Moderation Management™ (MM) was founded by Audrey Kishline in 1994, as an organization for non-dependent problem drinkers to help maintain moderate alcohol use. As Kishline developed the MM program and membership grew, she struggled with her own drinking, ultimately seeking abstinence via Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery and Women for Sobriety meetings while continuing to support MM for others. In March 2000, while drunk, she drove her truck the wrong way down a highway, and hit another vehicle head-on killing its two passengers (a father and his twelve-year-old daughter). She served 3.5 years of her 4.5 year sentence and was released in August 2003. Kishline died at the age of 59 on December 19th, 2014.

As a member-based organization, MM continued to grow during Kishline’s time in prison. It was during this time that the methodology of MM was solidified. MM allows members to set their own drinking goals as they feel appropriate. MM encourages members to follow particular drinking guidelines, limits, goal setting techniques, and a nine-step cognitive-behavioral change program.

The MM limits and guidelines were derived from the work of Dr. Martha Sanchez-Craig.