Say It Straight^tm (SIS) is a research-based education and training program that results in empowering communication skills and behaviors, increased self-awareness, self-efficacy, personal and social responsibility, positive relationships and quality of life; and decreased alienation, risky or destructive behaviors, such as alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, eating disorders, violence, precocious sexual behavior and behaviors leading to HIV/AIDS.

SIS creates opportunities for students and adults to experience their strengths. In this experiential training they discover their own nuggets of gold and how to develop them into behaviors that empower them and others.

Since 1982, it has been successfully implemented with young people and adults in many settings:

●  In schools with 2nd-12th graders with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in urban and rural settings, including the gifted and talented, learning disabled and students with other special needs; with students in detention, on probation or in chemical dependency treatment; with college students.

●  With families, organizations, communities, including high-risk communities and a shelter for the homeless.

●  With adults in treatment for addictions and concomitant psychiatric diagnoses, in aftercare and in prison.

SIS addresses universal human issues- How we treat ourselves, others and life issues.

● The training is co-created by participants who choose situations important in their lives within which they practice their learnings. In this way, SIS transcends cultural and ethnic background, age, gender and organizational settings and roots motivation for  positive change in the participants.

● The training is strength-based, experiential, interactive and integrates cognitive, affective and psychomotor modalities to maximize learning.

Say It Straight Training has been designated as an Evidence Based Program for promotion of Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools, good communication skills, positive relationships, self-awareness, personal and social responsibility; and for prevention of violence, substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors by:

● U.S. Department of Education

● Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

● Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Empowering Communication and Behavior: Within, Between, Among

SIS is designed to respond to difficulties students and adults identify as their greatest challenges in difficult interpersonal situations - at home, at school, at work. They say it is difficult to say what is on their minds and in their hearts in a straightforward way because of fears such as being rejected or not liked, of hurting someone’s feelings, of being embarrassed, of not looking cool, or being held responsible. These fears make it difficult for people to hear their own inner voice of wisdom. Instead, they do their best to take care of themselves by people-pleasing, blaming, bullying, becoming sarcastic, lecturing, splitting away from feelings, spacing out, becoming passive-aggressive, irrelevant, disruptive, etc.

In SIS, students develop skills they report lacking after information-based prevention programs

● How do I say no to a friend?
● How do I say I have quit, to my friends?
● How do I say to a friend, I care about you and I'm scared when I see what you are doing?
● How do I say to my parents, I love you and I'm scared when I see what you are doing?

Adults report similar difficulties with ● family ● friends ● workmates

With family, friends, school, community and beyond, SIS empowers people to:

● Develop & implement empowering behaviors.

● Develop & implement empowering communications.

● Develop resiliency and wellness.

● Prevent high-risk or destructive behaviors.

● Develop high self-esteem.

● Implement constructive decisions.

● Improve quality of life.

● Root diversity in sameness.

● Connect to inner resources & express deepest yearnings.

● Express caring, concern and support to a friend.

● Discover whom they can trust to talk things over.

● Listen to their inner voice of wisdom.

● Develop positive relationships and teamwork.

● Honor themselves, others and life.

Roots and Wings of SIS

The roots are the connections to our resources and deepest yearnings.
The wings are the new behaviors that result from
putting our yearnings into practice.