In-Cell Study

The New Freedom cell-study program is a workbook-based cognitive change program. The initial phase can also serve as a basic "stand-alone" program. Based on two comprehensive manuals, it provides inmates with an understanding of the thoughts and feelings which have contributed to their addictions, dependencies, and other behavioral problems. Designed to carefully strip away defensiveness, these materials guide the inmate to identify his own areas of vulnerability, risk factors for relapse, and multiple dependencies. Finally, the workbooks provide the opportunity to learn and practice a set of critical coping skills designed to help address issues while incarcerated as well as post-release relapse prevention. This program includes a gender-specific comprehensive substance abuse treatment curriculum.

Beyond the basic programs, New Freedom resources for cell-study address additional aspects of cognitive change, teach additional coping skills for relapse prevention, and develop a detailed written personal post-release plan. They are supplemented by a series of short workbooks, "Returning Home," which provide preparation for community reintegration.

Written at a Grade 5 reading level, these workbooks are supplemented by a counselor's template which identifies selected pages for quick review. The counselor can turn to those pages to assess understanding, insight, and progress. These materials are provided under a site license, a one-time cost, which allows unlimited duplication within a facility. A Spanish language version of this program is also available.

A typical extended in-cell program lasts seven months, and includes a day-by-day breakdown of materials for easy use by program staff or counselors.

Core Programs

Our core programs introduce the basic concepts of self-discovery. Participants learn about, and identify, their own weaknesses and vulnerabilities, areas of past failure in coping, relapse triggers and risk factors, and their lack of effective coping skills. In the process, inmates are guided to accept responsibility for making changes today. The workbooks then guide the inmates to examine their past patterns of addiction and dependency. As they develop understanding of the chronic nature of their problems, they draw lessons from past patterns of lapses and relapse. Finally, they are guided to identify specific steps they can take as they become aware of high risk situations, and practice specific coping responses to a variety of potential problem situations. Counselors, if available, can quickly evaluate the inmate's understanding and skill mastery.

Beyond the basic program, New Freedom resources for cell-study address additional aspects of cognitive change, teach additional coping skills for relapse prevention, and develop a detailed written personal post-release plan. They are supplemented by a series of short workbooks, "Returning Home," which provide preparation for community reintegration.

Workbook Packages

With over 300 workbooks and other resources (grade 4-6 reading level), we support longer programs, and specialize in tailoring programs to your needs.


In-cell Basic Core Program A	Workbooks SDB1 and SDB2, over 100 pages of resources
In-cell Basic Core Program B	Eleven (11) workbook "general issues" program, addressing a range of behavioral health issues.
Violence, aggression, and anger	Nine (9) workbooks in this program
Substance abuse treatment program	Ten (10) workbooks in this program
Men's program package	Eight (8) workbooks
Women's program	Generally targeted toward specific issues
Behavioral health and dual diagnosis	Many issues available: anger, anxiety, depression, abuse, sleep disorders, etc.
Custom Program Packages	25+ hour program - 2 hours a week for 3 months.

Recommended Materials for in-cell programs

Materials draw on our wide range of program content.

Preparation for Treatment

Introduction to treatment, reducing resistance, starting the process of self-disclosure. Materials draw on our Preparation for Treatment curriculum, with much of the material customized specifically for in-cell study programs.


ICD	What's treatment all about?	Short workbook explains the treatment process and expectations.	1
Pre1	What am I doing here?	Introductory workbook helps identify feelings, behavioral and substance abuse treatment issues and risk factors. Reduces resistance, and begins the process of personal awareness and change. Based on motivational enhancement (MET model), guides clients from pre-contemplation to contemplation of change.	1*
SD1	Introduction to Self-Discovery	Short introductory workbook for use with individuals or groups. Starts the process of identifying and addressing substance abuse and similar problem behaviors.	3

Self-Discovery

Introduction to treatment, reducing resistance, and identifying underlying areas of vulnerability. Starts the process of identifying and addressing issues underlying substance abuse and similar dependencies. Materials draw on our Self-Discovery curriculum.


SD2	"What Went Wrong?"	This workbook identifies and addresses underlying issues and areas of vulnerability - critical to the process of personal change and long-term recovery.	5*
SD3	Stress and Trauma	Introduces areas of trauma/ PTSD issues. Links client trauma and dependencies and identifies steps toward cognitive change.	5
SD4	Facing Your Grief	Identifies grief and loss issues, as well as steps toward managing grief.	4
SD5b	Understanding Your Behavior	Examines problem behaviors, including addictions and multiple dependencies and explains chronic nature of dependencies. Addresses denial issues.	7*
SD6	Reasons to change	Addresses denial, resistance, other defenses. Raises awareness of consequences of own behavior for self and others (including criminal thinking and victim empathy). Builds motivation to make personal changes.	6*

Understanding Your Feelings

Materials drawn from our Understanding Your Feelings curriculum.


F2	Anger	Identifies client anger symptoms, issues, and triggers, links anger to dependencies. Topics include repressed anger and passive-aggressive behavior.	4*
F3	Anxiety and Fear	Identifies client anxiety symptoms, issues, stressors, and triggers. Topics include fears, phobias, and unnecessary worries.	4*
F5	Shame (includes self-esteem)	Identifies client shame and low self-esteem issues, including symptoms and sources of shame. Identifies steps to making changes.	5*

Identifying and Changing your Stinking Thinking

Cognitive restructuring based on identifying and addressing specific areas of "stinking thinking" (cognitive distortions). More information about this program is available here.


ST6	Stinking thinking (#6)	Four lessons targeting specific areas of cognitive distortion (criminal thinking or "stinking thinking").	4
ST5	Positive self-talk: replacing negativity with positive thinking	Practical workbook for addressing negative thinking.	5

Finding Your Direction

Designed for use in the middle portions of recovery programming, provides support in preparation for cognitive and behavioral change, personal growth, and building motivation for lifestyle changes. Concepts include denial, self-inventories, multiple dependencies, controlling, and trust. More information about this program is available here.


FD2	Facing your dependencies	Helps clients identify additional dependency issues and identifies possible risks of replacing one dependency with another.	5
FD3	Control!	Identifies and addresses range of controlling behaviors and control issues and links controlling with dependencies. Topics include need to control feelings and controlling of others.	6
FD4	Coping with uncomfortable feelings	Addresses typical denial issues in the recovery process. Review of triggers and feelings.	5
FD5	Becoming realistic and honest with yourself	Addresses denial issues, increases self-awareness, and addresses issues of continuing vulnerability.	5*
FD6	Learning to trust (trusting yourself and others)	Identifies and addresses basic issues of trust: (1) low trust of others (including issues of past hurt or abuse); (2) low trust of self; (3) being unworthy of trust; (4) being overly trusting.	5

Becoming a Stronger Person

Guides development of a new outlook by providing support in keeping life in balance, developing the strength to act appropriately, and developing a positive outlook for long-term recovery. More information about this program is available here.


SP1	Readinness for Change	Addresses issues of self-discipline, and denial. Good review of progress in recovery. Provides motivation for making more changes.	6*
SP2	Getting it "right" this time	Addresses issues of taking responsibility and provides continued self-inventory.	5*
SP3	Learning how to keep life in balance	Workbook guides clients to: (1) evaluate cues that they are out of balance; (2) develop a balance of activities and friendships; (3) identify specific ways to keep today in balance; (4) change the balance from dependence to independence.	7
SP4	A new outlook: seeking happiness and contentment	Encourages clients to view recovery as more than a "negative" process. Increases confidence and motivation for recovery.	7
SP5	Insights to spirituality	Introduction to spirituality and spiritual development. Very appropriate for use in treatment programs, correctional, and recovery settings. Appendix includes prayers and inspirational materials from Christian (Protestant and Catholic), Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Native American sources.	4

Coping Skills

Behavioral change, relaxation training and other coping skills. Develops a comprehensive set of new behaviors and skills. The goal is development of "self-efficacy." More information about this program is available here.


CS2	Coping skills, set 1: techniques for use when you are at greatest risk	Provides guidance and practice in mastery of seven emergency skills - to address areas of temptation to relapse (or to act out anger, etc.). Guides the development of personal action plan for use of immediate measures at highest risk situations.	7*
CS4	Coping skills, set 3: techniques for handling uncomfortable feelings and thoughts	Provides guidance in mastery of thirteen coping skills important for relapse prevention.	7*
CS9	Managing your stress	Basic stress management workbook, including self-examination, symptoms awareness, identification of triggers, underlying stressors and lifestyle issues, evaluation of past coping, and introduction to several key coping skills.	6*

Putting It All Together

Development of life and lifestyle plan; supportive maintenance, practice in planning - and evaluating personal lifestyle changes or plans. More information about this program is available here.


PT1	Managing your life: It starts with the basics of goal setting	Develops motivation and a positive outlook for the future by identifying hopes and dreams, then developing action plans to effect desired change.	9
RH11/AM1	Handling tough situations	An Action Maze Workbook — provides participants with decision making opportunities dealing with common temptations and problems (people, places, things, situations, and their own thoughts).	4*
RH13	Red flags	Short workbook helps participants identify and plan to address the symptoms and cues that they are moving closer to their highest risk situations. This is a key step toward self-efficacy.	5*
GG13	Program Issues	Respect	3
GG13	Program Issues	How to identify your real friends	1

Workbooks for Men

Gender-specific programming for men. More information about this program is available here.


M2	Healthy relationships and healthy boundaries	Participants will identify: family-of-origin boundary issues, personal warning signs that boundaries need to be set; personal experiences and effects of physical, emotional, sexual and verbal abuse, and drug/alcohol use as a result of boundary violations. Additionally, client will identify areas where difficulties have recently been experienced in setting boundaries and develop an action plan to start setting boundaries for specific personal problem situations. Clients will practice assertion messages to be used in setting boundaries for current issues and use practice scenarios for setting boundaries.	6*
M6	Avoiding your old family traps	Family neglect, abandonment, abuse, or addiction often lead to the development of dysfunctional behaviors. In many cases, these even become family "roles." This workbook identifies some of these old family roles and "traps" and provides options.	6

Anger, Aggression, and Violence

More information about this program is available here.


GG7	Understanding yourself #1	This is the "risk factors" approach to aggression and violence. It provides an alternative approach to violence issues and behavior, addressing community and family risk factors for violence. For clients, the objective is to begin by increasing awareness. Then, clients can admit that they have these risk factors and acknowledge that these risks and temptations will be out there, waiting, upon release. "If you plan for them, and develop options for how you will handle them better, you stand a good chance."	8
GG8	Understanding Yourself #2	This is the "risk factors" approach to passive-aggressive behavior, which can often lead to violence and other problems. It provides an alternative approach to violence, addressing community and family risk factors for this passive-aggressive behavior. For clients, the objective is to begin by increasing awareness. Then, clients can admit that they have these risk factors and acknowledge that these risks and temptations will be out there, waiting, upon release. "If you plan for them, and develop options for how you will handle them better, you stand a good chance."	5*
GG4	Living a non-violent life #1	This workbook provides the opportunity for clients to identify their triggers and highest personal risk factors for violence and to develop strategies to avoid these issues or to cope more effectively in the future.	12*
GG5	Living a non-violent life # 2	This workbook provides a more focused opportunity for clients to identify their highest risk factors for violence (the people, places, things, times, and situations where they are at highest risk). It guides the development of "environmental control" strategies to avoid these issues and situations - and helps clients explore their options.	7*

Please ask us about our small group activity resources and closed-circuit TV lessons and scripts.