Hi, SoberKat.
I went 13 years without drinking. 8 of those years spent in a recovery program which I was introduced to in rehab. I had no idea there was any other way. All I knew is I did not want to drink anymore, ever, so I resigned myself to believing I was powerless, insane and had to turn my will and life over to God. I also came to believe I could only stop "one day at a time".
None of that set right with me but there was a fear instilled in me if I didn't do what they said I would surely drink again. And so, after 8 years in this recovery program and 8 years feeling like I had escaped but was running from the law, I drank again and it went on for 5 more years until...
I found SR, signed up, and made my first post. It was within that thread I learned about Rational Recovery/AVRT. I read everything I could about it here and at the RR website. It was almost unbelievable to me. I was somewhere between elated and angry. Elated that finally the truth was right there in front of me and angry it took so many years to realize this simple truth, technique was out there.
I stopped drinking the night I joined here. Made my BP the next day and am now permanently abstinent. Within the next two weeks I also found a therapist who is RR friendly who I talk to about stuff in my life. We don't talk about drinking because I don't drink, ever.
So glad you've found RR too.