La Amistad Foundation Inc.

Fitness class is tailored to the individuals’ needs in a group setting. Participation helps control weight, improve mood, boost energy and promote better sleep. The class encourages a sense of play while developing and maintaining athletic ability, which helps with balance and coordination.

Like Skills therapy group focuses on topics that enhance the activities of daily living of Lakewood residents. The aim of each group session is to help residents develop cognitive skills, analytical capacities, and interpersonal skills needed to improve their relationships and communication. Participants are encouraged to share personal struggles and weekly challenges, and to express thoughts freely. They also adhere to group norms that they participate in developing and monitoring during group sessions.

Personal Growth and Coping Skills therapy groups provide the residents the opportunity to process their thoughts, feelings, behaviors and reactions to situations as well as learn more effective ways to cope with them. These groups incorporate the techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy, social skills training and role-playing with the aim of increasing residents' awareness of distorted beliefs, objective evaluation of the reality of those beliefs, and an understanding of how their lives and relationships with others are impacted by this.

Stress Management therapy group utilizes a cognitive and behavioral theoretical approach to teach coping skills. The group provides opportunity for discussion and utilizes exercises and handouts aimed at helping residents develop skills to manage anger, frustration and stress. Each week, residents are asked to rate their stress from 1-10 using the Subjective Unit of Distress (SUD) Scale. They are then asked to describe their stress, what skills they use to better manage it and how effective they were in reducing their stress. Each group concludes with a mindfulness, relaxation or breathing exercise and re-administration of the SUD scale.

Music Appreciation offers the residents exposure to a variety of music via the audio presentation of music along with related lecture and discussion. Cultural and ethnic influences as well as the era in which the music being presented originated are considered. Knowledge and awareness of general musical styles and genres will be cultivated in this class. In order to more fully appreciate the individual and universal/interpersonal effects of music in the world, residents are encouraged to consider and share their personal thoughts, feelings and experiences as they relate to the subject of the music being presented.

The primary goal of the Work Program is to involve residents in meaningful employment on or off the Lakewood campus. Being productive and feeling useful enhances the residents' self-esteem and sense of self worth. Participation is voluntary, but encouraged. Residents have opportunities to work in various jobs at Lakewood, to earn a paycheck, and to contribute to their community. For some residents, the work program is a stepping stone to prepare them for return to mainstream life outside our campus.

Job Club is part of the Work Program that focuses on teaching skills necessary for the resident to successfully do his/her job. It is open to all residents, not just those currently working. Job Club offers the opportunity to learn about employment skills and steps to take to reach one's goal of working. Another aspect of the Work Program is teaching the personal benefits of volunteerism. Lakewood gives residents volunteer opportunities on campus and sponsors community projects that match their talents and interests.

Take Charge group is designed to reinforce positive cognitive messages that enhance self-confidence and self-esteem. With the “wisdom of the group”, daily issues are identified and problems are solved together. Feelings are processed and group members discuss concrete solutions to common problems. Emotions and behaviors are verbalized in an effort to increase self-awareness and gain a perspective to understand how to control various challenges in life.