Life Skills Training Program

What is a Life Skills Training Program?

When someone becomes addicted to drug or alcohol use, especially at an early age, the person may miss out on important experiences and life skills. Addiction can end up causing major problems in a person’s development, so much so that they may not be able to function normally in day-to-day life.

This can end up causing a lack of motivation and problems in several areas of a person’s life.

Life Skills training programs help people learn the skills and techniques needed to live everyday life on their own terms. There are several areas that are targeted during the process, each covering a different aspect of life and progress.

Life skills training programs are important because they set a basis for a person’s life and knowledge during and after recovery. These are not only the building blocks to a better life but the necessary tools to accomplish addiction recovery and live a better, brighter life without addiction.

At Westwind Recovery®, we provide a quality life skills training program with you in mind. Our patient and dedicated staff are here to make sure you are able to learn at your pace while improving yourself every day.

Addiction treatment can be stressful at times but having the right guidance can make all the difference. If you or a loved one is suffering from drug addiction, Westwind Recovery® is here to help!

How Does a Life Skills Training Program Work?

When you have gone through a detox program, and you’re ready to ease your way back into your everyday life, you face a new challenge. Integrating yourself back into society can be difficult.

To assist you, we provide training to help you. A life skills training program teaches you to survive emotionally, financially, and socially; you may have lost some of these skills during your struggle with addiction.

Our goal is to help you learn effective behaviors for handling life. We may also incorporate life skills into other treatments, such as art therapy or chronic pain management treatment. These skills will become excellent habits to help you lead a healthy life.

We also offer vital support to help you cope with painful emotions. You will learn how to deal with anxiety and stress without falling back into addiction. These skills could include:

• Meditation
• Art
• Adventure

You will also learn how to channel emotions and build better relationships. You also gain anger management skills.

Skills Taught During Life Training Skills Programs

A life skills training program covers an umbrella of different skills and techniques in everyday life. These skills can help you:

• Set boundaries
• Acquire jobs
• Create lasting success post-recovery.

These may take time to learn, but with time these tools and skills can be priceless in the long run. Let’s take a closer look at some of the skills you’ll learn in our Life Training skills program:

Communication skills

Communication is vital to life and addiction treatment in general. It is crucial to lay out boundaries and resolve conflict in a healthy way. This is an important skill to learn because a person may not know how to socialize without the influence of alcohol or drugs in their system.

Triggers and cravings can be especially tough to avoid if you don’t know how to say ‘no’ and navigate social settings well.

Nutritional Counseling

Many people say a healthy body means a healthy mind. This is especially true during and after addiction treatment and is highly underlooked by many recovering clients.

Alcohol and drug addiction can create malnutrition and other physical effects in a person. By learning to eat healthier and in a more balanced way, a person will begin to feel better physically and mentally.

Physical Fitness/Exercise

Another fundamental part of a person’s mental and physical health is exercise. Many underestimate the value and positives that come with doing physical activities.

We’ll help you get on the right track with several different exercise styles. A healthy body leads to a happier and healthier mind. Physical exercise can create a calming and healthier body, which can be extremely helpful during addiction treatment.

Budgeting and Money Management

One of the aspects of a person’s life that can take a toll because of drug or alcohol use is finances. A person’s financial situation is typically affected when a person begins to use and sometimes, steal, for drug use. Having a clear-cut understanding of how to manage and spend money after addiction treatment can do wonders in the long run.

Planning for the Future

The future can be daunting at times and some may find it overwhelming. While this may be the case, before and after addiction, it is crucial to make a plan for the future.

Creating a quality transition back into life is an important part of the process. We’ll help you plan what will work best for you in the future, treatment-wise, and in other aspects of your life.

Retaining and Restoring Relationships (Family/Friends)

It is important to have a support group by your side when you are coming out of treatment. Drug addiction and alcohol abuse can completely change how you interact with loved ones. This can tarnish relationships and create negative feelings.

During life training skill sessions, a person will learn to navigate these past problems and rekindle relationships that were lost because of drug addiction. It is never too late to turn things around for the better

Vocational Planning/Training

One of the main things people look out for when assimilation back into society is career and development in that field. It can be intimidating to rejoin the workforce or return to a previous position.

Luckily, life skill training allows the necessary skills to tackle job interviews and other aspects of work that may have changed over the years. Occupation is extremely important, both financially and mentally, as it gives purpose in many cases.

What are the Benefits of Life Training Skills?

A life skills training program allows the best chance of long-term success and sobriety after treatment. There are many skills and techniques that may have been lost while the person was wrapped in addiction.

Some of the quality benefits of life training skills include:

• Creating structure and productive schedules
• Increasing self-esteem and self-worth
• Helps avoid relapse down the line after treatment has ended
• Helps in achieving personal goals, in and outside of treatment
• Creating healthier and better behavioral patterns

These tips and skills can be incredibly useful after treatment and during as well. Everyone can find great benefits in their day-to-day life.

What Type of Training Options Do We Offer?

Although therapy can help, a person needs to understand how to apply it in real life. Imagine a scenario where cravings or a trigger come up. Adapting circumstances to real life can help devise a plan whereby that person, place, or thing is avoided in the future to keep from being triggered.

The whole goal is to find ways of bringing physical activity to a simulated situation that can help express what is going on in real life. What ends up happening is people can simulate conditions that are often difficult to process in real life.

As they go through the simulation, they realize there may also be a funny side to it or find humor in the craziness of a situation without real emotion behind it, per se. It is a creative outlet that can help offer an expression of emotion while aiding in recovery. It is also a great way to inspire clients to enjoy different types of sober fun.

Depending on your needs, we may provide one of the following treatments:

• Relationships skills
• Mock interviews and job search assistance
• Budgeting skills
• Transportation system and bus routes

Why Choose Westwind Recovery®’s Life Skills Training Program?

We offer many other treatment options, in conjunction with the life skills training program, including medication-assisted treatment, detoxification programs, and a variety of therapy options. Give us a call today to get started toward a better life and a better future!