Life Skills

The goal of the Gordon Bernell Life Skills program is to help individuals who have struggled with trauma, depression, domestic violence, addiction, anger management, and maintaining positive relationships, in their lives. With an honest, open mind and a committed attitude,  individuals who work this program have a very high probability of finishing the program and developing the tools needed to make long lasting changes in their behavior. People who have learned to use the life skills say that they feel more balanced and in control of themselves; that it helps them to stay more in control of their lives, in general.

The life skills program is based on our students learning to use certain skills of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a type of cognitive behavior therapy. These skills teach them how to change their behavior so they can better manage their lives.The skills the program focuses on are skills which can assist our students in enhancing their Executive Functioning skills, which provide our students with the opportunity to be more centered, thus they are better able to concentrate. Not only does this make them better students, but it enhances their lives in a positive manner. Research shows that the executive functioning skills are compromised with those individuals who have experienced a lot of trauma in their lives. DBT skills give our students healthy, positive ways of coping, which can also help them live their lives to their fullest potential.    These life skills are the heart of the program and have been shown to help all kinds of people get through the difficulties in life.