The Pace Institute

(Course requires travel to Atlanta, GA for a two day face-to-face classroom experience on February 23-24, 2019)

EXTENDED ENROLLMENT DEADLINE: January 3, 2019

What is covered during the 7-week course? Thinking for a Change is an integrated cognitive behavior change program. This seven week (44 hour) cohort style blended learning course is very intense and prepares students to become facilitators of the Thinking for a Change group program. Using the Thinking for a Change program curriculum version 4.0, the course will consist of live virtual instructor led presentations, weekly online discussions and quizzes, and independent study and practice. Sixty percent of this training course will be completed online through an interactive and easy to navigate learning platform. The course will conclude with a two day (16 hour) face-to-face classroom experience at the Courtyard Atlanta Airport North/Virginia Avenue in Hapeville, Georgia (details below).

Learning outcomes for course. At the conclusion of this 7-week course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the theoretical foundations of cognitive behavioral approaches;
2. Assess readiness to help facilitate change in others;
3. Understand how to adopt the spirit and core skills of motivational interviewing as a Thinking for a Change facilitator;
4. Articulate the core principles and components of the Thinking for a Change program;
5. Facilitate social skills lessons, utilizing the Thinking for a Change program;
6. Facilitate cognitive self-change lessons, utilizing the Thinking for a Change program;
7. Facilitate problem solving lesson, utilizing the Thinking for a Change program;
8. Demonstrate various strategies that support the facilitation of change;
9. Plan for the implementation of the Thinking for a Change program; and
10. Learn how to use the core principles and components of Thinking for a Change, in one's own life.

Schedule. The course begins online on January 7, 2019 and will end at the Courtyard Atlanta Airport North/Virginia Avenue in Hapeville, Georgia during the weekend of February 23-24, 2019. In addition to the weekly online discussions, quizzes, and independent study and practice, there are mandatory live instructor led sessions held virtually, using the Zoom.us platform. These highly interactive sessions will require web access to connect to Zoom.us and an operable microphone.

The mandatory live virtual instructor led sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Tuesday, January 15, 2019, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET - Virtual Session
• Tuesday, January 22, 2019, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET - Virtual Session
• Tuesday, January 29, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET - Virtual Session
• Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm ET - Virtual Session

Course Topics

Week 1: Introduction to Thinking for a Change

• History and background
• Curriculum format
• Evidence-based implementation

 Week 2: Social Skills

• Introduction to social skills
• Structure of the learning process
• Facilitating social skills' lessons in T4C
• Social skills practice

 Week 3: The Skill of Cognitive Self-Change

• Introduction to cognitive self-change
• Facilitating cognitive self-change skills' lessons in T4C
• Cognitive self-change practice

 Week 4: Problem Solving Skills 

• Introduction to problem solving skills
• Facilitating problem solving skills lessons in T4C
• Problem solving skills practice

 Week 5: Essentials of Facilitating Change

• Assessing readiness to facilitate change
• Understanding the stages of change

 Week 6: Group Facilitation Planning - I

• Managing the co-facilitator relationship
• Lesson preparation

 Week 7: Group Facilitation Planning - II

• Setting a positive tone
• Stages of group development
• Managing disruptive behaviors

2-Day Face-to-Face Classroom Experience in Hapeville, Georgia (2 miles from Atlanta airport). Both days of the face-to-face classroom experience will begin at 8:00 am ET and end at 5:00 pm ET - February 23-24, 2019. It will be held at the Courtyard Atlanta Airport North/Virginia Avenue at 3399 International Boulevard, Hapeville, Georgia 30354. The face-to-face classroom experience will consist of additional learning through instructor demonstrations and group discussions as well as the opportunity for each student to try-out, with instructor guidance, facilitating actual lessons from the Thinking for a Change program. Students are responsible for the cost of transportation, lodging, and meals (lunch will be provided Saturday and Sunday). Here is the reservation link that you can use to make online reservations at the host hotel: Book your group rate for Thinking for a Change .

Certificate of completion. Students who complete 100% of this course will be awarded a certificate documenting their successful completion of a 44 hour Thinking for a Change Facilitator Training Program delivered by a National Institute of Corrections’ trained trainer.

Materials. Students will electronically receive the Thinking for a Change curriculum materials (version 4.0) before the start of the course. The curriculum package will contain all of the lessons, supplemental handouts, videos, and accompanying PowerPoint slides needed to facilitate the T4C program. Students are responsible for the cost associated with printing their materials and are encouraged to bring their printed curriculum to the two-day face-to-face classroom experience.

Express permission from authors. Thinking for a Change is copyrighted by its authors Jack Bush, PhD, Barry Glick, PhD, and Juliana Taymans, PhD, with certain rights retained by the The Pace Institute, LLC and Angela E. Dash, PhD. The Pace Institute, LLC has explicit permission of the authors to use the copyrighted materials for commercial gain.

Background of the Thinking for a Change program. Thinking for a Change (T4C) is a 25 lesson integrated cognitive behavior change program that was introduced in 1998 by the National Institute of Corrections, an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. T4C has gone through multiple revisions through the years. In 2016, the latest version (4.0) was released. Although T4C was designed and is used with offender populations, it teaches valuable life skills that are beneficial and applicable to all (offender and non-offender populations). Through expert demonstrations, role-play activities, and homework exercises, participants who go through a T4C program learn social skills, the skill of cognitive self-change, and problem solving skills. The program teaches participants how to create change in their thinking and behavior in order to make better decisions in their daily lives. It is delivered in a group setting of 8 to 12 participants and is appropriate to be used with both juveniles and adults. The T4C program is used in prisons, jails, community corrections, mental health centers and probation and parole supervision settings across the United States.

T4C has been validated by research to positively impact offender recidivism outcomes as compared to control groups. It is considered an evidence based program for addressing criminogenic needs and risk factors. To view research on the evidence of the Thinking for a Change program and other cognitive behavioral interventions, visit the National Institute of Corrections' website.

Thinking for a Change in the media.

Payment, Cancellation and Refund Policy

Payments. The cost of this course is $997.00. Enrollment is not complete or reserved without payment.

Early Cancellations. You may cancel and receive a full refund, less a $25 processing charge, provided you cancel at least 14 calendar days in advance of the start date of this course. You cannot cancel your enrollment online. To cancel your enrollment, you must contact: [email protected]. Refunds will be issued to the payor of record.

Late cancellations. If you cancel fewer than 14 calendar days before the class, you must, within 6 months, register for and attend another class; otherwise all payments are forfeited to The Pace Institute.

Cancellation by The Pace Institute. In the event that this course does not gain adequate enrollment, it will be canceled by The Pace Institute, LLC and a full refund will be promptly issued. Because this is a possibility, you are strongly discouraged from incurring any transportation costs (i.e. airfare) until after the enrollment period end date. The Pace Institute, LLC will not be responsible for such costs in the event that the training is canceled.

No shows. There is a non-refundable no show-fee. In the case of a no-show, the course fee will not be refunded.

Incomplete course completions. There is a non-refundable fee for incomplete course completions. In the case that you begin this course and do not complete it, the course fee will not be refunded.