Inside the Taylor Swift-themed addiction recovery group - where former ... trends now
Taylor Swift is now helping Swifties Shake it Off. Hundreds of Swifties with drug and alcohol abuse problems are now coming together to heal through her music and the community that's formed around mutual fanhood.
Swift Steps, a virtual support group for Swifties fighting addiction, was founded in January of this year and has already grown to a group of 740 strong on Facebook.
The group meets virtually four times a week to continue their recovery journeys together.
The group's founder, Julianne Griffin, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that she uses a mixture of Swift's music, history, and guest speakers to prompt the difficult conversations those in recovery must sometimes have.
Julianne Griffin (left) and Emily Bee (right) run Swift Steps, an online community for Swifties in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse issues
The group was founded on the premise that some young-ish adults are looking for a less judgmental recovery program than the traditional 12 Step track
Griffin is also the founder of Blank Space Recovery, a mentor service for those in recovery through which Swift Steps is hosted. She became a certified peer specialist after entering recovery from opiate and benzodiazepine addiction nearly a decade ago.
Her friend Emily Bee, who is not herself in recovery but lost a sister to addiction at an early age, helps run the community.
Griffin says the goal of the group is to foster an addiction recovery community 'where everyone's accepted.'
That non-judgmental vibe is exactly what members appreciate about the group, and according to the Inquirer, medical professionals see the group as a helpful addition to the standard 12-step program.
Groups like Swift Steps can be especially helpful to those who don't necessarily embrace the religiosity or rigidity of more conventional 12 Step programs.
For Griffin, that kind of space became a necessity when she stopped attending 12-step meetings after being told her MAT
