The Seven Challenges is a comprehensive counseling program for adolescents and adults that focuses on alcohol and other drug problems. The program is designed to motivate clients to evaluate their lives, consider changes they wish to make, and succeed in implementing those changes.
In 1991, Robert Schwebel, Ph.D., began developing what soon became known as The Seven Challenges while he was counseling adolescents in a residential treatment center and an intensive outpatient setting. Dr. Schwebel firmly believed that a substance use counseling program must be developmentally appropriate, based on psychological research, and address substance use issues as well as co-occurring problems.
The program caught the attention of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), which studied the effectiveness of The Seven Challenges. As positive outcomes were demonstrated, word of the program's success spread further. Now, hundreds of organizations — including outpatient programs, residential treatment centers, schools, and juvenile justice facilities — across the United States and internationally use the program with their clients.
Robert has worked in the field of mental health and drug counseling for more than 50 years and has written several books including Saying No Is Not Enough, Keep Your Kids Tobacco-Free, and Who’s on Top, Who’s on Bottom: How Couples Can Learn to Share Power. He also wrote and developed The Seven Challenges program for adolescents and young adults as well as a version for adults of all ages, which includes his most recent book, Leap of Power: Take Control of Alcohol, Drugs, and Your Life. Robert has facilitated hundreds of trainings for professionals, appeared on national shows, and regularly contributes articles to thefix.com and Psychology Today. In addition to his work, Robert most enjoys spending time with his wife, their two adult sons, and close friends. He has a wide variety of interests, including travel, hiking, running, playing sports, music, and activism pertaining to peace and social justice. He is the captain of a small inflatable fleet of kayaks.
Frank completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions at the University of New Mexico in 2022 and is now a Research Assistant Professor at UNM CASAA. His research focuses on designing, developing, and implementing digital health interventions to improve treatment outcomes for people struggling with addictive behaviors. This includes a focus on harm reduction approaches, mindfulness-based interventions, and machine learning. Frank has also joined the family business (Yes, Frank is Robert’s son!), making improvements to existing materials, creating new resources for our customers and their clients, and providing supervision to our training team. Outside of work, Frank enjoys hiking, camping, cycling, and playing lots and lots of soccer.
In 2002, Rick was the clinical director of a juvenile justice facility where they implemented The Seven Challenges. During the training process, Robert became impressed by Rick’s counseling philosophy, leadership, and training ability. In 2005, Rick started facilitating occasional Seven Challenges trainings, and by 2007, he was providing training and support continuously. He also worked with Robert and Sharon to develop the support and monitoring measures we currently use. Rick is often referred to as a “road warrior” because he is constantly traveling to organizations all over the US and Canada, and as such, he is credited with inspiring and teaching thousands of counselors. Rick currently lives in Florida, but as a Pittsburgh native, he’s a Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates fan (even in sad times). He used to race dirt motorcycles and loves automobile racing. Rick most enjoys time with adult children, his two granddaughters, and grandson.
Mike first became familiar with The Seven Challenges in the 90s and also appreciated Robert’s newspaper columns from the 80s, which were “so much better than the usual parenting advice columns.” Currently, Mike is the Associate Clinical Director of an organization in Arizona that employs The Seven Challenges for both adults and adolescents and Brief Challenges. In this capacity, Mike has used every version of the program with clients, plus he has been a member of our training team since 2011. He and Robert have collaborated to pilot many aspects of the program and training. Mike is an active musician, playing in multiple bands and as a solo artist, and writing and recording original material. Back in the old days when MTV played music videos, he was in one! Mike’s two kids would tell you he is not shy about being an incredible cook and he has mixed feelings about having four cats.
Cassie first learned about The Seven Challenges in 2005, while working for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, where she retired after 28 years. As a member of our training team, she loves helping people make progress in their work and is inspired and energized by the dedication counselors possess. In addition to her Seven Challenges work, she is also a full-time professional artist, running her own gallery and studio, House of Bleu, in Louisville. She is a gifted oil painter with a focus on horses, but she also paints dogs, cats, and sometimes, people. Cassie and her husband enjoy their family, especially their young grandchild. Her other hobbies include being owned by a couple of Tonkinese cats and remodeling her 130-year-old commercial building that also houses her studio/gallery.
John first heard about The Seven Challenges in 2007, when the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice implemented the program statewide. After the first ten minutes of training with Rick, John knew The Seven Challenges matched his personal and professional beliefs about how counseling should be done. After using the program as a counselor and providing clinical supervision for his team, John joined our training team in 2014. John enjoys supporting organizations around the country that are implementing the program, while continuing his full-time job at the Georgia DJJ. John lives just outside Augusta, Georgia, with his wife. He loves traveling and spending time with his family. He also loves to BBQ and cycle on the weekends. John grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, but wound up down South at the University of South Carolina, where he did his undergraduate work and became a diehard Gamecock fan!
Tessa began facilitating Seven Challenges sessions in 2008, while working in a juvenile justice facility with both boys and girls. She has completed all nine of the journals with hundreds of young people over the years. Tessa joined our training team in 2017 and still has her own private practice in Phoenix, where she developed and implemented the city’s only women’s anger management group. In addition to being a great trainer and counselor, Tessa has also worked as an amateur magician and clowned around at parties! That's where her talent for face painting and making balloon animals came in handy. Tessa also enjoys swimming, sunblock, and spending time with her large family.
Brittany Simmons became familiar with The Seven Challenges in 2014, when providing the program in an outpatient clinic for adolescents and young adults. Prior to that, she developed a strong background in providing substance use and mental health counseling to adults and adolescents in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to her current work as a Seven Challenges trainer, Brittany works with veterans to ensure their psychiatric stabilization and suicide prevention. Brittany was born and raised in North Carolina, where she currently lives with her husband. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, makeup artistry, and exploring new music and food.
Lauren found The Seven Challenges program in 2016 and led her residential treatment team as they implemented the program. Later, while in private practice, she assisted a large charter school with implementing The Seven Challenges for its students. Lauren has always appreciated the flexibility of implementation and the client-centered approach of The Seven Challenges, and in 2019, she joined our training team. Lauren enjoys her adult children, ferrets, and dogs, plus she has a good time cooking, traveling, listening to live music, going to the beach and lake, and playing poker and trivia. She secretly desires to become an interior decorator when she retires from private practice and hopes to find a house on a lake with enough land to accommodate more animals (including goats and chickens) and lots of visits from the kids and grandkids.
Roy was first introduced to The Seven Challenges in 2008 and has experience as a counselor and Seven Challenges leader, supporting his team with implementation. In his more recent role as Program Director for a community mental health organization in the suburbs of Chicago, he has been involved with both the adolescent and adult versions of the program. Roy is excited to be a member of our training team because he enjoys providing training and support for other professionals who are using the program to empower clients. Roy has been a foster parent for eight children over the last 10 years, along with his partner. He enjoys working out at home with iFit — his go-to stress reliever after a tough day with clients or parenting. You will find him in his Jeep Wrangler during the summers, with the top down and doors off, exploring the Midwest.
Originally from Seattle, Jessica graduated from the University of Southern California (Fight on!) with a degree in journalism. Since school, she has spent more than 10 years focused on marketing and growth for tech companies, including PitchBook and Mural. Jessica has in-depth experience with demand generation, copywriting, and SEO — and loves creating new processes to make things easier for our team and our customers. At The Seven Challenges, Jessica drives our marketing efforts, oversees our bookkeeping and payroll, and manages all operations for the company. She is married to Frank and very excited to be part of the family business. When she’s not working, Jessica loves hiking, camping, reading, cooking, and cuddling with her dog, Rey.
Taylar leads the implementation of The Seven Challenges and supports organizations in bringing the Program to life. She guides teams through every stage of the process — from initial exploration to long-term success. Taylar works closely with organizations to understand their needs, determine whether the Program is a good fit, and coordinate onboarding, licensing, training, and ongoing engagement. She provides continued support along the way, helping teams navigate challenges and maintain success with the Program. Outside of work, Taylar is passionate about social justice, environmental sustainability, and community-driven change. She enjoys reading, gaming, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.
Trish has been an important member of our team since 2010. She currently processes program materials, schedules Support/Fidelity Visits with organizations, coordinates Leader Training registration, and oversees our accounts receivable. Trish is a true appreciator of the arts and often contributes her time and expertise to a variety of theatre and music production companies. She enjoys baseball games (Go D-backs!), attending live theater, and relaxing with her kitties: Rosie, Cosmo, and Scout.
Claudia is a founding member of The Seven Challenges, along with her husband, Robert. She has been involved in printing, publishing, and shipping program materials from the beginning. Claudia also developed and helps oversee business and accounting practices for the company. Claudia is originally from Hermosillo, Mexico, and is a native Spanish speaker. She worked with Robert to translate materials from English to Spanish. Apart from her work with The Seven Challenges, Claudia enjoys traveling, gardening, hiking, exercising, and spending time with her friends and family, who often benefit from her adventurous and talented cooking spirit!
Unlike many evidence-based programs, The Seven Challenges was not funded by federal grant money and was not developed by an academic at a university. However, the Program generated considerable interest and caught the attention of someone from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) in Washington, D.C. The Seven Challenges was rolled into CSAT-funded research projects as a comparison program. As positive outcomes were demonstrated, word of the Program's success spread further. The Seven Challenges, both the version for adolescents and the one for adults, is now used across the United States plus in Canada, Germany, and Malta.
Unlike many evidence-based programs, The Seven Challenges was not funded by federal grant money and was not developed by an academic at a university. However, the Program generated considerable interest and caught the attention of someone from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) in Washington, D.C. The Seven Challenges was rolled into CSAT-funded research projects as a comparison program. As positive outcomes were demonstrated, word of the Program's success spread further. The Seven Challenges, both the version for adolescents and the one for adults, is now used across the United States plus in Canada, Germany, and Malta.