The Seven Challenges is designed to motivate clients to evaluate their lives, consider changes they wish to make, and succeed in implementing those changes.
In The Seven Challenges program, people address their drug issues, their co-occurring life skill deficits, and their situational and psychological problems. Although counselors in the program provide a structure for groups and a framework for individual sessions, the content of each session is exceptionally flexible and tailored to the immediate needs of the client — it's not pre-scripted.
The program helps people look at what is happening in their lives. They learn to recognize what is going well and what is problematic. Whatever is not going well is identified as an issue, and counselors teach people how to work on their issues. As clients do their work, the challenge process is used to help them make thoughtful decisions, including about drugs.
Our team provides the training and support necessary for each organization to successfully use the program with their clients. Beyond scheduled trainings, calls, and visits, we're always here to help and answer any questions.
We provide an on-site or remote 3-day Initial Training for your counselors who will be using the program and their clinical supervisors, which prepares them to immediately begin providing The Seven Challenges.
Leaders attend an additional 3-day Leader Training, which teaches advanced counseling skills and how to supervise counselors delivering the program.
Leaders join a Seven Challenges trainer on quarterly support calls, where they discuss clinical and implementation questions.
Annually, a Seven Challenges trainer hosts a Support/Fidelity Visit (on-site or online), where your counselors and leaders receive more help with their clinical, implementation, training, and supervision questions.
The Seven Challenges journals are a valuable tool for helping people reflect on their lives and drug use — and supporting them in their decision-making and change process. Each client works through the set of journals, one at a time, by writing in the journal and giving it to their counselor for written responses and comments. People will often write thoughts and feelings in journals that they would not disclose in face-to-face conversations, making journaling a powerful part of the program.
Brief Challenges is the brief therapy version of The Seven Challenges. It's designed for adolescents who have a known or suspected drug problem and is used in four individual, one-hour sessions. These sessions can stand alone or serve as an entry point to more services for youth who may want or need additional counseling. Specific training and materials are used for Brief Challenges that differ from the full Seven Challenges.
Explore articles, podcasts, and videos from our clinical team — focused on the latest substance use research, insights on counseling techniques, and tips for using The Seven Challenges.
