The Solution
A New High-Impact Approach
“Beyond the Barriers” is a high-impact program designed to help incarcerated individuals to quickly stop the repetitive cycle of chaos, addiction, anxiety, and survival in their lives.
Step-by-step, they learn to overcome the adversity, trauma, and self-limiting beliefs holding them prisoner within their own minds and turn barriers into obstacles, and obstacles into achievements they never thought possible.
Watch this short video and hear how the "Beyond the Barriers" program has personally impacted these inmates and the way they interact with others around them.
"He put this CTM into play now 3 times and I've attended COG and every other class since 2000 and this be about the only f***** class that hit me like a ton of bricks. It works!"
Why Is Beyond The Barriers So Effective?
Impactful
BTB is designed to get inmates to quickly challenge their current thinking, understand why they think, feel, and behave the way they do, and shows them how to change it using a proven, step-by-step process.
Personal & Compassionate
BTB visually demonstrates why they think and feel the way they do to help them understand themselves. They can see they are capable of making the changes necessary to have better life outcomes and why the've failed in the past
Trust & Connection
BTB is facilitated from a point of understanding and that everyone is equal and a work in progress that learns from their failures and the failures of others. Through this connection we build trust, allowing them to be vulnerable and extend empathy and compassion to themselves and others
Heals Trauma
The Cognitive Transformation Model™ visually shows them how trauma affects their thinking, emotions, and behaviors. They learn to heal and forgive those who caused their trauma, and forgive themselves for the trauma they caused.
Forgiveness & Self-worth
When they understand why they think, feel and behave the way they do, forgive themselves and others and realize they can change, they begin to move past their self-limiting beliefs. When they see their value and importance, they become accountable to themselves and others and become motivated to change.
Impactful
BTB is designed to get inmates to quickly challenge their current thinking, understand why they think, feel, and behave the way they do, and shows them how to change it using a proven, step-by-step process.
Personal and Compassionate
BTB visually demonstrates why they think and feel the way they do to help them understand themselves. They can see they are capable of making the changes necessary to have better life outcomes and why the've failed in the past
Trust and Connection
BTB is facilitated from a point of understanding and that everyone is equal and a work in progress that learns from their failures and the failures of others. Through this connection we build trust, allowing them to be vulnerable and extend empathy and compassion to themselves and others
Heals Trauma
The Cognitive Transformation Model™ visually shows them how trauma affects their thinking, emotions, and behaviors. They learn to heal and forgive those who caused their trauma, and forgive themselves for the trauma they caused.
Forgiveness and Self-worth
When they understand why they think, feel and behave the way they do, forgive themselves and others and realize they can change, they begin to move past their self-limiting beliefs. When they see their value and importance, they become accountable to themselves and others and become motivated to change.
The foundation of the "Beyond the Barriers" program is Upstream's exclusive Cognitive Transformation Model™ (CTM), a high impact approach that provides an unprecedented paradigm shift in thinking.
This shift provides clarity and objectivity in how and why they think, feel, and perceive internal and external experiences in their past, present, and future. It guides them to the source of the problem, then provides a step-by-step path to solve it, giving them greater control over the outcomes in their lives.
A Paradigm Shift
In Thinking
"This is like CBT on steroids"
Repetition
Over Time
The "Beyond the Barriers" program meets weekly and is available to all eligible inmates. Each week they repeat the CTM process to break down different scenarios and concepts. Inmates earn certificates of completion for attending.
"It has totally changed the way I think about things happening that I have no control over when I usually would have a bad reaction."
One-on-One Coaching
Inmates can request one-on-one coaching to privately discuss their experiences and inner-struggles and help them apply the CTM and program principles to heal and overcome them.
"I am no longer letting people control me. He showed me how to control my situations and past problems and gives me a better understanding as to why my past issues control and dictate my actions today."
How Effective Is It?
WE ASKED
From 2022 through 2024, random anonymous surveys were provided to inmates, who had attended more than one "Beyond the Barriers" class, to learn about their life experiences, past treatment, and the impact and effectiveness of the program.
This information has provided invaluable insight into the underlying issues that drive crime, addiction, and recidivism. It has brought to light different cultural, societal, and gender perceptions that influence behavior, allowing us to refine the approach, and become increasingly more impactful.
Here are the results:
"It really helps me think in a more positive way than before. It's much easier to understand and follow than other programs I've tried."
Effectiveness Of The Program
100% of male inmates said "Beyond the Barriers" was Very Effective in changing their thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
How effective is BTB in changing your thinking, emotions and behavior in comparison to other programs you have attended?
Very Effective Somewhat Effective Not At All Effective
How often to you discuss BTB curriculum with others outside the classroom?
Very Often Often Sometimes Never
97% of the male inmates said they discussed the "Beyond the Barriers" curriculum with others outside the classroom.
Mentoring Others
"It has helped me really dig deep into my past and present hurts and teaches me how to overcome them to where they don't affect me like they used to."
"It makes me feel better about myself and want to attend more to become a better person and find better reasons to stay sober and be better."
Sharing Hope
With this new insight, inmates not only understand themselves but they become aware of the internal struggles in others around them. This not only helps them to not react to their turmoil, but results in them wanting to share the hope and insight with other inmates, friends, and family.
Inmates Are Discussing BTB
95% of the male inmates said they see others discuss the "Beyond the Barriers" curriculum with others outside the classroom.
How often do you witness others discuss BTB curriculum with others outside the classroom?
Very Often Often Sometimes Never
Because of BTB, I __________interact with others in a way that produces better outcomes.
Very Often Often Sometimes Never
100% of the male inmates said they interact with other inmates and Correctional Officers in a way that produces better outcomes because of the "Beyond the Barriers" program.
Changing Behavior
Seeing Behavior Change
92% of the male inmates said they see other "Beyond the Barriers" participants interact with other inmates and Correction Officers in a way that produces better outcomes.
I __________ witness others who attend BTB interact with other inmates and COs in a way that produces better outcomes.
Very Often Often Sometimes Never
Have you attended treatment or other programs in the past either in or outside jail or prison?
90% of the male inmates said they have attended treatment or other programs in the past.
They've Tried
Other Programs
How effective is BTB in changing your thinking, emotions and behavior in comparison to other programs or treatments you have attended?
Much More Effective More Effective As Effective Less Effective Much Less Effective
How effective is BTB in changing your thinking, emotions and behavior in comparison to other programs or treatments you have attended?
Much More Effective
More Effective
As Effective
Less Effective
Much Less Effective
How Does BTB Compare?
92% of male inmates said "Beyond the Barriers" was More Effective or Much More Effective than other programs at changing the way they think, feel, and behave.
* Jail Chaplains provides an important spiritual element to their lives that compliments what BTB teaches and allows them to deepen their faith, have hope, and achieve peace. Many inmates who found their faith reported frustration with themselves because they knew how they should think, feel and behave but kept repeating old patterns and didn’t know how to change them. BTB showed them how to do that.
The Programs
They've Tried
Male inmates who had attended other programs in the past were asked which programs or treatments they have participated in.
Which Programs Have You Attended in the Past?
Results Summary
If inmates can learn to effectively address and heal the trauma in their lives and model healthy thinking, self-regulation, and positive behaviors, they can then pass these skills down to the next generation. The "Beyond the Barriers" program continues to demonstrate it's effectiveness in helping inmates understand and begin to heal their trauma.
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All of the inmates found the "Beyond the Barriers" program to be effective in helping them change the way they thought, felt, and behaved in a very short period of time. Those who attended more classes found it much more effective and reported more positive results.
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Because of it's impact on them, they often discuss the program outside the class with each other and others.
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Inmates that attend "Beyond the Barriers" are able to successfully regulate their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors when interacting with other inmates and correctional officers which results in noticeably better outcomes and less conflict.
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Most inmates have tried other programs and treatments in the past and found "Beyond the Barriers" to be More Effective or Much More Effective at helping them change their thinking, emotions, and behaviors even when attending for a short period of time.
Number of Classes Attended
75% of the male inmates attended between 2-10 BTB classes at the time they were surveyed. Classes are held once per week and the average jail stay is 3 weeks.
How many Beyond the Barriers classes have you attended?
$45M
The Cost of
Not Addressing Trauma
As of October 2024, 1,112 inmates have attended the "Beyond the Barriers" class. With the average jail stay of 20 days, 18 stays per inmate, and the cost to house each inmate at $114 per day, these inmates have cost taxpayers $45 million dollars throughout their lifetime.
Effectively addressing trauma will reduce recidivism and end generational trauma. Reducing recidivism by even a small percentage will have a significant impact today and an even greater impact on the future.
Proven Principles
REFINED
"Beyond the Barriers" uses a combination of the proven principles of emotional intelligence, empowerment, and cognitive behavioral training and ties all of the elements of the human experience into one life-changing program.
Healing the Trauma
The CTM provides a visual step-by-step process to help inmates uncover and heal past trauma that is causing them to think, feel, and behave the way they do.
Increases Self-worth and Self-esteem
An important part of the program is helping inmates not only see, but believe in their worth by showing the irrefutable proof of their value and importance. They learn to forgive those who caused them trauma and forgive themselves for the trauma they've caused.
When they see their worth, value themselves and learn to forgive, they become motivated to change.