Todd Dousa likes to help people. As the director of emergency management at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, he plans for and responds to crisis events. As the president of STEPS, a nonprofit organization that provides support for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, he helps people form a supportive community.

"Todd is an outstanding man," says STEPS founder April Foster. "He's very understanding and supportive of everyone, no matter what issues they have. He's always willing to listen and help people out."

STEPS was founded in 2014. While the organization is small, it reaches nearly 1,000 people in recovery each year.  STEPS follows the principles of a national program called SMART Recovery and takes a different approach to sobriety than the standard 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) by focusing on cognitive behavior change rather than using a faith-based approach.

Dousa, who is celebrating eight years of sobriety, facilitates a community support group once each week and provides sessions at a rehabilitation center on Saturdays. He is also a peer recovery coach on call as needed. 

"I'm a firm believer that if I can do it, anyone can do it," Dousa says. "I try to use motivational tactics at the most basic levels to help participants be more resilient in their coping skills. I want people to see how good the other side of life is without the addictive substance. I’ve never felt more alive."

Dousa says he was certified by the SMART Recovery program to facilitate the sessions. Each week, he spends over three hours helping people openly discuss challenges and ways to overcome triggers.

"You can't judge people because you don’t know what everyone is going through," he says. "Everyone has their own story. You can learn something from them and help them. I tell them to stay focused because it will lead to a significant improvement in their quality of life."

STEPS participant Karla Oettel has known Dousa for five years.

"Todd single-handedly runs our chapter," says Oettel. "He is always available for those in need."

Before Oettel joined the group, she says she joined the group because she wanted support overcoming her dependence on alcohol. She was seeking a different approach from the traditional AA program, and Dousa’s meeting was the only SMART Recovery meeting within a 50-mile radius of her home.

"I was so lucky to find it. I travel 45 minutes every week to attend," Oettel says. "Following Todd’s example, I am thinking through my decisions and using the tools we have to cope. We do a cost-benefit analysis. You think about whether you want to take a drink, and you play it out and dig deeper as to why you’re having the urge."

STEPS participant Susan Simpkins says she appreciates the program's pragmatic approach, without the spirituality of AA.

"We talk about the benefits of continuing to drink or staying sober," Simpkins says. "We also have worksheets on core values and how drinking impacts those values. It's a place where you go and think about things. It helps get you centered."

One of the things Simpkins loves about STEPS is that participants can engage in cross-talk with other group members and provide support during discussions.

"It's way more interactive. You're getting real help in real time," Simpkins says.

Simpkins says Dousa is a role model. She admires his courage to stand up and say he has a disease and wants to help people.

"Todd has committed himself to the program," she says. "It is a huge commitment on his part.  He's always there and you can count on him. I know I am not alone."

For more information, visit http://stepsrecoveryresources.org/