Lives in the Balance
| 15 Main Street, Suite 200, Freeport, Maine 04032 | https://livesinthebalance.org/ | 207-210-6589 |
Lives in the Balance is a dynamic, values-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to ensuring that all kids are understood and treated in ways that are compassionate, effective, non-punitive, non-adversarial, proactive, and collaborative. Our efforts and impact are global. We provide vast resources and training on Collaborative & Proactive Solutions, an evidence-based model of care originated by our founding director, Dr. Ross Greene, and support grass-roots advocacy and legislation aimed at sharply reducing or eliminating the use of harmful, counterproductive disciplinary practices.
DIFFERENT LENSES, DIFFERENT PRACTICES, AND DIFFERENT OUTCOMES
Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) is the evidence-based, trauma-informed, neurodiversity affirming model of care that helps caregivers focus on identifying the problems that are causing concerning behaviors in kids and solving those problems collaboratively and proactively. The model is a departure from approaches emphasizing the use of consequences to modify concerning behaviors. In families, general and special education schools, inpatient psychiatry units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities, the CPS model has a track record of dramatically improving behavior and dramatically reducing or eliminating discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, restraints, and seclusions. The CPS model is non-punitive, non-exclusionary, trauma-informed, transdiagnostic, and transcultural.
And this website is the hub of free resources on the CPS model.
Parents and Families
YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE
All kids have times when they struggle to handle expectations. How they express that they’re struggling has an outsized impact on how adults respond. Some kids communicate that they’re having difficulty meeting certain expectations through whining, pouting, sulking, crying, or withdrawing. They’re the “lucky” ones, for these behaviors are likely to be responded to with empathy, nurturance, and support. Others — the “unlucky” ones — communicate that they’re having difficulty meeting expectations in ways that are more troubling, like screaming, swearing, hitting, kicking, biting, and spitting. Regrettably, these behaviors are less likely to elicit empathy, nurturance, and support from caregivers.
But whether lucky or unlucky, the concerning behavior is communicating the same thing: there’s an expectation the child is having difficulty meeting. And that means that there’s a problem that needs to be solved. In the CPS model, the problem solving is collaborative and proactive.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
The best place to begin is with the Guided Tour, which will take you through the three key facets of the CPS model. Demonstration videos will help you to understand your child’s concerning behaviors, how to identify unsolved problems, and how to start solving problems collaboratively and proactively. When you’re ready to get started, click below.
Educators and Schools
HELPING YOUR MOST DIFFICULT STUDENTS STARTS HERE
As an educator, you probably recognize that punitive, exclusionary discipline helps no one. Fortunately, there is an evidence-based, compassionate alternative. The Guided Tour is going to take you through the three components of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model, as described in Dr. Ross Greene’s books Lost at School and Lost & Found. The model has dramatically reduced discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, restraint, and seclusion in lots of schools. Through audio programming and demonstration videos, we’ll walk you through the basics of the CPS model and help you fundamentally change how you go about dealing with concerning behaviors in your school and classroom. Your role is going to change: you won’t be in the “behavior modification” business anymore, you’ll be in the problem solving business instead.
CHANGE IT UPWe offer a wide variety of training options for schools looking to transform disciplinary practices and reduce discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, expulsions, corporal punishment, restraints, seclusions, and arrests. |
THIS IS EXCITING
What happens when a school implements the CPS model? Disciple referrals, detentions, suspensions, restraints, and seclusions plummet…and the school culture and climate improve for everyone. |
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE SURVEYAre your school’s discipline practices in line with what we now know about why students exhibit challenging behavior? Our School Discipline Survey will tell you in about two minutes. |
Medical Professionals
YOUR GUIDANCE MATTERS…A LOT
Pediatricians and family physicians are often the first point of contact for parents concerned about a child’s behavior. The guidance you provide is crucial. We’ll be adding lots of additional resources to this section, but in the meantime you’ll want to watch the webinar that was created with you in mind.
MORE SUPPORT
There’s a wide variety of training options to help you learn more.
MORE SUPPORT
WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGSThere’s a wide variety of training options to help you learn more |
FACEBOOK GROUPS |
PODCASTS |