Preparing Teens For Life

Seminar on `Preparing Teens For Life’
by Dr. Larry Keefauver

We received overwhelming response for last year’s Seminar on Counseling Teenagers by Dr. Larry Keefauver. We had more than 850 registrations comprising mostly principals, teachers, counselors, parents and staff of NGOs and other organisations. The overall feedback on that seminar was most encouraging, the majority rating it from “good to excellent.” This reflects a genuine need for education interventions that will provide effective counseling and guidance to our youth.

Once again, as part of our community service, Life College has organised another `Seminar on Preparing Teens For Life‘ which held on:-
Date: 22th July 2006
Time: 8:00am – 4:15pm
Venue: Maranatha Auditorium
No: 6, Jalan Bersatu 13/4, Section 13
46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

The seminar was organised specifically for teachers, counselors, parents, youth workers and those who teach, lead and guide teenagers today. Our young people today have great potential to do well in life. Yet confronting them in their path towards such an exciting destiny are complex, critical issues and tendencies towards destructive behavior. It is important that we work together to help them surmount and overcome these obstacles.

The seminar had addressed the following topics:

• Understanding contemporary teens
• Handling tough and rebellious teenagers
• Bringing up teenagers as responsible, mature and successful adults
• Equipping teenagers to make the right choices and to problem solve
• Negotiation skills with teenagers
• Addressing eating disorders in teens
• Developing personal morality and values

The highlights of the seminar had included:

• Developing skills and techniques that you need to apply when counseling youth
• Identifying problems and discovering root causes
• Discussing case studies

(Click here for comments from last year’s participants)

About the speaker (Click here for Speaker Photo) After more than 30 years of counseling youths and adults, working some times with entire families, Dr. Keefauver packs his counseling courses with a wealth of real-life experiences and a reservoir of resources.

His counseling course is designed to help develop and equip counselors to be effective both as a listener and a communicator; both to understand and provide inspiration to tackle simple to complex issues.

Dr. Keefauver has written more than 50 books including the bestseller, “Friend to Friend”, a peer counseling guide for teenagers used widely in government schools to train youths in how to solve problems and make positive decisions. “Right from Wrong” is a book he wrote with Josh McDowell while “Kids killing Kids” was written in collaboration with Dr. Linda Mintle. The books address the causes of societal violence among teenagers, the psychology and roots of such violence.

As a popular conference speaker, Dr. Keefauver annually keynotes the National Association of Marriage Educators in America as well as conducts marriage seminars around the world.

Dr. Keefauver resides with his wife Judi in Columbus, Georgia and they have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

He is also one of the most sought after speakers on family issues. He is a regular guest on national television programs including Fox Family Channel’s “Marriage and Family Magazine”.

Dr. Keefauver travels widely, teaching and training family educators, family counselors, community leaders and social services professionals. Dr. Keefauver and Judi have held thousands of counseling sessions with married couples. Besides conducting parenting and marriage seminars in North & South America and Europe, Dr. Keefauver is also familiar with Asian family issues, having been invited regularly to speak in countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, India, Taiwan and Malaysia.

He was a guest speaker at The International Family Conference 2001 organized by The Ministry of Women & Family Development, Malaysia. In Taiwan, over 3 million viewers watch each of Dr. Larry’s “Family Forum” TV program.

An award winning author, Dr. Keefauver has written books and curriculum studies including the bestsellers, “Proactive Parenting: The Early Years” and “The 77 Irrefutable Truths of Parenting”, books for parents on practical truths in building healthy relationships between parents and children.

Listed below are general comments taken from the Seminar Evaluation Forms.
“In what way has this seminar been beneficial to you?”
(Note that comments are copied directly from the forms, mistakes and all)

Parents Group

• It gave me tools to work with, and to build up and keep a good relationship with my children (young adults) and with their friends and my husband
• Reflection of my life disorder and why I screw my life
• Strengths and knowledge to face problems and challenges in life
• I am a parent with a lot of question which cannot answer to my children, but after listening to Dr. Larry, I guess I got my question is answered
• Learnt to keep my mouth shut when I don’t know what to say
• Has taught me principles as to how to talk or counsel my children especially on their relationship with their father
• Understand how the manipulation, domination & intimidation my mother uses on me is not healthy to my children too
• Understanding the root of all my problems was actually me. Understand how my teenagers think and why they react such
• To acquire relationship skills for the entire family… & extended family (we all live in the same house)….allows us to “break the vicious cycle”

Teachers / Counselors

• It helps me to understand my way of approaching and teaching my students and encourage me to improve on it
• Help me in my field of work; be a better counselor with this knowledge
• It has given me a better knowledge in handling relationships and discussion with teenagers
• Able to understand problems students are facing and able to help them
• This seminar has been beneficial to me to deal with students (teenagers) with problems in my school. It is enlightening in bringing up my youngest daughter who will be an adolescent in a few years’ time
• I want to do counseling in my school. I have done a basic course in it. I would like to further my knowledge on it. Dr. Larry was really wonderful in his presentation
• This seminar on the whole is very practical. Dr. Larry has great sense of humor and great examples to illustrate what he says. Since I’m dealing with children/teenagers, being a teacher, this seminar definitely is very useful and I hope I can apply some, if not all, that I had received
• It gave me a clearer picture on how to deal with my teenager son with a better approach. I feel many more parents should be exposed to such seminars considering the current scenario among teenagers
• I have never heard of reality therapy before. It is very interesting and sounds much more effective than the other psychological counseling techniques I’ve read about.
• I found the matters discussed was presented in a lively & non condescending manner. I didn’t feel like I was being preached to, but Dr. Larry’s “bedside manners”is fantastic. He spoke as if I had known him all my life
• In everything this seminar has been beneficial to me. I have gain a lot of knowledge and a clearer picture on how to deal with my teenage friends and also know how to deal with myself that is the most important thing
• I’ve checked myself, reassured myself. I could reach to others especially my family. I’m special and God cares for me. He loves me. Thank you.
• Provided concrete steps how to approach a teen who has problems. Basically, it has empowered me, given some confidence how to believe/react when confronted with a troubled, disruptive teenager/student in the school situation. Learning about the root causes of all teen problems was an eye-opener. The personal anecdotes were great!
• I think it helps me in being a better parent to my children and a better teacher to my students. Dr. Larry’s down to earth and endears the audience to him. Good he is reaching out. Please reach out to as many teens as possible. God bless him.

Headmasters / Principals / Pastors

• Given me lots of knowledge, insights, true examples – I’m encouraged to change for the betterment of my children/family
• Knowledge, facts, experiences from the speaker
• It helps me to see teenage problems with a new perspective. I think I am better equipped after this seminar to deal with the challenges I am facing as well as the teenagers. I plan to apply what I learned in the teenage group and youth group in my church. Thanks.
• The presenter articulate issues much relevant to current scenario, & proceed to practical application of the appropriate technique to respond.
• I am doing counseling session to our police family and public when they need our help

Lecturer & Registered Counselor with Dept of Education, Psychology & Counseling – University of Malaya

• It increased my knowledge on reality therapy & help me to understand the practical approach. Hopefully I can use this approach effectively in my duty as a counselor & counselor educator

Home School Supervisors, Volunteer Workers, Police, etc

• Helps me to understand and help my students who are mainly teenagers. Helps me to understand them better and address the issues they face
• Very relevant to my line of work. Help me understand myself and others better. Great for helping me build relationships and helping me help other people
• Precise & concise advise & every note spoken by Dr. Larry. Will see things better in my working with my son and family relationship. TQ Dr. Larry & Judy. God Bless. Giving your time and knowledge at this affordable rate by Dr. Larry & all concerns (co., individual) God Bless your kindness
• Answered most of my unfinished business of my past, present and hopefully future too. Make me a better person now. P/s Thanks for accommodating us and giving us discount. Hope we will extend the knowledge to help those who need help.
• This seminar will enhance my knowledge and equip my scale to help myself and my children as well as my clients (victim of sexual, domestic violence, etc.)
• Another technique of probing into the needs of clients especially with the use of 3 questions