What Are The Groups All About?
What The Group Will Be Doing?
What Can We Hope For After Participation In The Group?
Corrective Thinking Group Contacts

What Are The Groups All About?

     A collaborative effort between the Sidney Public Schools, the District II Alcohol and Drug Program and the Youth Court Probation Office has resulted in three groups that focus on changing problematic behavior by changing thinking patterns using techniques associated with Truthought, LCC., and the State of Montana’s Cognitive Principals and Restructuring Program. The groups are limited in size to no more than eight youth. Membership is prioritized according to severity. Members are able to move out when they have accomplished the objectives and met graduation criteria.  More specifically the groups are:

     *Sidney High School Group: For High School students referred by the school, self, parents, youth court probation office and other agencies due to perceived problems in their behavior, relationship with others or thinking patterns. This group meets one school period per week.

     *Sidney Middle School Group: For Middle School students referred by the school, self, parents, youth court probation office and other agencies due to perceived problems in their behavior, relationship with others or thinking patterns. This group meets one school period per week.

     *After School and Summer Session Group: Offered by the Youth Court Probation Office and the District II Alcohol and Drug Program to assist youth that are on probation or the caseload of District II in maintaining law abiding behavior or a substance free lifestyle and deal with identified self-defeating behaviors and thinking patterns. This group meets once per week for ninety minutes.

What the Group Will Be Doing

     Each week the group will focus on various aspects of corrective thinking/cognitive restructuring techniques. Members will set goals for themselves. Members will learn a four step process of change. Members will be asked to apply these techniques in their daily lives and become accountable for their behavior. Group members learn through a process and abide by a non-negotiable code of conduct that are designed to create an atmosphere of mutual respect for the purpose of learning and one for the emotional and physical safety for both facilitators and group members.
     All groups are open-ended. The length of time that members attend the group is individual. Members will graduate from group when it is felt by the facilitators that the individual:
*can  admit to various thinking errors;
*can describe those errors that have led to anger, criminal, relapse, insubordinate or self-defeating type of behaviors; and,
*can demonstrate on a consistent basis responsible thinking patterns that will lead into more harmonious, responsible relationships and lifestyles.

What Can We Hope For After Participation In the Corrective Thinking Group?

     Sidney Senior High School initially developed the High School Group to make the school a more safe and orderly environment. That group acted as a springboard for the other groups. It is hoped that group members with insubordinate, self-defeating type behaviors will be capable of resolving the strife in their lives without resorting to behaviors that disrespect or harm others or themselves.
     It is hoped that each individual group member will become ready to make some changes in the thinking and lifestyle that led them to the group. Further, that each individual will develop the desired willingness to be open to the corrective alternatives that are taught in the groups. We also recognize that each individual is at a different stage of readiness to make those changes and will work with each stage or level of readiness. We hope that each one gets to the point of being willing to lead a pro-social lifestyle. Finally, that each group member achieves the individual goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the group.

                   Corrective Thinking Contacts:

Sidney High School: Rollie Sullivan, Assistant Principal, 1012 4th Ave SE, Sidney, MT 59270, 406-433-2330

Sidney Middle School: Gary Arnold, Principal, Loretta Thiel, Counselor, 415 So. Central Ave., Sidney, MT 59270, 406-433-4050

District II Alcohol & Drug Program, Tim G. Anderson, Licensed Addiction Counselor, 209 2nd St. SE, Sidney, MT 59270, 406-433-4097

Youth Court Probation Office: J. Scott Watkins, Deputy Probation Officer, 201 West Main, Sidney, MT 59270, 406-433-3011

     We, as facilitators, commit to do whatever it takes to provide group members with a learning experience that will help the individual make the necessary choices and provide each individual with the corrective alternatives to change keeping in mind the individual’s own level of readiness to make those changes. We hope they are ready.

*Tim G. Anderson, Licensed Addiction Counselor, District II Alcohol and Drug Program
*J. Scott Watkins, Deputy Probation Officer, Montana Seventh Judicial District Youth Court

                 *Certified Corrective Thinking Practitioner

       When it is discovered that responsibility and reliability            are rewarded, worthwhile things will be achieved without                             deception or intimidation.