NPAL Offerings 2022-2023

Founded by Dr. Patricia Gorman Barry Ph.D. in 1995, the BrainWise Program, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, has been involved in the research and development of curricula that teach children, youth, and at-risk adults essential social, emotional, and cognitive skills through an innovative structured approach called the “10 Wise Ways.”

A comprehensive program, BrainWise provides the essential tools to help individuals make good decisions and take control of their lives. After years of using and evaluating BrainWise, researchers, educators, counselors, social workers, public health nurses, and those who specialize in child and adolescent development agree that this program offers a proven means of teaching essential critical thinking skills called “executive functions.” They agree that knowing and practicing these skills will greatly benefit participants throughout their lives.

BrainWise is taught in schools and youth organizations, detention programs, homeless shelters, treatment programs, and on Indian reservations. It is taught to children with chronic diseases, special needs children, children with physical handicaps, girls targeted for sex trafficking, and teen mothers.

The skills taught by BrainWise can be applied to all problem situations, from the third grader caring full-time for younger siblings to teens who join gangs. The lessons are scripted, so anyone can teach it and the program’s common language explains complex brain concepts simply and easily.  More important, learning BrainWise is fun!