b'Andreas Story: Learning to Manage Lifes ChallengesAs she turned 18, Andrea was struggling to manage school, her emotions, and lifes challenges in general.Thats when her parents decided to bring her to Riversides Life Skills Center. Andrea needed more independence as she entered young adulthood, and wanted to develop healthier relationships and better boundaries.Although she initially felt awkward opening up, Andrea soon found her place at Life Skills.She joined the music group, a valuable way to connect to her emotions through themessages in music. Group outings with peers, and conversations that touched on life, family, current events, social issues, and everything in between, provided a way forAndrea to find her voice and share her outlook and opinions. And she found herclinician Kim to be funny, engaging, and not like anyone I worked with in the past!By asking for help and leaning on her support system, Andrea learned to identifyand diffuse her emotions to avoid unproductive outbursts. She prepared forindependent living at Roxbury House, an adolescent group home, and expanded her skills and confidence working at youth-run bookstore More Than Words. And she still stays in touch with Kim and other Life Skills graduates.Riverside Life Skills Center is a day treatment program that introduces teens to effective ways of coping and insight into mental health issues, improving self-esteem and social skills along the way.6'