[ Browse by Service Category : Individual and Family Support Services : Sub-Topics of Personal Enrichment (31) ]

Assertiveness Training

Programs that utilize a variety of techniques including information sharing, role playing, discussion and feedback to help participants more effectively stand up for their rights, confront situations, take responsibility for their actions, avoid being taken advantage of by others, and act in their own best interests while respecting the rights of others. Sessions may include information about the effective use of body language, the role of eye contact and different communication styles.

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Brain Fitness Programs

Programs that feature mental exercises often called "brain games", physical exercise, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, stress management strategies, recommendations regarding other sound lifestyle choices and/or other activities whose objective is to maintain or increase brain function including attention, memory, processing speed, visual processing, auditory processing, reasoning and working memory as people age. Although there is strong evidence that aspects of brain structure remain plastic throughout life, and that high levels of mental activity are associated with reduced risks of age-related dementia, scientific support for the concept of "brain fitness" is limited. The term is virtually never used in the scientific literature, but is commonly used in the context of self-help books and commercial products.

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Death and Dying Education/Information

Organizations or programs which focus on the topic of death and/or the process of dying and which may provide information about death and dying from different historical, philosophical, spiritual, religious, medical or mental health perspectives through classes, workshops, speakers, printed materials, or other modalities which may assist interested people to develop their own way of viewing and dealing with these experiences.

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Family Life Education

Programs that offer educational workshops that cover a range of family-living issues and help participants develop the knowledge and skills they will need to better handle life transitions and crises, improve overall self-esteem, promote growth, strengthen coping mechanisms and avert situations that can lead to family dysfunction. Topics may include parenting and step parenting skills, human growth and development over a life span, the physiological and psychological aspects of human sexuality; communication skills, couple and family relations, stress management, intergenerational issues, elder care, family and community relations, family and work relations, the impact of money and time management on daily family life, personal development, self-discovery and self-motivation. Family life education programs are offered by a wide variety of organizations including social and community service agencies, hospitals, schools and after-school programs, employee assistance programs or wellness programs in business organizations, learning centres and religious institutions.

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Leadership Development

Programs that provide opportunities for individuals of all ages to develop their leadership and management skills through participation in activities which require planning a workscope, organizing ways to achieve planned objectives, motivating members to complete tasks they have agreed to perform and evaluating the group's progress; or through training which addresses these skills.

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Life Coaching

Programs that offer the services of a "life coach" who helps people articulate their dreams, clarify their mission in life, identify specific goals, develop concrete action plans, take advantage of feedback and support and move beyond barriers and self-sabotage. Life coaching differs from psychotherapy in that it is not designed to treat diagnosable mental disorders such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse, but rather draws on people's strengths and inner resources to create a life of fulfillment, accomplishment and balance. It is usually offered over the telephone with weekly appointments, but face-to-face, email and instant message sessions may also be available.

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Life Skills Education

Programs that offer training which focuses on the knowledge and skills an individual may need to live independently or make a successful transition to independent living. Participants may include runaway youth who are living on their own, youth who because of age can no longer be maintained in foster care, new widows, victims of domestic abuse, people who have previously been homeless, and others who have lived in an environment in which decision making and responsibilities of daily living have been handled by another as well as people currently living independently who want to be more effective. Training may address job search and retention, money management, insurance, taxes, rental agreements, vehicle purchase, nutrition, home management, health care, legal emancipation for teens and other similar topics.

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Self Esteem Workshops

Programs that offer workshops, discussion groups and other types of training which focus on helping participants develop a sense of self-worth and importance as a means of strengthening their character, supporting their ability to resist peer pressure and helping them to act more responsibly toward others.

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Social Skills Training

Programs that provide training in social interaction skills for young children, youth and/or adults with the objective of helping them overcome shyness or aggressiveness, engage in constructive play or other group activities, develop positive peer relationships and feel comfortable in both business and social situations. Sessions may focus on politeness, cooperation, negotiation, problem solving, taking turns, sharing, winning and losing, sportsmanship, body language, eye contact, using appropriate language, telephone manners, peer situations, consequences of actions and initiating, conducting and concluding conversations.

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Stress Management

Programs that utilize a variety of techniques including demonstration, exercise and discussion to help participants increase their understanding of the conditions and habits that lead to stress, to learn more about the effects of stress on the body, to identify the stressors in their own lives, and to develop better ways of reducing or managing stress in their personal relationships and work environment. The program may include instruction in and practice of physical exercises, relaxation techniques and other mechanisms for coping with stress.

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The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.