Life Skills is a 32-week character development course in which negative behavior patterns are replaced with more positive ones. The curriculum "Learning to Live, Learning to Love" is ideal for anyone seeking to improve his or her most important interpersonal relationships. The course focuses on building intimacy and trust with the ones we love most.

The founder of Life Skills International, Dr. Paul Hegstrom, created Life Skills through his own life experience, combined with 25 years of ground- breaking research. Paul's mission is to teach individuals, couples and their teens how to become more emotionally, spiritually and relationally healthy. Dr. Hegstrom's own life story of a journey towards healing and hope was made into a Emmy Award nominated movie, starring the late John Ritter.

The program is designed to help individuals break free from behavior that can cause strained, broken, or even abusive relationships. Unfortunately, painful memories (conscious or unconscious) that remain unresolved from childhood can cause reactive behaviors in our adult lives. These behaviors can destroy our potential for happiness and success as individuals, as well as affect the harmony of the relationships with the ones we love the most. Left unresolved, anger builds within and is often expressed in negative and unhealthy ways that can be damaging to our self and others. Since everyone gets angry at some point in time, learning to understand and express anger in a healthy way is important to resolve differences and grow.

At Life Skills Northwest, we seek to turn negative patterns around and to teach skills to promote relationship growth. We teach individuals the reasons for behaviors without placing guilt or blame, showing each individual dignity and respect as they go through the healing process.

Men's and women's classes are held separately. The class size ranges between eight and fifteen and is lead by a highly trained facilitator. Classes meet once a week for 32 weeks. Each session is three hours in duration, typically 6:30 - 9:30 pm. The class fee is dependent on your household income.

What issues are addressed?
Through videos, workbooks and active group discussion, the program helps gain life-changing skills to:

Improve our Ability to Understand and Manage Emotions
Manage Stress More Effectively
Identify the 21 Types of Controlling Behavior
Break the Cycle of Controlling Behavior
Break the Bonds of Shame
Understand the Mother/Son Bond
Understand the Father/Daughter Bond
Learn to Respect Self and Others
Define Abuse (it is not just physical)
Learn to Take Responsibility
Become Aware of Feelings and how to Process Them
Learn about Male/Female Differences
Understand Love and Family Bonding
Develop Trust with Others
Improve Communication
Accept Responsibility
Learn How to Forgive
Build Lasting Relationships
Understand the Impact of Improper Parenting
Establish the Roots for a Healthy Family

Teen Classes Coming March 2007