Curriculum and Resource Details

Stop the Madness!

This book is dedicated to all of those individuals who in their private lives and/or professional capacities are struggling to create opportunities for change in the lives of our society's most challenging sons and daughters. Our special acknowledgment to those we have worked with along the way who have encouraged us by coming back to say that this does work.

This is a how-to handbook. It cites the research upon which this approach to intervention and change is based. The rationale is set out and specific tools and interactive techniques are provided which include the use of Language Choice Therapy. The appendix contains information and handouts that may be copied and used in work with irresponsible individuals.

The Non-Dictionary of Another Usage

This book is an alphabetized list of items of language drawn from our practice. The Non-Dictionary describes how language may be used differently by persons with irresponsible thinking patterns.

Although this collection of words and phrases is presented in dictionary form, we do not intend it to be used as a dictionary in the standard sense. What we present instead is an alphabetized and lightly cross-referenced list of items of language that we have observed, in our work with irresponsible and disruptive individuals, whose meaning and intent regularly differ from what, in the pages that follow, we term "common usage."

This 34-page collection presents words and phrases in alphabetical order, a description of their "Common Usage" followed by a description of the "Irresponsible Usage." This is followed in each case by an example.

The Accountability Factor: Dealing with Difficult People

This 200 page book tackles the problem of "how to create cooperation," even in the most difficult of situations. Using the principles of Language Choice Therapy, the book sets out how to create an opportunity for individuals to learn to make responsible choices in a climate of respect.

Each chapter presents new information with actual examples from a variety of settings. The chapters include real-life examples from the author's life, addresses doubts and concerns that she has run into in teaching this approach, and concludes with exercises for practice and, where applicable, worksheets to get you started.

Change Curriculum (for Men)

The Change Curriculum for Men is based on an approach that we have found to be successful in our own clinical practice, the sole focus of which is the prevention, intervention, and change of irresponsible behavior. The method is based on exchanging what we have called "Maladaptive Thinking Patterns" for replacements that we call "Questions that Lead to Responsible Choices." This process of replacement is carried out through repeated intervention in the form of group and facilitator confrontation and/or problem-solving and through homework and roleplay. In addition, the change process and group facilitation involve the recognition of the "Tactics To Avoid Accountability." Change in the client(s) will be indicated in a willingness not to choose Tactics when being held accountable. Successful group facilitation involves a commitment not to engage in Tactics with the client(s). Tactics signal a choice not to work toward change and are about setting up a competitive rather than a cooperative relationship. Sheets outlining this information are found in the front of your curriculum binder as well as in the accompanying book Stop the Madness! In addition, the change process incorporates the use of work sheets, facilitated group discussion, and, most importantly, roleplays through a twenty-four week guided curriculum. We have found this combination to be an effective approach to cognitive change and to the development of skills involved with that change and their transfer into daily life.

Details

The curriculum itself is divided into twenty-four 1 1/2 hour sessions. Optimal group size ranges from six to twelve members. The curriculum is designed to function in either a closed or an open group structure. Session 1 can be used as a start-up session in closed group or as review in an open group cycle. The curriculum moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools for change to specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included with each individual session plan.

In our practice we require all homework to be written. Group members who have difficulty with reading and writing skills are encouraged to view this as a good opportunity to learn to problem-solve. Those individuals have chosen to accept the help of fellow group members and to enlist some outside help in completing assignments from appropriate family members or friends. We provide each group member with a manila folder in which to keep all handouts and worksheets. Resist the temptation in the roleplays to talk about what might be done. Best results are obtained with group members assuming the roles and acting and speaking their way through the part. Expectations for our group members, stated in the contract each participant signs, are active participation in group sessions through personal sharing, confrontation of other members, contributing to problem-solving, participation in roleplays as well as completing written homework.

Our book Stop the Madness! and our Non-Dictionary of Another Usage are included with the curriculum because they provide critical information for the understanding of the approach, the delivery of the material, and the manner in which the groups are facilitated. Stop The Madness! explains the foundation of change--which rests in the use of choice language, the setting out of clear expectations and consequences, and the consistency in accountability necessary to support that change process. We also suggest that consequences be thought of as learning tools and not punishment. In addition, the book offers suggestions in program design, suggestions that we have found critical to the change process of the individuals with whom we work. Also included is a set of three wall posters of the Maladaptive Thinking Patterns, The Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and The Questions That Lead to Responsible Choices.

Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:
- a sample group session
- a confidentiality contract
- group rules
- a contract for participation
- arrest information sheets (two pages)
- a termination report
- a completion report (two pages)
We have also included several sheets on the value of Language Choice Therapy.

Change Curriculum (for Women)

Our primary goal in developing a curriculum for women is to identify and address the problems specific to individuals who may simultaneously be both victims and perpetrators of abuse. There are several obvious differences between working with men and working with women as regards partner abuse. First of all, men have done and/or have the potential to do more damage. The stakes are, then, rather different. Secondly, men still receive validation within the larger cultural context for much of their controlling behavior. The historical roots of that validation run deep in our society and continue to influence how we perceive of abuse and violence in relationships and what we are willing to tolerate.

Partner abuse takes many different forms according to the relationship in which it occurs. Optimal program design will take the dynamics of the different relationships into account. Conversely, inappropriate program design can cause harm—for example, victims of partner abuse can be re-victimized, or the real aggressor can avoid accountability, in inadequately-designed programs. What follows has as its goal to address the change process for women found to be involved in abuse in heterosexual relationships.

Much as for the design of effective programs for male perpetrators of partner abuse in heterosexual relationships, the implications of those institutionalized cultural dynamics represent a vital consideration in effective program design for women from heterosexual relationships. Moreover, those same cultural dynamics suggest that the potential risks—of various forms of retaliatory abuse—are great for women and that that factor too must be taken into account in the fashioning of the program. Thus the dual situation calls for careful program design in several areas.

Understanding that the situations in which women become involved in domestic violence are varied and the distinctions between different situations are not clearly definable, yet we see three significant groupings or categories. This curriculum is designed for women in the first two categories. The first category refers to women who are the aggressors in a relationship. Best statistics and our clinical experience indicate that these numbers are small yet real. The second category includes women who present features of both the self-defending victim and the aggressor. Several specific profiles have been identified within this group, including "the angry victim," or "never-again" mode clients, women from mutually-combative relationships, and sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Most women who fall into this category, however, will not be so specifically differentiated but rather will exhibit a combination of generalized "victim" and "aggressor" features. The precise combination is widely variable across the range of clientele but will in the main derive from a reactive position within the dynamics of domestic abuse. Women from this second category are by far the larger number of group participants. The third category is women who are victims of domestic violence. Women from this last category are not appropriate for this curriculum. (See our 18-week Options curriculum for female victims of domestic violence in heterosexual relationships.)

Details

The curriculum itself is divided into twenty-four 1 1/2 hour sessions. Optimal group size ranges from six to twelve members. The curriculum is designed to function in either a closed or an open group structure. Session 1 can be used as a start-up session in closed group or as review in an open group cycle. The curriculum moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools for change to specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included with each individual session plan.

In our practice we require all homework to be written. Group members who have difficulty with reading and writing skills are encouraged to view this as a good opportunity to learn to problem-solve. Those individuals have chosen to accept the help of fellow group members and to enlist some outside help in completing assignments from appropriate family members or friends. We provide each group member with a manila folder in which to keep all handouts and worksheets. Resist the temptation in the roleplays to talk about what might be done. Best results are obtained with group members assuming the roles and acting and speaking their way through the part. Expectations for our group members, stated in the contract each participant signs, are active participation in group sessions through personal sharing, confrontation of other members, contributing to problem-solving, participation in role-plays as well as completing written homework.

Our book Stop the Madness! and our Non-Dictionary of Another Usage are included with the curriculum because they provide critical information for the understanding of the approach, the delivery of the material, and the manner in which the groups are facilitated. Stop The Madness! explains the foundation of change--which rests in the use of choice language, the setting out of clear expectations and consequences, and the consistency in accountability necessary to support that change process. We also suggest that consequences be thought of as learning tools and not punishment. In addition, the book offers suggestions in program design, suggestions that we have found critical to the change process of the individuals with whom we work. Also included is a set of three wall posters of the Maladaptive Thinking Patterns, The Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and The Questions That Lead to Responsible Choices.

Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:
- a group session
- a confidentiality contract
- group rules
- a contract for participation
- arrest information sheets (two pages)
- a termination report
- a completion report (two pages)
We have also included several sheets on the value of Language Choice Therapy, a sheet that gives the location of the vignettes on the video, and a list of important points to look for when watching the video.

The demonstration video includes scenarios in which trained facilitators demonstrate critical techniques that promote the change process. In watching the video you will learn how to use Language Choice Therapy and how to go through the steps in Controlling an Interaction. You will also see examples of group members being held accountable, the facilitators not responding to the Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and work with group members who are using some of the Maladaptive Thinking Patterns both as a part of their involvement in domestic abuse as well as in the group process. In addition, you will see paired vignettes representing the crucial process of intake assessment.

Accountability Factor Curriculum (for University Students)

This curriculum is based on an approach which we have found to be successful in our own clinical practice, the sole focus of which is the prevention, intervention, and change of irresponsible behavior. The method incorporates replacing what we have called Maladaptive Thinking Patterns with replacements which we call Questions that Lead to Responsible Choices. A critical part of the change process is recognition of the Tactics to Avoid Accountability. Change in the client(s) will involve a willingness not to choose Tactics when being held accountable. Successful group facilitation involves a commitment not to engage in Tactics with the client(s). Tactics signal a choice not to choose change and are about setting up a competitive rather than a cooperative relationship. Sheets outlining this information are found in the front of your curriculum binder as well as in the accompanying book Stop The Madness! In addition, the change process incorporates the use of work sheets, facilitated group discussion, and, most importantly, roleplays through a twelve week guided curriculum. In our own practice we have found this combination to be an effective approach for change and the transfer of that change into daily life. Included in this process is the development of new skills in communication.

Details

The curriculum itself is divided into twelve 1 1/2 hour sessions. It moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools for change into addressing specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included along with each individual session plan. All homework must be written. Resist the temptation in the roleplays to talk about what would be done. Best results are obtained with group members assuming the roles and acting and speaking their way through the part.

Our book Stop the Madness! and our Non-Dictionary of Another Usage are included with the curriculum because they provide critical information for the understanding of the approach, the delivery of the material, and the manner in which the groups are facilitated. Stop The Madness! explains the foundation of change--which rests in the use of choice language, the setting out of clear expectations and consequences, and the consistency in accountability necessary to support that change process. We also suggest that consequences be thought of as learning tools and not punishment. In addition, the book offers suggestions in program design, suggestions that we have found critical to the change process of the individuals with whom we work. Also included is a set of three wall posters of the Maladaptive Thinking Patterns, The Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and The Questions That Lead to Responsible Choices.

Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:

- a group session
- a confidentiality contract
- group rules
- a contract for participation
- a termination report
- a completion certificate

Change is not about not making mistakes. It is about asking for responsible feedback. It is about choosing not to use the Tactics to Avoid Accountability. And it is about understanding that accountability means more than taking the punishment when caught. It is also about choosing not to be abusive and choose violence in the first place and about understanding that accountability for past abuse and past use of violence never goes away. Finally, it is about accepting that the change process finds success not in controlling behavior, but rather in being willing to adopt new ways of thinking. Change is brought about by the commitment to choose to think with the Questions that Lead to Responsible Choices. With that change in thinking will come the awareness that anger is not the problem but choosing abuse and choosing to be violent is. Resolutions of conflict can be achieved without choosing either. It is a choice.

Skills in Transition Curriculum (for Women)

This curriculum focuses on skill building for women in transition for any number of reasons in their lives: homelessness, job loss, violence, crime, substance abuse, for example.

Our primary goal in developing a curriculum for women in transition is to provide an opportunity for personal skill building. This opportunity will encompass learning new interpersonal skills, identifying past patterns, information on keeping safe and minimizing risks, and the growth involved in self-knowledge and opening up the possibilities for change.

Details

The curriculum is divided into sixteen 1 1/2 hour sessions. Optimal group size ranges from six to twelve members. The curriculum is designed to function in either a closed or an open group structure. Session 1 can be used as a start-up session in closed group or as review in an open group cycle. The curriculum moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools for change to specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included with each individual session plan.

In our practice we require all homework to be written. Group members who have difficulty with reading and writing skills are encouraged to view this as a good opportunity to learn to problem-solve by choosing to accept the help of fellow group members and to enlist some outside help in completing assignments from appropriate family members or friends. We provide each group member with a manila folder in which to keep all handouts and worksheets. Resist the temptation in the roleplays to talk about what might be done. Best results are obtained with group members assuming the roles and acting and speaking their way through the part. Expectations for our group members, stated in the contract each participant signs, are active participation in group sessions through personal sharing, confrontation of other members, contributing to problem-solving, participation in roleplays as well as completing written homework.

Our books Stop the Madness!, and the Non-Dictionary of Another Usage are included with this curriculum because they provide critical information for the understanding of our approach, the delivery of the information in group, and the manner in which the groups are facilitated. Stop the Madness! explains the foundation of change, which rests on the use of choice language, the setting out of clear expectations and consequences, and the consistency in accountability necessary to support the change process. We also suggest that any consequences chosen by group members be thought of as an opportunity to learn and not as punishment. In addition, the book offers suggestions for program design that we see as an inseparable part of a successful change process. Also included is a set of three wall posters of the Maladaptive thinking Patterns, The Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and The Questions That Lead to Responsible Choices.

< p style="text-align: justify;">Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:
- a group session
- a confidentiality contract
- group rules
- a contract for participation
- a termination report
- a completion report (two pages)
The curriculum design includes sessions devoted to building interpersonal skills such as positive self-talk, negotiation skills, communication skills, time outs, and problem solving. Sessions are also spent discussing the concepts of choice and accountability. Additional sessions are devoted to exploring different topics such as abuse and violence, sexual respect, the role of anger in our lives, working with others (family, friends, co-workers), with the goal of providing an opportunity for the group to explore their thoughts on these topics.

Skills in Transition Curriculum (for Men)

This curriculum focuses on skill building for men in transition for any number of reasons in their lives: homelessness, job loss, violence, crime, substance abuse, for example.

Our primary goal in developing a curriculum for men in transition is to provide an opportunity for personal skill building. This opportunity will encompass learning new interpersonal skills, learning responsible self-advocacy, and the potential growth involved in expanding self-knowledge.

Details

The curriculum is divided into sixteen 1 1/2 hour sessions. Optimal group size ranges from six to twelve members. The curriculum is designed to function in either a closed or an open group structure. Session 1 can be used as a start-up session in closed group or as review in an open group cycle. The curriculum moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools that promote learning to specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included with each individual session plan.

In our practice we require all homework to be written. Group members who have difficulty with reading and writing skills are encouraged to view this as a good opportunity to learn to problem-solve. Those individuals have chosen to accept the help of fellow group members and to enlist some outside help in completing assignments from appropriate family members or friends. We provide each group member with a manila folder in which to keep all handouts and worksheets. Resist the temptation in the roleplays to talk about what might be done. Best results are obtained with group members assuming the roles and acting and speaking their way through the part. Expectations for our group members, stated in the contract each participant signs, are active participation in group sessions through personal sharing, confrontation of other members, contributing to problem-solving, participation in role-plays as well as completing written homework.

Our books Stop the Madness!, and the Non-Dictionary of Another Usage are included with this curriculum because they provide critical information for the understanding of our approach, the delivery of the information in group, and the manner in which the groups are facilitated. Stop the Madness! explains the foundation of change, which rests on the use of choice language, the setting out of clear expectations and consequences, and the consistency in accountability necessary to support the change process. We also suggest that any consequences chosen by group members be thought of as an opportunity to learn and not as punishment. In addition, the book offers suggestions for program design that we see as an inseparable part of a successful change process. Also included is a set of three wall posters of the Maladaptive thinking Patterns, The Tactics to Avoid Accountability, and The Questions That Lead to Responsible Choices.

Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:
- a group session
- a confidentiality contract
- a group rules
- a contract for participation
- a termination report
- a completion certificate

The curriculum design includes sessions devoted to building interpersonal skills such as positive self-talk, negotiation skills, communication skills, time outs, and problem solving. Sessions are also spent discussing the concepts of choice and accountability. Additional sessions are devoted to exploring different topics such as abuse and violence, sexual respect, the role of anger in our lives, working with others (family, friends, co-workers), with the goal of providing an opportunity for the group to explore their thoughts on these topics.

Options Curriculum (for Women)

This curriculum is designed to be used with women in heterosexual relationships who have been victims of domestic abuse. Women from heterosexual relationships identified as victims will in fact at times have come from a situation in which they have both experienced and perpetrated abuse. It must be borne in mind that this situation will have existed within cultural structures that do not fully validate women and that that fact is always a critical part of the interpersonal relationship involving abuse. Much as for the design of effective programs for male perpetrators of partner abuse in heterosexual relationships, the implications of those cultural dynamics represent a vital consideration in effective program design for women from heterosexual relationships. Moreover, those same cultural dynamics suggest that the potential risks—of various forms of retaliatory abuse—are great for women and that that factor too must be taken into account in the fashioning of the program. Thus the dual situation calls for careful program design in several areas.

Details

The curriculum itself is divided into eighteen 1 1/2 hour sessions. Optimal group size ranges from six to twelve members. The curriculum is designed to function in either a closed or an open group structure. Session 1 can be used as a start-up session in closed group or as review in an open group cycle. The curriculum moves in content from the introduction of general principles and the tools for change to specific topics. Each session is accompanied by worksheets and suggested interactive opportunities. In each session the homework review is limited to 40-50 minutes. The remaining group time is devoted to the new topic and accompanying activities. In some sessions you will find several sheets that can be used for discussion and/or homework. It is our intention for the facilitators to select from those suggestions. All homework sheets and group worksheets are included with each individual session plan.

Additional materials found at the end of the binder include samples of:
- a group session
- a confidentiality contract
- a group rules
- a contract for participation
- a termination report
- a completion report (two pages)
The Options curriculum for women is based on an approach that we have found to be successful in our own clinical practice, the sole focus of which is to help individuals bring about change in their lives. The method is based on exchanging what we have called "Maladaptive Thinking Patterns" for replacements that we call "Questions that Lead to Responsible Choices." This process of replacement is carried out in the form of the self-discovery that can come from group discussion, problem-solving, homework, and role-play. In addition, the change process and group facilitation involve the recognition of the "Tactics To Avoid Accountability" and their intended effect on others. This information, a critical part of the following curriculum, is designed to provide tools for the group members to identify the abusive dynamics in their relationships and simultaneously give them the tools for change in themselves, if they so choose. It also provides critical information to identify indicators of potential abuse in new relationships. Sheets outlining this information are found in the front of your curriculum binder. In addition, the change process incorporates the use of work sheets, facilitated group discussion, and, most importantly, role-plays through an eighteen-week guided curriculum. We have found this combination to be an effective approach to cognitive change and to the development of skills involved with that change and their transfer into daily life.

Stepping into My Choices Curriculum (for Children)

The curriculum is designed to focus adolescents on their thinking process and on how thinking relates to their feelings and choice of behavior. The goal is for them to learn to be self-intervening, increase problem-solving skills, and improve their sense of competency.

Details

The curriculum covers 14 weeks. Group sessions may be 30-60 minutes in length depending on the size of the group and their willingness and ability to focus The group may be open or closed and adjusts to both structures. A copy of the book Stop The Madness! is included along with The Non-Dictionary of Another Usage . The curriculum provides suggested expectations and consequences for the overall group structure. Topics for each session, guided discussions, and all necessary work sheets are included.

Boxed In thinking Curriculum (for Children)

At Cognition Works we believe how we think about things affects our emotional well being as well as our choices of behavior. Thinking is something we have control over. Learning to think about our thinking develops self-control, the ability to self-correct, and to problem-solve. It also helps us generate options for ourselves in situations. The better we become at this process the less frustration and anger we feel and the less impulsive we are. The more options we can generate for ourselves the less we feel limited to either withdrawing and "shutting up" or acting aggressively and "going off." The following curriculum blends information and activities in order to help children develop their thinking and problem-solving skills. It is appropriate for use with a broad spectrum of children. It is useful for children who seem to be doing well, for children having some problems, and for very difficult children. The activities can be adjusted to suit the participants.

We have identified eight thinking patterns that can keep people of any age stuck. For adults we call the eight thought patterns The Maladaptive Thinking Patterns (MTP's for short). We use the word "Maladaptive" to indicate that they are not flexible and tend to generate few options for the individuals who persistently use them. For very young children the eight MTP's are narrowed down to five thinking patterns that we call Get-You-in-Trouble Thoughts. We also have expressed the MTP's in language that is appropriate for adolescents and young adults. For children in the middle-range we call the eight MTP's the Boxed-in Thinking Patterns. This curriculum is to be used in working with that age group.

Details

The curriculum is based on the eight Boxed-in Thinking Patterns and their replacements, which we call "Thinking Outside of The Box." When children choose to think "Outside of the Box" instead of using Boxed-in Thinking, they learn the skill of self-correction. Children who practice this skill are more readily able to problem-solve, to master the ability to control themselves, and to build the foundation for emotional stability. The curriculum also describes the behaviors that you will commonly see with young people who are engaging in Boxed-in Thinking. We call these behaviors The Tactics or the Things You Do to Avoid Accountability. The Boxed-in Thinking Patterns and The Things You Do to Avoid Accountability are obstacles to healthy patterns in life.

Each module includes a brief description of the Boxed-in Thinking Pattern that is being covered, the Thinking Outside of The Box replacements for that thinking pattern, some common behaviors that occur with the Boxed-in Thinking Pattern (Tactics/Things You Do to Avoid Accountability), stories that can be used to encourage discussions around the thought pattern, and "initiatives" or activities designed to help further the understanding of the thought pattern and its use. The ultimate goal is to develop the skill of recognition and replacement, or self-initiated correction.

The eight different modules of the curriculum are designed to "stand alone." Of course, they can also be used together or in any variety of sequencing. We have ended the curriculum with a section on interactive techniques that we find facilitate the prevention, intervention and change process. This curriculum is based on years of our accumulated experiences. We have designed it to be as useful as possible for those working as parents, teachers, counselors, social service workers, and for those in corrections.