Thinking for a Change

1. Introduction

Version followed: Thinking for a Change (T4C) 5.0 (National Institute of Corrections; revision authored by Reginald Prince and Archie Weatherspoon IV) for the structure, lesson order, dosage and implementation rules. Step-by-step lesson procedures come from the publicly archived T4C 3.1 lesson plans (Bush, Glick and Taymans, NIC). Their numbering for Lessons 1–11 and 16–19 matches 4.0 and 5.0. The full 5.0 lesson scripts are released only after NIC facilitator training, so they are not drawn on here. Where 5.0 differs from 3.1 or 4.0, this guide says so.

T4C is a manualised, closed-group cognitive-behavioural intervention (CBI) for justice-involved adults and youth. It is delivered in prisons, jails, probation, parole and community corrections, usually by trained corrections staff rather than therapists. It is a group programme, not an individual therapy. Anyone using it one-to-one is adapting it, and this guide marks that as [synthesis]. [source: NIC programme page; T4C 4.0 overview page]

Core idea of change: thinking controls behaviour. Participants learn three integrated skill sets:

Cognitive self-change: notice your thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs, recognise which ones carry risk of hurting someone or breaking a rule, and replace them with new thinking.
Social skills: prosocial ways of dealing with other people.
Problem solving: a step-by-step routine that combines the other two for stressful real-life situations.

The programme's iceberg analogy captures the theory. Visible behaviour is the tip, and the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs that drive it lie hidden below the surface. Change comes from repeated, observed practice (modelling, role-play, feedback, homework) until the new thinking and skills transfer to daily life. The aim is internal control: managing your own thoughts and feelings. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 1; T4C 5.0 introductory page]

2. Framework

Format (5.0) [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; NIC programme page]

Lessons and sessions: 25 sequential lessons over about 30 sessions. Many lessons take two sessions.
Frequency: 2–3 sessions a week; twice a week is described as optimal.
Session length: the 5.0 introductory page recommends about 2.5 hours, but the NIC programme page says 2 hours [uncertain: the two sources differ]. Version 4.0 described sessions of 1–2 hours delivered 1–3 times a week [source: T4C 4.0 overview].
Dosage: about 75 hours in person. Virtual delivery runs 90–100 hours, because it adds asynchronous online dosage modules of about one hour per lesson. Earlier versions totalled 50+ hours.
Group: 8–12 members in person, 8–10 virtual. Two trained facilitators; men and women co-facilitating is supported. Untrained assistants may run A/V and charts, help manage the group, and co-act in models.
Facilitator training: at least 32 hours of formal training before access to the materials. Facilitators are expected to prepare for at least 60 minutes per lesson.
Closed group: in 5.0, no new members after Lesson 4. Version 4.0 suggested Lesson 5 as the cut-off.
Sex mix: NIC strongly recommends against co-ed groups, citing trauma, power dynamics and distraction.
Languages and delivery: a virtual version and a full Spanish version are available.

Before Lesson 1 [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 3.1 Lesson 1]

Select medium- to high-risk people identified by a validated risk assessment.
Hold a 5–10 minute individual pre-interview with each member. Use it to set realistic expectations, review the ground rules and build rapport.
Assess literacy needs.
Give the 5.0 pre-test, which covers social skills, emotional self-regulation and problem solving.

Sequence and goals. In the 5.0 materials the components are colour-coded: social skills red, cognitive self-change blue, problem solving green.

Block	Lessons (5.0 titles)	Goal
Orientation	1 Introduction to T4C 5.0	Introduce the three components, group rules and expectations, and the program organizer
Social skills I	2 Active Listening; 3 Asking Questions; 4 Giving Feedback; 5 Knowing Your Feelings	Basic interpersonal and self-awareness skills used throughout the programme
Cognitive self-change	6 Thinking Controls Our Behavior; 7 Pay Attention to Our Thinking; 8 Recognizing Risk; 9 Use New Thinking; 10 Thinking Check-In	Learn and practise the three steps of cognitive self-change with personal thinking reports
Social skills II	11 Understanding the Feelings of Others; 12 Responding to the Feelings of Others; 13 Responding to an Accusation; 14 Responding to Anger; 15 Negotiating	Skills for high-conflict interactions. In 4.0, Lessons 12–13 were Making a Complaint and Apologizing
Problem solving	16 Introduction to Problem-Solving; 17 Stop and Think; 18 State the Problem; 19 Set a Goal and Gather Information; 20 Practice Problem-Solving Skills 1–3; 21 Think of Choices and Outcomes; 22 Make a Plan; 23 Do and Evaluate; 24 Problem Solving Application	A step-by-step routine that combines the other two components. In 4.0, Lesson 21 was Thinking of Choices and Consequences
Closing	25 Celebration and Transition (4.0: Next Steps)	Consolidate learning and plan for transition
Aftercare	T4C 5.0 Program Check-In	Open-ended group, at least weekly and up to three times a week, where completers apply skills to current real problems

[source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 4.0 overview page; Georgia CJCC handout list]

Standard lesson anatomy (5.0). Each lesson has three parts [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]:

Lesson Overview: rationale, key concepts, objectives, activity outline, supplements, preparation notes, facilitator tips and an audio companion.
Lesson Script: a "what to do" column of delivery notes and a "what to say" column of script.
Supplements: model scripts, skill cards, handouts, charts and practice work.

Typical session flow (3.1 lesson plans) [source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 4, 9, 18, 19]:

Homework review.
Recap of earlier skills.
Overview and concept teaching.
Facilitator modelling.
Discussion of the model.
Each member identifies a real situation.
Role-play and structured feedback, repeated until every member has had a turn.
Homework assignment.
Wrap-up.

Criteria for moving on

Never start a new lesson until every member has practised the current skill. Every member must contribute to each lesson, including practice-work reports and role-plays ("Tryouts" in 5.0). [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Homework is treated as essential to transfer. [source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 9, 18]
Fidelity is monitored with the 5.0 Fidelity Tool, a frequency-based Likert scale that rates whether required elements are present, not how well they are done. Outcomes are tracked with the Evaluation Protocol and the pre/post-test. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
No mastery threshold for individual members is stated in the sources. Successful-completion rules (for example, attendance and homework minimums) are set locally by agencies [uncertain: a state completion policy exists but is not drawn on here].

3. Guiding principles

[source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 1, 4, 9, 18, 19 and Appendix A; T4C 5.0 introductory page; [synthesis] where marked]

Thinking controls behaviour. In every exercise, link the visible action back to the thought, attitude or belief that preceded it.
Integration. Explicitly connect cognitive self-change, social skills and problem solving. For example, a problem statement works as a "mini" thinking report.
Fidelity: stick to the script. Deliver the lesson plan as written, especially while you are new. Adapt the examples to the population, never the core skill steps.
Objectivity and non-judgement. Reports describe what happened and what was thought, without labelling it good or bad. No one tells another member how to think.
The member is the final authority on their own new thinking. Record only the suggestions the member finds realistic and practical.
Choose thinking, not feelings. Thinking can be chosen directly, and feelings change indirectly through it. Don't ask members to choose different feelings.
Realistic, not unrealistically positive. New thinking only has to reduce risk and let the person feel okay about themselves. Don't push for upbeat answers.
Everyone practises every lesson. Each member reports and role-plays. Build in enough sessions for this.
Practise before moving on. No new lesson until members have practised the current skill.
Specificity. Push for concrete detail: who, where, when, what was said and done.
Transfer to real life. Role-play the situation each member expects to face before the next session. That situation becomes the homework.
Skills are sequences of steps. Teach thinking steps (silent self-talk) and action steps (observable behaviour) separately. During role-play, actors point to their heads and voice the thinking steps aloud.
Feedback is about the steps, not the acting. Observers report evidence that each step was performed.
Empowerment and positive reinforcement. The programme adds tools to members' "pockets" rather than taking any away. Reinforce effort and participation often.
Responsibility and internal control. Problem statements begin with "I", which keeps the focus on what the member can control.
Risk targeting. Enrol medium- to high-risk people identified by validated assessment. The link to the risk-need-responsivity model is [synthesis].
Safety and norms. Confidentiality is subject to mandatory reporting. Members respect what others share, take turns, and must not be aggressive or violent.
Trauma-aware delivery. 5.0 removed potentially triggering language, and NIC recommends single-sex groups.
Preparation and coaching of facilitators. Prepare at least 60 minutes per lesson and rehearse every model with your co-facilitator. Supervisors pair fidelity observations with strength-based coaching.

4. Intervention inventory

The inventory follows the lesson order. The exact 5.0 skill steps, model scripts, videos and skill cards are released only to trained facilitators and are not drawn on here. Where a lesson's steps were not available, the entry gives the standard T4C delivery procedure and says the steps were not reviewed, rather than inventing them. Example language is illustrative throughout.

4.1 Pre-group screening interview

Purpose: check fit, set expectations and build rapport before Lesson 1. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 1; T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Steps:
1. Confirm the person scores medium or high on a validated risk assessment.
2. Meet them individually for 5–10 minutes.
3. Explain the purpose, schedule, homework and the attendance expectation.
4. Review the ground rules, including the limits of confidentiality.
5. Assess literacy and any accommodations needed.
6. Give the 5.0 pre-test where it is used.
Example language (illustrative): "This group is about learning ways to stay in charge of your own life. You'll practise skills every session and try them out between sessions. What do you hope to get out of it?"
Watch for: literacy barriers, acute crisis, and active hostility toward a likely co-member. Accommodations and referral decisions are [synthesis].

4.2 Group rules and norms

Purpose: create safety and set expectations. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 1; T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Steps:
1. Present the core rules: participate actively and honestly, come prepared with homework done, attend every session, be respectful.
2. Add the 5.0 norms: confidentiality subject to mandatory reporting, respect for what others share, taking turns, no aggression or violence.
3. Add any agency-specific rules.
4. Get each member's agreement.
5. Keep the rules chart posted in every session.
Example language (illustrative): "What's said here stays here, with one exception: if someone is at risk of being hurt, I have to report it. Can everyone agree to these rules?"
Watch for: members who agree on paper but test the rules early. Refer back to the posted chart rather than debating it.

4.3 Lesson 1 orientation activities

[source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 1]

Purpose: introduce the core idea and the three components, and motivate members.
Steps:
1. Introductions. Facilitators introduce themselves and each member by name and home town (not the facility).
2. Pocket analogy. Acknowledge that fighting may have been a survival skill. Show a fist, then turn out empty pockets: the programme adds tools, so members have more choices. Stress that members can succeed.
3. Course outcomes. Explain the thinking → feelings → action link and name the three components.
4. Three rehearsed skits.
  - Cognitive self-change: an angry conflict in which a small object is broken, then replayed with facilitators pointing to their heads and voicing their private thoughts and feelings.
  - Social skills: a rude request that is refused. The group suggests better ways, and the request is replayed successfully. Don't name the skill steps yet.
  - Problem solving: a demanding boss. The group brainstorms options, picks a socially acceptable one, and it is acted out.
5. Iceberg analogy. Visible actions are the tip; thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs are below the surface. Link the analogy to the skits.
6. Program organizer. Ask how members currently organise their lives, present the organizer, and chart their observations for later lessons.
7. Wrap-up. Summarise and announce the next session.
Example language (illustrative): "In that first scene you saw what we did. In the replay you heard what was going on in our heads. Which part made the bigger difference?"
Watch for: members drawn into the conflict skit. Keep skits brief, realistic and light, and rehearse them in advance.

4.4 Core social-skills teaching procedure (used for every social skill)

[source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 4]

Purpose: teach a prosocial skill as a fixed sequence of steps and transfer it to a real situation.
Steps:
1. Homework review. Each member briefly reports when, where and with whom they practised, what they did at each step, and one other situation where they could use the skill.
2. Skill overview. Ask what the skill means to members, then give the definition and the steps.
  - Explain thinking steps (silent self-talk; point to your head) versus action steps (observable behaviour).
  - Members read the steps aloud and label each one as thinking or action.
  - Hand out pocket skill cards.
3. Model. Two facilitators demonstrate every step exactly as written, saying the thinking steps aloud while pointing to their heads.
  - Use a scenario that fits the setting: institution, probation or parole, or youth.
  - 5.0 provides required model scripts and videos [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page].
4. Discuss the model. Go step by step: "Did we do step 1? What did you see or hear that tells you so?"
5. Identify a real-life situation. Each member names a situation likely to happen before the next session: who, when, where. Push for detail.
6. Role-play.
  - A volunteer is the main actor and chooses a co-actor who resembles the real person.
  - The facilitator sets the scene (place, furniture, standing or sitting) and gives the main actor the skill card.
  - The co-actor gets brief background but should not over-dramatise.
  - Assign each observer one step to watch.
  - Run it for 1–2 minutes. If a step is skipped, stop, coach that step, and restart.
7. Feedback, in this order:
  - The co-actor says how the role felt.
  - Each observer reports the specific behaviour or voiced self-talk for their assigned step.
  - The main actor rates their own step-following.
  - The group and co-facilitator add comments.
  - The facilitator gives positive reinforcement that confirms the steps were followed in order.
8. Repeat. Continue until every member has been the main actor in their own situation.
9. Homework. Members fill in the homework sheet (skill, situation, steps) for the role-played situation, practise in real life, then complete the report section.
10. Wrap-up. Preview the next skill.
Example language (illustrative): "Marcus, you're watching step 3. Tell us exactly what Dee said to herself when she was choosing how to say it." "Your job isn't to act well. It's to show each step."
Watch for / working when: observers can cite specific evidence for each step; actors voice their thinking steps unprompted; homework reports name a real time, place and person. Vague reports such as "he did step one" mean the procedure needs tightening.

4.5 Lesson 2: Active Listening

Purpose: attend to and understand the speaker. This is the base skill for every later exchange.
Steps: delivered with the core procedure (4.4). The specific skill steps are [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Who's someone you'll need to really listen to before Thursday?"
Watch for: members fake-attending (nodding while planning a reply). Observers should cite concrete evidence of attending.

4.6 Lesson 3: Asking Questions

Purpose: get information or help in a way that is likely to work. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 4 recap]
Steps (paraphrased from 3.1):
1. Decide what you want to know.
2. Decide whom to ask.
3. Think of different ways to ask and pick one.
4. Pick the right time and place.
5. Ask. The first four are thinking steps and the last is an action step. 5.0 revised some skill steps, so the current wording may differ [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Step 4, out loud: is right now, in front of the whole unit, the right time to ask the officer?"
Watch for: members jumping straight to step 5. Have them voice steps 1–4 first.

4.7 Lesson 4: Giving Feedback

Purpose: share honest, objective information about someone's behaviour, thoughts or feelings in a way that doesn't threaten them. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 4]
Steps (paraphrased from 3.1):
1. Decide whether you want to give objective information about the person's behaviour, thoughts or feelings (thinking).
2. Decide what kind of information to give (thinking).
3. Think of different ways to give it and pick one (thinking).
4. Pick the right time and place (thinking).
5. Give the information objectively (action).
Model scenarios in 3.1: a cellmate asking advice about a vocational programme; a friend pressuring the speaker into a supervision violation; a peer who keeps interrupting.
Example language (illustrative): "When you cut in while I'm talking, I lose my place. I'd like to finish first."
Watch for: feedback that slides into insults or judgements of character. Steer it back to observable behaviour. This skill is also used later within the group itself.

4.8 Lesson 5: Knowing Your Feelings

Purpose: recognise and name your own feelings. This prepares members for thinking reports and for the warning signs used in problem solving.
Steps: delivered with the core procedure. The specific steps are [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Where in your body did you notice it first, and what would you call that feeling?"
Watch for: members with a limited feelings vocabulary, or who answer only "angry" or "fine". Offering a feelings list is [synthesis].

4.9 Lessons 11–15: second social-skills block

Purpose: skills for emotionally charged and conflictual interactions.
- 5.0 lessons: 11 Understanding the Feelings of Others, 12 Responding to the Feelings of Others, 13 Responding to an Accusation, 14 Responding to Anger, 15 Negotiating.
- 4.0 used Making a Complaint and Apologizing for Lessons 12–13.
- [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 4.0 overview; Georgia CJCC handout list]
Steps: each skill is taught with the core procedure (4.4): define, model with thinking steps voiced, have every member role-play an upcoming real situation, give structured feedback, assign homework. The individual skill steps are [uncertain]. 5.0 states that some skills were replaced and their steps revised.
Example language (illustrative): for Responding to Anger: "Pick someone who's likely to be angry at you this week. Set the scene for us."
Watch for: role-plays escalating into real conflict. Keep them 1–2 minutes, keep the co-actor focused on the skill rather than the drama, and stop and coach if a step is skipped. In 3.1, an appendix titled "Fifty Social Skills that Can be Used in Aftercare Lessons" offers further skills for aftercare (seen by title only) [uncertain].

4.10 Lesson 6: Thinking Controls Our Behavior (sample thinking reports)

Purpose: establish the core premise and introduce the thinking report using sample characters. 3.1 and 4.0 used "Pat" and "Jim"; 5.0 materials may differ. [source: Georgia CJCC handout list; T4C 3.1 Lesson 9]
Steps: a step-by-step plan for Lesson 6 is [uncertain]. From the materials that follow it, Lesson 6:
1. Presents the three steps of cognitive self-change on a pocket skill card.
2. Walks through a sample character's thinking report to show how hidden thoughts and beliefs led to a hurtful act.
Example language (illustrative): "Before Jim did anything, what was going through his head?"
Watch for: members who argue the character's behaviour was justified. Bring them back to describing the thinking objectively, without judging it.

4.11 The thinking report (core tool, Lessons 7–10 and aftercare)

Purpose: an objective, structured record of the inner events that came before a behaviour. It is the main vehicle for cognitive self-change. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 9 and Appendix A]
Steps:
1. Situation. A brief, factual description of what happened, who was involved, and what was said and done.
2. Thoughts. List the thoughts the member had at the time, as they occurred.
3. Feelings. List the feelings.
4. Attitudes and beliefs. List the personal rules, principles, values or opinions behind the thoughts.
5. Present it. The member reads the report aloud without commentary or justification. The facilitator coaches for clarity and objectivity and charts brief notes for each part.
Example language (illustrative): "Just the facts of what happened first. Then the thoughts word for word, the way they ran through your head."
Watch for: excuses or after-the-fact reasoning dressed up as thoughts. The focus is the thinking before the behaviour.
Working when: the member can report thoughts in first person, present tense, without defending them.

4.12 Lesson 7: Pay Attention to Our Thinking (Step 1)

Purpose: learn to observe your own thoughts and feelings without judgement. [source: T4C 3.1 Appendix A; Lesson 9 recap]
Steps:
1. Members complete thinking reports on real situations in which they broke a rule or hurt someone.
2. Each member reads their report aloud.
3. The facilitator coaches objective, non-judgemental reporting.
4. Each member's thinking report is charted. Lesson-specific activities are [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "You don't have to agree with the thought now. Just tell us what it was."
Watch for: members who can't recall any thoughts ("I just snapped"). Slow the event down frame by frame [synthesis].

4.13 Lesson 8: Recognizing Risk (Step 2)

Purpose: identify which thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs lead toward hurtful or rule-breaking behaviour. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 9 and Appendix A]
Steps:
1. On the charted report, the member identifies and circles the thoughts, feelings and attitudes or beliefs that created risk.
2. The member marks the one that most directly led to the behaviour or made the problem worse.
3. The facilitator asks why each item was circled and how it worked in the member's mind.
Example language (illustrative): "Of everything on this chart, which thought pushed you closest to swinging?"
Watch for: members circling everything, or nothing. Ask which single item, if changed, would most likely have changed the outcome [synthesis].

4.14 Lesson 9: Use New Thinking (Step 3)

[source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 9]

Purpose: find alternative thoughts, attitudes and beliefs that reduce risk and that the member can actually adopt.
Steps:
1. Homework review. Each member gives a brief situation summary and reads their thinking report without commentary. Ask why each item was circled.
2. Recap the three steps.
3. Practise on the sample report. Remind the group: no judging, and no telling others how to think. Explain that thinking can be chosen, while feelings change indirectly.
4. Brainstorm new thoughts. Starting with the highest-risk circled thought, generate as many alternatives as possible without evaluating them, and chart them all.
5. Brainstorm new attitudes and beliefs the same way. Don't brainstorm feelings, but note that new thinking can bring new feelings.
6. Test the new thinking. Cross out anything that could still lead to rule-breaking or that isn't realistic. Circle the most practical, least risky options. Ask whether the member would feel okay about themselves thinking this way, and whether they can imagine actually thinking it. New attitudes should fit with the new thoughts.
7. Facilitators model. One plays the sample character: he voices the risky thinking up to the key thought, switches to the new thoughts and attitude, then responds. Debrief how it turned out and how he would feel about himself.
8. Members' own reports.
  - The member reads the full report and explains how each circled item worked.
  - The group brainstorms new thoughts and attitudes on fresh charts. Only what the member accepts as realistic is recorded.
  - Check whether the new thinking could change the behaviour and whether the member could feel good about it.
9. Role-play. Recreate the situation. The main actor voices the risky thinking (pointing to their head) up to the key thought, switches to the new thinking and attitude, and acts accordingly. Keep the physical action minimal. Debrief the co-actor's experience and the links between thinking, feelings and actions.
10. Repeat for every member.
11. Wrap-up. Members define the three steps. Revisit the program organizer.
12. Homework. Watch for situations involving tension, stress or conflict, complete a thinking report on each, and circle the risk items.
Example language (illustrative): "Let's get every possible new thought up here, even ones you'd never use. We'll sort them after." "If you thought 'He's not worth a violation,' how would you feel about yourself tomorrow?"
Watch for: sanitised or slogan-like new thoughts the member doesn't believe. The member has the final say. Several attitudes may need to shift before the member feels good about themselves.

4.15 Lesson 10: Thinking Check-In

Purpose: a compact, ongoing application of all three steps to a current situation. It is also the core of cognitive self-change aftercare. [source: T4C 3.1 Appendix A; lesson title from T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Steps (four parts):
1. A brief, factual description of the situation.
2. The thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs at the time.
3. The risk: which item most directly leads to hurtful behaviour or makes the problem worse.
4. New thinking that could reduce the risk. Chart brief notes for each part, circle the riskiest items, and make sure at least one solid new thought and one new attitude or belief are recorded. Then role-play the situation, substituting the new thinking at the circled point.
Example language (illustrative): "Give me the check-in in four parts: what happened, what was in your head, where the risk was, and what you could think instead."
Watch for: check-ins that turn into storytelling. Test the new thinking: would it lead away from hurting someone, how would you feel thinking it, and what would you do?

4.16 Cognitive self-change aftercare lesson (3.1 Appendix A)

[source: T4C 3.1 Appendix A]

Purpose: keep practising the three steps on real-life situations after the core programme.
Steps:
1. Homework review. Brief oral reports, with the review adjusted to whether the homework was a social skill, a problem-solving skill or a thinking check-in.
2. Check-ins. Each member gives a thinking check-in on a current problem.
3. Role-play with new thinking. Substitute the new attitude or belief for the circled one.
4. Repeat for every member.
5. Wrap-up. Choosing how to think means choosing how to act, even in hard situations.
6. Homework. Complete thinking reports on situations of tension, stress or conflict.
Example language (illustrative): "What's been the most stressful moment since we last met? Let's run a check-in on it."
Watch for: members bringing only resolved or comfortable situations. Ask for something still live this week [synthesis].

4.17 Lesson 16: Introduction to Problem-Solving

Purpose: introduce problem solving as a step-by-step routine that combines cognitive self-change and social skills. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page (component definition)]
Steps:
1. Present the problem-solving skills in sequence.
2. Analyse a filmed conflict scene. 4.0 used a scene from The Breakfast Club; 5.0 has new videos. [source: Georgia CJCC handout list; T4C 5.0 introductory page]
3. The same case runs through Lessons 17–19: the 3.1 "Shewan" (adult) and "Sherry" (youth) cases. [source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 18–19] Detailed lesson activities are [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Watch the student in this scene. Where could he have stopped before it blew up?"
Watch for: members siding with the film character's escalation. Use it to show the risk thinking.

4.18 Lesson 17: Stop and Think (problem-solving skill 1)

Purpose: interrupt impulsive reactions by noticing warning signs and lowering risk before acting. [source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 18–19 recaps]
Steps:
1. Stop: notice your warning signs: physical reactions, risk thoughts and risk feelings.
2. Think: lower the risk by getting quiet, getting space and calming down.
3. Tell the problem types apart: "in your face" problems need a quick response; "time to think" problems leave time to plan.
Example language (illustrative): "What's the first thing your body does when it's starting to go wrong? Jaw, fists, heat?" "What's one way you could get space in the dayroom without it looking like you backed down?"
Watch for: members who say they get no warning. Work backwards through a recent incident to find the earliest cue [synthesis]. Calming methods beyond quiet, space and calming down are not specified in the sources [uncertain].

4.19 Lesson 18: State the Problem (skill 2)

[source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 18]

Purpose: put distance between the member and the pressure of the problem by putting it into words. The problem statement works as a "mini" thinking report.
Steps:
1. Identify a warning sign: a physical reaction, risk thought or risk feeling.
2. Describe the situation objectively and briefly: who was involved and what was said or done.
3. Identify a risk reaction: what you might do that would break a rule, hurt someone or make things worse.
4. Combine these into a statement in the 3.1 format: "I (think or feel) ___ because ___ and my risk reaction is ___." The statement starts with "I" to signal taking control.
Lesson activities:
- Build statements for two worked examples on chart paper.
- Give the group sample statements that are missing steps and have them say which steps are missing.
- Show the model of skills 1 and 2 and discuss it.
- Pairs complete the skill handout for their own situation. Volunteers role-play with assigned observers, using social-skills-style feedback.
Homework: use skills 1–2 in a real situation. If that isn't possible in the moment, write out how you could have used them, or plan the next time.
Example language (illustrative): "So: 'I feel disrespected because he took my seat in front of everyone, and my risk reaction is to shove him.' Does that have all three parts?"
Watch for: blaming statements ("He made me...") and opinions in the situation description. Coach back to facts and to the member's own reaction.

4.20 Lesson 19: Set a Goal and Gather Information (skill 3)

[source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 19]

Purpose: shift from reacting to planning by naming a positive, realistic goal and analysing the situation.
Steps:
1. Set a goal.
  - It must be positive (doesn't aim to hurt yourself or others) and realistic (achievable).
  - Phrase it as "I want...", optionally adding "but I don't want...". For example: go out with friends, but not use.
  - Practise by rating sample goals as positive and/or realistic. Revenge and "they'll apologise" goals fail the test.
2. Gather information, part a: facts.
  - A fact is what happened, who was involved, and what was said and done. Facts can be observed and checked.
  - Opinions include guesses about motives or character.
  - Demonstration: a facilitator acts out a short ambiguous scene, the group sorts statements about it into facts and opinions, and pairs then describe the scene in one factual sentence.
3. Gather information, part b: the other person's thoughts and feelings.
  - Infer them from body language, tone, words and past experience.
  - Name the evidence behind each guess.
4. Apply the skill. Pairs complete the skill 3 handout on their own problem, and the facilitator circulates.
5. Homework. Take a new "time to think" problem (expected soon, or ongoing) through skills 1–3. The facilitator checks it can be carried through the remaining lessons.
Example language (illustrative): "Could someone else in the room have seen that and checked it? Then it's a fact. If not, it's your read on it." "What do you want here, and what don't you want?"
Watch for: revenge goals, unrealistic goals, and opinions presented as facts.

4.21 Lesson 20: Practice Problem-Solving Skills 1–3

Purpose: role-play the first three skills together on members' own problems. Observers use an observation form. [source: Georgia CJCC handout list; T4C 3.1 Lesson 19 ("role-play next session")]
Steps: role-play with observers assigned to steps, using the feedback order in 4.4. Lesson detail is [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Walk us from your first warning sign to your goal statement, out loud."
Watch for: members skipping straight to the goal. Each skill builds on the one before.

4.22 Lesson 21: Think of Choices and Outcomes (skill 4; 4.0: Choices and Consequences)

Purpose (inferred from title): generate possible responses and weigh their likely outcomes against the goal. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page (title)]
Steps: unknown [uncertain]. A brainstorm-then-evaluate format like the one in Lesson 9 would be consistent with the programme, but this is [synthesis] and unverified.
Example language (illustrative): "Let's list every choice you have, then look at where each one gets you compared to your goal."
Watch for: a single preferred choice defended from the start.

4.23 Lesson 22: Make a Plan (skill 5)

Purpose (inferred from title): turn the chosen option into a concrete plan, likely drawing on the social skills already learned. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page (title)]
Steps: unknown [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Which social skill fits this plan, and when and where will you use it?"
Watch for: plans with no when, where or who [synthesis].

4.24 Lesson 23: Do and Evaluate (skill 6)

Purpose (inferred from title): carry out the plan and review whether it met the goal. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page (title)]
Steps: unknown [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "You did it. Did it get you what you wanted without what you didn't want? What would you change?"
Watch for: an all-or-nothing verdict on the outcome. Review step by step [synthesis].

4.25 Lesson 24: Problem Solving Application

Purpose: role-play the full problem-solving sequence on members' real problems. [source: Georgia CJCC handout list; T4C 5.0 introductory page (title)]
Steps: each member role-plays the whole sequence with observers and structured feedback. Detail unknown [uncertain].
Example language (illustrative): "Start with the warning sign and take us all the way through to evaluating."
Watch for: members fluent with the steps but not using real, current problems.

4.26 Lesson 25: Celebration and Transition (4.0: Next Steps)

Purpose: consolidate learning and plan for transition and aftercare. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 4.0 overview]
Steps: content unknown [uncertain]. Agencies typically give the post-test here [synthesis].
Example language (illustrative): "Which tool from your pocket have you used most, and where will you need it next month?"
Watch for: anxiety about losing the group. Link members to aftercare.

4.27 T4C 5.0 Program Check-In (aftercare)

Purpose: an open-ended group for completers, meeting at least weekly and up to three times a week, where members apply all three skill sets to current real-world problems. It is an iterative lesson repeated each meeting. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; NIC programme page]
Steps:
1. Each member brings a current problem.
2. The group applies a thinking check-in, a social skill or the problem-solving steps to it, with role-play. The exact 5.0 format is [uncertain]; 3.1 Appendix A (4.16) gives a comparable structure.
Example language (illustrative): "What's live for you this week, and which tool fits it?"
Watch for: drop-off after release. Schedule aftercare to fit work and supervision [synthesis].

4.28 Online dosage modules, pre/post-test and fidelity tools (5.0)

Purpose: add practice dosage (asynchronous modules of about one hour per lesson, needing an LMS or web portal), measure early outcomes in social skills, emotional self-regulation and problem solving, and monitor adherence. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Steps:
1. Assign the module after each lesson.
2. Give the pre-test at intake and the post-test at completion.
3. Have a trained observer score sessions with the Fidelity Tool, followed by strength-based coaching. The instruments are NIC materials and are not reproduced here.
Example language (illustrative): "This module is extra practice on today's skill. It counts toward your hours."
Watch for: fidelity scores showing skipped role-plays or homework review. These are the elements most often cut when time is short [synthesis].

5. Handling problems

The sources give little explicit troubleshooting guidance. Items tagged [source] come from the lesson plans or the 5.0 introductory page. Everything tagged [synthesis] is this guide's own advice, consistent with the programme's principles.

Problems the sources address

A member skips or alters a skill step in role-play. Stop the role-play, coach the specific step, and restart from the beginning. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 4]
Vague reports and feedback ("he did step one"). Ask for the specific behaviour or the voiced self-talk, and push for who, where and when. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 4]
New thinking that is unrealistically positive, or imposed by the group. The member is the final authority. Record only what they find realistic. Accept that several attitudes may need to shift before the member feels good about themselves. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 9; Appendix A]
Judgemental reports, or members telling others how to think. Restate the objectivity rule and coach the member to describe rather than evaluate. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 9; Appendix A]
Revenge goals, unrealistic goals, and opinions presented as facts. Test goals as positive and realistic. Test facts by asking whether someone else could observe and check them. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 19]
Homework not done because the situation didn't arise or couldn't be handled in the moment. The member writes out how they could have used the skill, or plans for next time. Treat homework review as non-negotiable. [source: T4C 3.1 Lesson 18]
Not enough time for every member to practise. Split the lesson across two sessions. Don't start a new lesson until everyone has practised. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Late joiners. Don't add members after Lesson 4 in 5.0 (Lesson 5 in 4.0). [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 4.0 overview]
Facilitator drift. Stick to the script. Use the Fidelity Tool with strength-based coaching, and prepare and rehearse every model. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Trauma and power dynamics. Use single-sex groups and the revised 5.0 language. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page]
Literacy barriers. Assess literacy at intake. Read the steps aloud rather than citing step numbers. [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page; T4C 3.1 Lesson 4]

Problems the sources do not address [synthesis]

Mandated, resistant members ("I'm only here because of my PO").
- Don't argue about whether they need the group. Acknowledge the mandate, then use the pocket analogy: nothing is taken away, and tools are added.
- Invite a personal goal, for example fewer write-ups or getting home sooner.
- Reinforce any participation. The group norm is that everyone contributes, so set a small, achievable first contribution.
- Example (illustrative): "You don't have to buy it today. Pick one situation this week and try the steps. Then tell us if it was useless."
Denial, minimising and blaming in thinking reports.
- Don't confront the account of events. Ask only for the thoughts the member had at the time, including thoughts about the other person.
- Blaming thoughts ("he disrespected me") are valid report content. Circle them as risk items rather than disputing them.
Group collusion or pro-criminal talk.
- Name it as thinking the group can examine. Put it on the chart as a thinking report item and ask the group where the risk is.
- Use co-facilitators to split roles: one keeps the agenda, the other manages the process.
Members stuck at "I just snapped" or "I wasn't thinking anything".
- Slow the event down second by second. Ask what they noticed in their body, then what they said to themselves.
- Use the facilitators' head-pointing skit as a model, and accept fragments.
Overwhelm or trauma activation during a report or role-play.
- Pause and let the member step out of the role. Offer a lower-intensity situation.
- Never require a member to re-enact their own victimisation.
- Check in individually after the session and refer for trauma-focused treatment if needed.
- Keep role-plays to the 1–2 minute skill focus.
Role-play escalates into real hostility.
- Stop immediately and invoke the no-aggression norm. Change the co-actor, or have a facilitator play the part.
- Debrief the risk thinking that just occurred. Used carefully, this can become a live thinking report.
Disclosure of new offending, risk to others, or suicidal or self-harm thoughts.
- Follow the confidentiality limits explained at intake and the agency's mandatory reporting procedure.
- For self-harm or suicide risk, do a standard individual risk assessment outside the group, safety planning and lethal-means counselling (safe storage or removal), and refer onward. T4C itself contains no risk-management protocol [uncertain: none stated in the sources].
Ruptures, especially when the facilitator is also a corrections officer or supervising officer.
- Acknowledge the dual role openly. Keep group content separate from supervision decisions unless reporting rules require otherwise, and say so plainly.
- Repair by naming the facilitator's own part using the Giving Feedback steps, which models the skill.
Repeated absences. Arrange make-up sessions according to agency policy [uncertain: make-up rules are not stated in the sources]. If too much core content is missed, re-enrol the member in the next cohort.
Virtual delivery.
- Keep the group to 8–10 [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page].
- Require cameras on for role-plays where it is safe and allowed.
- Give observers their assigned steps in the chat.
- Check privacy at the member's location before personal reports.
Youth groups. Use the youth model scenarios provided [source: T4C 3.1 Lessons 4, 18]. Shorten the talking segments and use more movement and role-play.
Spanish-speaking groups. Use the Spanish materials and adapt wording to the members' dialect, as 5.0 encourages [source: T4C 5.0 introductory page].
Psychotherapists adapting T4C one-to-one.
- This departs from the programme as designed.
- Accessing the materials requires NIC training, and commercial use requires the authors' permission [source: T4C 4.0 overview].
- If you borrow the thinking report, the three steps of cognitive self-change, or the problem-solving steps in individual therapy, describe it as T4C-informed, not as T4C.
- You will have to play the co-actor and observer yourself.

Sources

Sources: