Tribal Warriors: Life Skills To Optimize Well-Being

This workbook moves beyond life skills as we traditionally know it and steps outside of the box to get middle and high school youth optimized in life and overall well-being. As an integrated model and grounded in the rigorously researched interventions and theories of positive psychology, this workbook introduces these concepts to youth to optimize their well-being. The evidence based model of REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) is introduced to increase rational living and to teach all youth that making smart choices, decreasing self-defeating behaviors and unhealthy negative emotions can be done with practice and application giving them the tools they require to not only be successful in adolescence but as young adults. 

The Nurtured Heart Approach is included as the epoxy that ties all the concepts together but most importantly builds flourishing relationships at home, school and in the community. Section Two pulls the tribe together to stand against all types of bullying, hate crimes and violence in their schools and communities. It is the belief that before we can address bullying to increase peaceful relationships, we need to build up each individual, whether they have been victimized or have offended. All youth need the information presented in order to stand together to build peaceful Nurtured Heart communities. 

A note from the author: "For close to two decades, I have been personally working with children and youth in their schools, in their communities and in their homes. I have worked with both the victims and the offenders and at times have discovered that the victim is often the offender in another setting. For example if the victim is being bullied at school, he/she may come home and bully their families—either their parents and/or their siblings. Having had a background in domestic and family violence, my training allowed me to understand the psychological and behavioral effects on all parties involved in the deleterious cycles of abuse. 

My extensive work in Women/Gender Studies through the years as a student, practitioner, educator, and as a leader in executive behavioral health services has afforded me a different lens as it relates to all the “isms” in the world that lead to oppression and the coercive nature of power and control. Breaking down the barriers of racism, homophobia, sexism, ethnocentrism, xenophobia, ageism is required. 

Teaching our youth to “see” each other at the heart and soul level rather than by our differences as in the color or our skin, gender, sexual orientation, etc. is the path that is required to move us toward a more humanistic and compassionate way of relating to one another without prejudice. We believe that building the individual “inner wealth” and increasing the tenets of REBT, specifically USA: Unconditional Self-Acceptance and UAO: Unconditional Acceptance of Others is the first step toward breaking down the cycles of abuse and bullying. 

This workbook is designed to “speak to” youth which allows them to develop the tools for self-help and improvement." The workbook is designed to begin with Section One and move through the lessons and then move on to Section Two. However, using the activities randomly is an option and comes with a caveat. Many of the lessons request reflecting back to previous lessons which is congruent with the psychology of learning and repetition. The Nurtured Heart Approach™ techniques are threaded throughout the workbook regardless of the lesson. 

When used in its entirety, Tribal Warriors is designed to be taught weekly with daily practice suggestions. For use in school and community based programs, it is suggested that Section One be taught first. The goal is to create leadership in schools and communities. Youth that complete the initial training participate as peer trainers in application and practice outside of the formal weekly sessions and move forward to assist as co-leaders in the subsequent years.