“It’s so uplifting to see what happens when people finally have the tools they need.”

“It’s amazing. There’s so much information that can help people manage everyday situations.”

“What we noticed was immediate enthusiasm and amazingly positive change.”

“Finally, we’re starting to see a decline in recidivism.”

“Everyone’s maintaining long-term sobriety with zero lapses. That’s almost unheard of.”

“I wish I’d heard about the Life Skills Training earlier. It’s given me key insights I wasn’t getting anywhere else.”

“After 32 years of struggling with addiction, I’m finally on the right track.”

“After a Life Skills Training session, participants will say, ‘A light just came on. I’ve finally figured it out and can move forward.’”

“Before the Life Skills Training, I was making bad choices without knowing it. It didn’t even occur to me that I had a choice—that I could react positively in a way that would make things better or negatively in a way that would make things worse.”

“I learned how to think my way through challenging situations and respond in positive ways instead of freaking out.”

“Triggers are everywhere and can’t be avoided. Without the Life Skills Training you’re going to be in touble sooner or later. The training gives you the skills to achieve lasting success.”

“Before I was always listening to the same old tapes in my head that rationalized every bad decision. The Life Skills Training gave me the self-awareness I needed to see my life and my choices more objectively.”

“The Life Skills Training helps people focus more on themselves. You strengthen the group by strengthening yourself in relationship with each other.”

“Most people think they have what they need. You hear them say, ‘We already have a 12-Step Program. What’s the problem?’ But then you look at the relapse rates and you think: If we really had what we need, why would we have so many emergency room visits and funerals?”

“We do plenty of religious training. We’ve got that covered. But residents were still having a hard time getting to the root of their addiction. That’s where the Life Skills Training really made a difference. The self-confidence of our residents has skyrocketed. For the first time, they feel like they can get to the root of things and take control of their own recovery. It’s had a massive impact.”

“Twelve-step works great for a lot of people, but some people aren’t comfortable with the emphasis on a ’higher power’ because it sounds too religious. With the Life Skills Training you can serve those people while maintaining your established 12-step program.”

“One requirement of a 12- step program is to keep an open mind. To me, that means helping people find what works best for them.”

“In terms of challenges and goals, we’re all in this together. So if something works and doesn’t hurt anything, why not use it?”

“There’s no conflict or incompatibility so why not offer it?”

“The fact that participants can be certified to become facilitators makes the Life Skills Training perfect for rural communities like ours by bringing valuable knowledge and services to us that would otherwise be unavailable.”

“The materials and atmosphere are so different. The Life Skills Training made it so easy to teach what we need and hit our goals instead of failing over and over again. There’s really nothing like it.”

“Our residents love how much they’re learning and getting from it. Participation is high because they’re so excited. One fellow I transported to social services today told me he can’t wait for the next meeting.”

“It’s not like listening to a lecture. You participate together as a free-flowing group. It’s different and fresh. And in our line of business, fresh is good.”

“Because the Life Skills Training is less restricted than typical AA meetings, people can open up more, relate more, and make stronger connections. There are scheduled topics and study lessons, but there’s a lot of leeway in how you work with those things. And we can talk about anything, including our triggers, urges, and how to recognize and deal with them.”

“It’s so popular that residents decided on their own to continue the meetings and have extended them to the library and county jail.”