[firemonkey]

My care co-ordinator wants me to do a 12 week 'life skills' course at my local mh centre.
I am a bit wary as i am not sure what is covered by 'life skills'.

[Mari]

Dear Firemonkey,
After googling I see that "life skills" can mean many things, depending on the population being served in the class: teenagers, sales people, schizophrenics....


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_Skills
Here is what wikipedia says:

Life Skills are the skills necessary for successful living.

They can be thought of as falling into six main areas: self, family, job, community, leisure, and spirituality. Essential life skills include such things as being able to recognize and describe one's feelings, giving and receiving feedback, recognizing assumptions, setting realistic and attainable goals, and employing problem-solving strategies.

A number of schools and colleges offer courses to train Life Skills coaches, whose services are employed by youth centres, correctional institutes, social service and self-help agencies, and other settings where people struggling with dysfunctional behaviors can often be found.

Mari

[OneMoreTime]

• Originally Posted by firemonkey

  My care co-ordinator wants me to do a 12 week 'life skills' course at my local mh centre.

Originally Posted by firemonkey

I am a bit wary as i am not sure what is covered by 'life skills'.

Found onine :

Community Mental Health Team Adult Services

* Community living skills coaching by:

• Counselling,
• Education,
• Practice and
• Support

Description of Living Skills over a continuum of current evaluated status --

Personal Life
We assist the individual to gain/regain skills in personal care (e.g., grooming, stress management), home management (e.g., independent living skills), relationships (e.g., dating, friendships) and use of community resources (e.g., library, community centre, transportation).

Leisure
We enable people to participate in leisure activities to enhance their personal enjoyment, sense of control, self-esteem, social relationships/interactions and ability to cope with stress. Activities could include listening to music, participating in creative arts, reading a book or watching a movie, meeting friends or outdoor activities, and more.

---- Realize that you may need no coaching at areas in some of these areas, only in others -- so they will only concentrate on the ones they see as needed some coaching.

This is only 3 months. Over by April or May. You will make it!!

What they want to help you achieve is a more satisfying life less plagued by anxiety, low self esteem, overwhelming sense of incompetence, and to help you increase social isolation and other enjoyable activities.

Teri

[nuttybuddy]

Hi FireMonkey,

I think you will do great!! At least come away from it with more knowledge. You might just be very pleasantly surprised. I have done after care programs for week after I got out of hospital about two times, and taught me some tools to care for myself better. At the time, I was not HAPPY, but I did learn stuff.

[Mrs. Bear]

What worries you the most about taking the classes? Are you expecting something icky?

Maybe check it out and make them tell you about everything they plan on doing. If you do it, I would like to know about your experience. I have someone in mind who may benefit from something like this.

[waves]

i would just like to add to Mrs. Bear's suggestion that perhaps you could express your concerns when you ask the other questions... and see how they respond.

i too think this could be a positive and helpful experience. All the best,

~ waves ~

[Nikko]

I would give it a go. Sounds like it is a positive thing, and it can't hurt to try.

Good Luck,

Nikko

[firemonkey]

I am not really sure what might be iffy.I guess i am just worried because it's something new and i'm not sure what's involved and whether 'll be up to doing it. I am just hoping it doesn't involve any role playing stuff because that would really freak me out.
I do have difficulties with being assertive,socially interacting with others(outside of family and other clients at the mh centre/drop in centre),organizing myself -i get sidetracked very easily on irrelevancies whilst puttin off or sometimes forgetting to do things i should do.

[Mari]

Originally Posted by firemonkey

I am not really sure what might be iffy.I guess i am just worried because it's something new and i'm not sure what's involved and whether 'll be up to doing it. I am just hoping it doesn't involve any role playing stuff because that would really freak me out.
I do have difficulties with being assertive,socially interacting with others(outside of family and other clients at the mh centre/drop in centre),organizing myself -i get sidetracked very easily on irrelevancies whilst puttin off or sometimes forgetting to do things i should do.

Dear Firemonkey,
My therapist might remind you that this decision is yours. You are in control and can choose to do whatever you want. (She would be more concise yet gentler.)

My thought about the class is that they are going to start with something very beginnerish. They do not expect you to already be comfortable with this entire program on the first meeting. They will build up to the more advanced exercises during the 12 weeks.

I wish that there was a way to go the first time or even just poke your head in the door to see if you like it and then decide. There is a possiblilty that you would gain some coping skills and find some gain in the course.

But I don't like starting something new so I can see that the possible gain might not out weigh the possible loss.


Mari

[befuddled2]

Can you call your case manager up and ask her to be more specific about it is like or ask to speak to the counselor who heads the group.

befuddled2