This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

WiseGuys and GirlWise groups help teens get Life Smart

WiseGuys and GirlWise are Life skills programs run by Freedom4U and Dr. Greg Allen for middle school boys and girls. WiseGuys and GirlWise takes place on June 8th at the Teen Annex. Please visit Freedomcommunity.com or call 310 897 5043 for additional information.

Life is tough for the modern teenage girl, everything from intense peer pressures to the national media forces many young women into physical or emotional distress. GirlWise focuses on building strong self-esteem, improving communication methods, and managing personal and emotional stressors.

“Middle school is an especially tough time”, says GirlWise parent, “i’m glad [she] went, it made a huge difference that I still see today”.

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

GirlWise: How to gain self-respect, confidence, and control is taught by Joan Chapman, an experienced therapist working alongside Dr. Greg Allen. She has firsthand experience with many of the problems girls face and knows how to overcome and prosper from them.

Keeping with many of the same principals that GirlWise stresses, WiseGuys focuses on the specific lessons that all young men should learn.

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I was surprised,” says a veteran counselor, “It’s commonly thought that girls have more drama, but not all all!” she adds with a startle, “its our teenage boys, they keep it all inside, and that can be very unhealthy.”

Boys learn how to manage their stress, anger, and social pressures in healthy and positive ways. This programs is focused on engaging teenage boys early, teaching them how to set and achieve goals, and making sure they get the most out of their teen years.

WiseGuys is a program led in part by Dr. Greg Allen MFT, an experienced therapist, who has over 25 years of experience and specializes in working with children and community youth. He is a frequent speaker at parent guidance meetings, local schools and community gatherings. Additionally he is the director and founder of Freedom4U, a local non-profit which partners with south bay schools to provide quality programs for community youth.

“I know it was Dr. Allen’s group,” says a young WiseGuy, “he helped me get my relationships on track.... like with my parents and friends and even girls. I’m happy I went, it was a lot of fun”

Sign up today online at Dr.Gregallen.com or Freedomcommunity.com. Classes start on June 8th.  Please call 310 897 5043 for more information.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?