S.E.L.F. (Safety, Emotions, Loss & Future) allows young adults to address the problems and the effects of exposure to violence or trauma in their lives. Recovery from trauma begins with helping an individual to understand the psychobiological effects of their life experiences, traumatic or not. By using simple terminology, that is easy to identify with, individuals begin to understand and are able to put words to the emotions, patterns, recurrent effects that are a result of their life experiences.

Those of experience overwhelming live situations typically have trouble staying safe, find difficulty in managing their emotions, have suffered losses both physical and emotional, and have tremendous difficulting seeing and hoping for a future. Because of this, many of these individuals frequently find themselves in recurrent danger, have trouble managing their own emotions, are so numb that accessing their true emotions is not a possibility, show symptoms of unresolved loss or abandonment, seem to be haunted by past situation or emotions and have trouble moving into a better future.

This class helps the youth to:

• change their thinking about the problems they are facing
• make or organize the changes that need to happen to manage these situations
• recognize the patterns in their behavior or the behaviors of other around them that cause current problems as a result of past experiences
• develop a roadmap for their own recovery from emotional trauma