalk, delivered in person and via Zoom. The organization also sells recovery books and merchandise through an online bookstore and accepts tax-deductible donations to fund operations.

Product overview

LifeRing Secular Recovery is a peer-led abstinence-based recovery support organization offering a unified portfolio of products and services built around its 3-S philosophy (Sobriety, Secularity, Self-Empowerment). The core offering is a network of weekly recovery meetings — both in-person and online — available in multiple formats including How Was Your Week, Topic, Focus, Co-Occurring Disorders, Family & Friends, and Workbook discussions. These meetings are supplemented by peer support programs (ePals one-to-one email support, eGroups, the LifeRing Forum), volunteer convenor training and chartering, a bookstore of recovery publications, and specialized communities such as The Liver Spot (for people with ALD/SUD-related medical conditions), The Liver Spot | Post-Op (transplant recipients), The Liver Spot | XYZ (younger adults), and El Punto de Hígado (Spanish language). The bookstore features publications including the core Recovery by Choice workbook, the How Was Your Week convenor handbook, Empowering Your Sober Self introduction, and Humanly Possible, alongside merchandise (lapel pins, wristbands) and pamphlets (EYSS, Pro Pamphlet). LifeRing also hosts an annual conference and Congress for governance and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Liver Spot: A specialized network of LifeRing focus meetings for individuals navigating substance use disorder (SUD) recovery and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) clinical care. Includes The Liver Spot (general), The Liver Spot | Post-Op (transplant recipients), The Liver Spot | XYZ (younger generations), and El Punto de Hígado (Spanish language).
• ePals

Products and services

• LifeRing Recovery Meetings Free, peer-led secular recovery meetings based on the 3-S philosophy (Sobriety, Secularity, Self-Empowerment) and the Crosstalk conversational exchange format; available in person and online for people seeking abstinence from alcohol and other drugs.
• The Liver Spot Weekly focus meeting for people in recovery with SUD-related medical conditions such as liver disease; meets Wednesdays at 5:30 PM Pacific via Zoom and supports approximately 60 participants weekly.
• The Liver Spot | Post-Op Exclusive online focus meeting for liver post-transplant patients, in partnership with UCSF Health, providing peer support for navigating post-operative recovery; meets Tuesdays at 5:30 PM Pacific via Zoom.
• The Liver Spot | XYZ Focus meeting for younger generations (Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z) navigating substance use recovery and related medical conditions; meets Fridays at 5:30 PM Pacific.
• El Punto de Hígado | The Liver Spot en Español Spanish-language online focus meeting for Hispanic liver patients and individuals with ALD/SUD-related medical conditions; meets Mondays at 5:30 PM Pacific.
• Warriors Workshop for Veterans Weekly online recovery meeting for veterans, active-duty personnel, and allies to explore recovery pathways in a peer setting with others who share military experience; meets Tuesdays at 4:00 PM Pacific.
• Sober After Sixty-Something (SASS) Focus meeting for adults over 60 to share the challenges and victories unique to older adults in recovery; uses the How Was Your Week format with discussion topics relevant to this age group; meets Sundays at 7:00 AM Pacific.
• ePals One-to-one email support program linking newcomers with an established LifeRing member for guidance and information about recovery pathways (not a sponsor relationship); about 250 requests are received annually.
• LifeRing Forum Online discussion forum (hosted on DelphiForums) where LifeRing members share experiences, ask questions, and exchange ideas about secular recovery.
• eGroups Subscriber-based email groups for ongoing connection and discussion among LifeRing members across topics such as sober chats, photos, and activities.
• Convenor Program Training and chartering program that enables individuals to lead LifeRing meetings; convenors require 6 months of continuous sobriety and receive a Starter Kit, Meeting Charter, and ongoing support from Regional Representatives.
• Recovery by Choice Workbook 310-page abstinence-based personal recovery workbook by co-founder Martin Nicolaus, fourth edition (2016), structured around nine life domains to guide self-empowered recovery planning; sold via the LifeRing bookstore at $25.
• Empowering Your Sober Self Introductory book to the LifeRing approach to addiction recovery, written for people in recovery, their friends and family, and treatment professionals; second edition with new supplement, sold at $20.
• How Was Your Week? (Convenor's Handbook) Convenor's handbook describing the healing processes at work in the How Was Your Week meeting format, sold via the LifeRing bookstore at $15.
• Humanly Possible Book about success in secular recovery from substance addiction featuring stories from members of LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and AA Freethinkers; priced at $10.

Quantifiable outcome

• Meeting membership has nearly doubled over the past year, reaching over 1000 people every week
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• UCSF HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2025UCSF Health and LifeRing launched the UCSF | LifeRing Liver Spot Community Meeting in January 2025, designed to support liver transplant patients on their post-operative journey. Led by Dr. Courtney Sherman (Director of the UCSF HALT Clinic) and Kathryn Horwath, the partnership provides an exclusive online meeting for UCSF liver post-transplant patients with a patient-to-patient peer support model. The collaboration represents mutual benefit: UCSF gains a recovery support resource for patients, and LifeRing gains medical credibility and patient referrals.
• UCSF Health (Medical Referrals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCSF Health medical teams refer patients to The Liver Spot community for peer support related to liver disease and transplant recovery. The Liver Spot is recognized by UCSF as a valuable complement to clinical care.
• Stanford Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStanford medical teams refer patients to The Liver Spot community, recognizing LifeRing's peer support model as valuable for patients navigating liver disease and transplant recovery.
• Johns Hopkins MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohns Hopkins refers patients to The Liver Spot community for peer support, recognizing the value of patient-to-patient connection in long-term recovery from substance use disorder and related liver conditions.
• Mayo CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMayo Clinic medical teams refer patients to The Liver Spot community, acknowledging LifeRing's unique peer support offering for patients with liver disease.
• Sutter Health CPMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSutter Health CPMC refers patients to The Liver Spot community as part of its liver disease and transplant care ecosystem.
• UC Davis HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Davis Health refers patients to The Liver Spot community for peer support related to substance use disorder recovery and liver disease.
• UT Southwestern Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUT Southwestern refers patients to The Liver Spot community, recognizing LifeRing's peer support model for liver transplant patients.
• Vanderbilt University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVanderbilt University Medical Center refers patients to The Liver Spot community for peer support related to liver and kidney transplant recovery.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SMART Recovery: SMART Recovery is the largest secular, science-based mutual-help recovery organization worldwide, offering self-empowerment through a 4-point program and meetings led by trained facilitators. Like LifeRing, SMART explicitly rejects the 12-step spiritual framework, accepts medically-assisted recovery, and uses non-religious facilitation, making it the closest direct competitor.
• Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS): SOS pioneered the secular recovery movement in 1985 and remains one of LifeRing's earliest peers in the non-religious recovery space. Both organizations serve individuals seeking abstinence without a spiritual or religious component, though SOS uses a different methodology (Save Our Selves).
• Women for Sobriety: Women for Sobriety is a peer-led, self-help organization founded in 1976 offering secular recovery for women with substance use disorder. Like LifeRing, it emphasizes self-empowerment and rejects spiritual frameworks, but focuses specifically on women's identity-related recovery challenges.

Emerging players

• AA Agnostica / AA Freethinkers: AA Agnostica is a non-religious interpretation and online community of Alcoholics Anonymous members who prefer a secular 12-step approach. It competes with LifeRing for secular-minded individuals but operates within the broader AA 12-step framework rather than offering a fully independent non-12-step model like LifeRing's Crosstalk.
• Moderation Management: Moderation Management is a secular, non-12-step organization that supports individuals seeking to moderate (rather than abstain from) alcohol consumption. Comparable to LifeRing in that both reject faith-based recovery, but differentiated by opposing views on abstinence vs. moderation.
• HAMS (Harm Reduction, Abstinence, and Moderation Support): HAMS is a lay-led peer support network offering harm-reduction-focused alcohol support. Similar to LifeRing in its secular, peer-led, non-12-step approach but differentiated by emphasizing harm reduction and broader use of medication-assisted approaches.
• Recovery Dharma: Recovery Dharma is a peer-led recovery program using Buddhist practices and meditation. While more spiritual than LifeRing, it represents the broader secular/non-12-step peer-led alternatives category. Bounded as a peer because both organizations target people seeking alternatives to faith-based 12-step programs.

Broad incumbents

• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Hazelden Betty Ford is the largest US addiction treatment provider, combining residential treatment, outpatient programs, sober living, and recovery support. While its core mission is treatment rather than peer-led meetings, it competes with LifeRing in the broader recovery ecosystem and often serves as a referral source.
• Shatterproof: Shatterproof is a national nonprofit focused on ending addiction stigma and improving treatment access, with a strong peer support and family support component. Like LifeRing, it offers peer recovery support programs but does so at national scale with corporate sponsorships and policy advocacy—competing for donor dollars and media attention.
• Alcoholics Anonymous World Services (AAWS): Alcoholics Anonymous is the world's largest and longest-running recovery mutual-help organization, with millions of members in 180+ countries. It is the dominant incumbent that LifeRing explicitly positions against via its 3-S Secularity philosophy; courts and treatment programs frequently require AA attendance, pressuring secular alternatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LifeRing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LifeRingVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/LifeRingWorldWide
• Instagraminstagram.com/liferingsecularrecovery
• TikToktiktok.com/@liferingsecularrecovery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifering-inc-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LifeRing Secular Recovery