Teaching & Modeling
Each youth is taught TLC’s 5 Core Skills as a foundation to increase their ability to differently manage various areas of their lives. These skills are as follows:
Participation: Following instructions, presence, attention, turn taking
Listening: Eye contact, reflective listening, mirroring, body language, paraphrasing, processing, increasing skills of curiousness and validation
“I” statements: Identifying observations, identifying feelings and needs/values, making requests – covering emotional accountability and communication
Feedback: Offering and accepting feedback, accountability, regulating oneself to tolerate the process of feedback, using clarifying questions, avoiding blaming and practicing consent
Taking Space: Psycho-education, awareness of need for space, appropriately ask for space & appropriately return (by checking out and then checking in again)
These skills are role-modeled by TLC staff and are integrated into interactions in all settings including school, therapeutic milieu, clinical sessions, conflict resolutions and casual conversations.