We are a licensed affiliate of Life Skills International, Inc. founded by the late Dr. Paul Hegstrom and Judy Hegstrom of Aurora CO. Dr. Hegstrom earned a Ph.D. in Pastoral Marriage & Family Therapy; a M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy, a B.S. in Pastoral Counseling, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Evangelical Theological Seminary. He is a member of the AACC, (American Assn. Of Christian Counselors), CAPS, (Christian Assn. of Psychological Studies), NAFC (National Assn. of Forensic Counselors) and is an internationally recognized authority in attitude and behavioral changes. He has authored Angry Men and the Women Who Love Them, and Broken Children/Grown Up Pain.
The short story - Dr. Paul Hegstrom, founder of Life Skills International (LSI), was on a course of self destruction caused by his abusive and reactive behavior, and was taking his wife and children with him. After 16 years of marriage he divorced his wife, abandoned his children, and almost found himself in prison on an attempted murder charge. The Life Skills program came out of Paul’s search for healing and wholeness. He eventually remarried his wife Judy, and has restored to his family for over 30 years. His passion is helping others make sense of their craziness. His story, starring John Ritter, was aired in 1996 on CBS as the Emmy nominated television movie titled, Unforgivable.
The long story - Dr. Paul Hegstrom lived the first forty years of his life not understanding the driving force that caused him to self-destruct again and again. He could not understand why his anger would never subside. He could not communicate or identify his feelings. His anger harmed his family, and nothing was ever resolved. He knew something was wrong, but lived his life in denial. Over $20,000 was spent on counseling where he was given “labels,” however, it never got to the root of his problem. This only added to his anger and frustration. His 16-year marriage to Judy ended because he could not get the help he needed. The violence continued in subsequent relationships and finally, after being involved in a life-threatening situation that could have meant 15-20 years in prison, he asked for help. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
As a result of asking for and receiving help from a pilot program, Paul found some answers for his behavior, but it still wasn’t enough. He began searching for deeper answers. He has spent well over 18,000 hours in research with the goal of developing a curriculum that would offer hope and help to the abuser, the victim, and the families involved in domestic violence. “Learning to Live, Learning to Love” is the result of his research, together with over 36,000 hours spent facilitating groups for the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Dr. Paul & Judy worked together to set up Life Skills International (formerly DVP, Domestic Violence Project), a non-profit domestic violence organization based out of Aurora, Colorado.
As a testimony to the program’s effectiveness, Paul & Judy's second marriage has been free of emotional and physical abuse since its beginning. All three children and their families live violence free lives. They are a part of the healing that is offered to tens of thousands around the world through the Life Skills program. Life Skills has expanded into an international program with over 100 centers across the United States and around the world.
The short story - Dr. Paul Hegstrom, founder of Life Skills International (LSI), was on a course of self destruction caused by his abusive and reactive behavior, and was taking his wife and children with him. After 16 years of marriage he divorced his wife, abandoned his children, and almost found himself in prison on an attempted murder charge. The Life Skills program came out of Paul’s search for healing and wholeness. He eventually remarried his wife Judy, and has restored to his family for over 30 years. His passion is helping others make sense of their craziness. His story, starring John Ritter, was aired in 1996 on CBS as the Emmy nominated television movie titled, Unforgivable.
The long story - Dr. Paul Hegstrom lived the first forty years of his life not understanding the driving force that caused him to self-destruct again and again. He could not understand why his anger would never subside. He could not communicate or identify his feelings. His anger harmed his family, and nothing was ever resolved. He knew something was wrong, but lived his life in denial. Over $20,000 was spent on counseling where he was given “labels,” however, it never got to the root of his problem. This only added to his anger and frustration. His 16-year marriage to Judy ended because he could not get the help he needed. The violence continued in subsequent relationships and finally, after being involved in a life-threatening situation that could have meant 15-20 years in prison, he asked for help. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
As a result of asking for and receiving help from a pilot program, Paul found some answers for his behavior, but it still wasn’t enough. He began searching for deeper answers. He has spent well over 18,000 hours in research with the goal of developing a curriculum that would offer hope and help to the abuser, the victim, and the families involved in domestic violence. “Learning to Live, Learning to Love” is the result of his research, together with over 36,000 hours spent facilitating groups for the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Dr. Paul & Judy worked together to set up Life Skills International (formerly DVP, Domestic Violence Project), a non-profit domestic violence organization based out of Aurora, Colorado.
As a testimony to the program’s effectiveness, Paul & Judy's second marriage has been free of emotional and physical abuse since its beginning. All three children and their families live violence free lives. They are a part of the healing that is offered to tens of thousands around the world through the Life Skills program. Life Skills has expanded into an international program with over 100 centers across the United States and around the world.