Educational Programs
All of Gentle Path's Programs, Workshops and Support Groups are offered at a variety of locations around the Saint John area. Anonymity is stressed at all group programs. Gentle Path's Counselling and Group Services offer supportive environments in which individuals are encouraged and welcomed to share at their own comfort level.
Gentle Path offers many 4, 6 and 8-week Educational Programs that teach life skills, promote healing and personal growth. Learning to deal with family challenges, relationship issues, and appropriate expressions of feelings are the goals of these programs.
Registration is required for all Educational Programs, and there are some subsidies available for those experiencing financial hardship. Trained facilitators who identify with the issues of group members guide the sessions. Instruction includes lectures, videos, homework assignments, discussions, and readings. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions to maximize the benefits of each program.
Being Mad ~ Feeling Bad ( A Children's Program)
A 6-session program for children 8 – 10 years who are experiencing difficulty with anger.
Who could benefit from attending ?
- Children who have difficulty expressing anger appropriately with parents, teachers, siblings, friends, etc.
- Children who stuff their anger, which sometimes results in depression and/or a sense of powerlessness
- Children who act out anger in ways that are harmful to themselves and others
- Children who want to use their anger in more productive and appropriate ways
The Self-Esteem Garden ( A Children's Program)
This is a 6-session program for boys and girls (8-10 years of age) intended to help children increase their levels of self-esteem. Course focuses on behavioural, cognitive, verbal and emotional skills using the gardening analogy to involve children in a fun way!
Good self-esteem helps children to :
- Gain the knowledge that they have the capacity to make good choices and to deal with various life situations in healthy ways
- Gain the knowledge that they are worthwhile: their needs and wants are as valid as the needs and wants of others
Fire in My Belly ( A Children's Program )
This is a 6-session program for 6 - 8 year old boys and girls which will help them to handle their anger in healthy ways.
This is an Anger Management Program which will help the children to learn how to express their emotions in positive ways without hurting themselves, others or things, specifically feelings of anger or frustration. The main goal is for the boys and girls to learn what ANGER is, why it is important and healthy ways of dealing with it constructively.
Taming the Monster ( A Children's Program )
This is a 6-session program for 10-12 year old girls and boys who have learned to express anger in unhealthy ways.
This Anger Management Program will help girls and boys to discover the things that trigger their anger and will offer healthy solutions for dealing with the anger in positive ways. Social skills are another important aspect of this program. The boys and girls will learn positive ways of communicating with their friends, siblings, parents, and authority figures.
New Children’s Programs
Who Am I? Discovering Me! (Ages 10-12 Years )
A six week program developed to help children ages 10-12 develop a positive self esteem.
Who Could Benefit:
- Children having difficulties developing a sense of self concept.
- Children struggling with behavioral issues due to lack of self esteem.
- Children dealing with concerns stemming from family issues. (ex. Divorce)
- Children struggling in school both socially and/or academically.
Goals of the Group:
For Children to:
- Learn to develop a positive sense of “Who I am”!
- Learn to appreciate and value oneself.
- Uncover and identify the positive qualities that make a person who he/she is.
- Develop a healthy self concept.
- Learn to take risks in sharing ones genuine self with others.
- Learn ways to communicate and trust others.
- Learn to deal with others opinions of oneself.
I’m Special! (Ages 6-7 Years)
A Self-Esteem Program for Children ( 6 -7 Years)
Who Could Benefit From Attending?
- Children who have low self-esteem
- Children who are at risk of developing low self-esteem
Goals of the Group:
- Increase self-worth
- Discover and promote personal strengths
- Develop a healthy self-esteem & self concept
- Help child to accept their strengths, as well as their weaknesses
- Learn ways to overcome challenges to self - esteem
Active Parenting Now
Active Parenting Now is a six week Parenting Program focusing on children ages 5-12 years. The program teaches parents to raise responsible, cooperative children who are prepared to meet the challenges of the teen years.
Provide parents with skills that will help them develop in their children:
- cooperation
- responsibility
- self esteem
Parents will also learn positive, non– violent discipline techniques so they can avoid power struggles.
Active Parenting of Teens
Six - session VIDEO and DISCUSSION program to help parents:
- Meet the challenges of parenting teens and pre-teens in today’s turbulent society;
- Develop the skills they need: to communicate effectively with their teens; to encourage better behaviour; to use positive discipline techniques and to teach responsibility;
- To learn how to address sensitive issues that are vital to today’s teens, such as, drug & alcohol use, sexuality, and violence.
Active Step-Parenting Program
A six session video program to help parents and stepparents raise children in the challenging stepfamily environment.
Some topics covered include
- communications
- problem solving
- discipline
- anger
- power struggles
- differences in values
- self esteem
- success
Backward With Gratitude~Forward With Hope
Two 8-week educational programs for adults wanting to learn how the past impacts the present in their daily lives. Individuals who were raised in non-nurturing environments that were abusive, controlling or non-supportive as well as those who want to improve their relations with others could benefit from this program. Individuals will learn how to more fully understand the impact of non-nurturing environments on childhood development while also learning how to improve parenting abilities.
Beyond Co-Dependency
Two 8-week educational programs for adults who want to learn and change Co-Dependent behaviours, such as overcoming conflicts in relationships both past and present, establishing a stronger sense of self identity; how to meet adult wants and needs, and how to express reality moderately. This course promotes self-awareness and healthy relationships and confronts addictions, such as work, food and control.
Rebuilding When Your Relationship Ends
This 8-week program addresses important and difficult issues many individuals experience when their love relationship ends. These issues include: grief, loneliness, anger, self-worth problems, letting go, sexuality, and so on.
Secrets to a Successful Relationship
A four-session VIDEO based program.
This program is to help individuals who want to learn how to build and maintain healthy relationships. This program is open to couples or individuals.
About the program: These sessions will offer clear and practical techniques for couples and individuals who want to bring health and vitality to their relationships.
Unchained ~ Women Breaking Free of Abuse
Questions?
- Would you like to be in a healthy relationship ?
- Do you have low self-esteem because of another person ?
- Does meeting new people frighten you ?
- Have you ever been in an abusive relationship ?
Benefits of Unchained:
- Improve your self-confidence.
- Educate on Abuse.
- Signs to look for in an abusive relationship.
- How to get help to get out.
- Practice new skills in a safe environment.
- How to protect your children from domestic abuse.
Anger: Friend or Foe? (For Women)
A 6-week program for women seeking to understand and cope with anger and depression. If individuals have difficulty expressing anger appropriately, repress it or feel victimized by another's anger, they could benefit from attending. They will learn how to use anger as a force for positive change and how to resolve conflicts in non-violent ways.
MEN'S STRESS AND ANGER ~ WHAT’S THE CONNECTION?
ABOUT THE COURSE:
This six-week program for men is offered one night a week for two hours. A trained facilitator who has experienced similar issues guides each of the weekly sessions. These sessions include lectures, weekly homework assignments and group discussions. The program is appropriate for any adult male who would like to learn how to control anger and stress in his life.
The goals of the course are to learn the connection between unmanaged stress and anger; how to practice and use non-violent resolution of conflicts; learn anger management techniques; use anger as a motivation for positive change; increase self esteem and self awareness and understand the cycles of anger.
Gentle Yoga
A Beginners Program and an Intermediate Program are offered. Yoga increases the individual's body awareness, breathing capacity and flexibility; as well it is for people of every level of health and fitness.
About the instructor:Belva Joanne Kee is a singer and voice teacher in Saint John. She has been a student and teacher of yoga for over 14 years and enjoys introducing the discipline of yoga to others. Joanne trained with the Occidental Spiritual Association in Montreal and also at the Kripalu Centre for Health in Lennox, Massachusetts.
Loving Me ~ Loving You (for Women)
A 8-week program of personal growth and development for women who wish to feel better about themselves.
Areas covered in the course: Body and Self-Image; Decision Making Effectiveness; Personal Responsibility; Self-Esteem; Values & Motivation; Emotions; Relaxation Techniques; Communication.
Assertively Yours (for Women)
Goals of this eight week program:
- Learn the difference between non-assertive, aggressive, and assertive communication and behaviour
- Assertive communication behaviour
- Reduce guilt and anxiety when asserting oneself
- Improve one’s self-esteem and personal empowerment
- Promotes positive, assertive interactions with others
- Develop healthy boundaries
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED