All photography provided by Jared Chambers
Since 1985, Life Skills International has worked with some of the most difficult and almost impossible situations in people's lives, bringing wholeness, healing, and maturity; making the impossible, possible.
Our Mission
Life Skills International and its affiliates are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational organization that is dedicated to giving individuals the information and support necessary to break free from destructive and malignant behavior patterns. We uncover the root causes of behavior with our clients, and assist in developing basic character traits that will establish healthy foundations for living and loving.
“What we understand, we can deal with. It’s what we can’t understand that drives us crazy.”
The Founders of Life Skills International
Dr. Paul and Judy Hegstrom
Paul Hegstrom lived the first forty years of his life not understanding the driving force that caused him to self-destruct again and again. He could not understand why his anger would never subside. He could not communicate or identify his feelings. His anger harmed his family, and nothing was ever resolved. He knew something was wrong, but lived his life in denial. Over $20,000 was spent on counseling where he was given “labels,” however, it never got to the root of his problem. This only added to his anger and frustration. His 16-year marriage ended because he could not get the help he needed. The violence continued in subsequent relationships and finally, after being involved in a life-threatening situation that could have meant 15-20 years in prison, he asked for help. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do.
As a result of asking for and receiving help from a pilot program, Paul found some answers for his behavior, but it still wasn’t enough. He began searching for deeper answers. He spent well over 18,000 hours in research with the goal of developing a curriculum that would offer hope and help to the abuser, the victim, and the families involved in domestic violence. “Learning to Live, Learning to Love” is the result of his research, together with over 36,000 hours spent facilitating groups for the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
In 1983, Paul and Judy were remarried. They brought healing to their own family as they worked to set up Life Skills International (formerly DVP, Domestic Violence Project), a non-profit domestic violence organization.
As a testimony to the program’s effectiveness, their second marriage was free of emotional and physical abuse since its beginning. All three children and their families live violence free lives. They are a part of the healing that is offered to tens of thousands around the world through the Life Skills program. Life Skills has expanded into an international program with over 100 centers across the United States and around the world.
Heidi Stupavsky - President of Life Skills International
Our LSI President and CEO
Heidi (Hegstrom) Stupavsky is the daughter of Dr. Paul and Judy Hegstrom, Founders of Life Skills International.
Heidi has worked for Life Skills, formerly DVP Learning Centers, Inc. since 1985. She is very familiar with all aspects of Life Skills since she has worked in virtually every area of the company, including being the Executive Director of her own Life Skills Affiliate where she taught women's and youth classes. She was privileged to work with Columbine students and their mothers following the school shooting tragedy in 1999. Heidi also traveled with her parents from 1985-1989, touring the U.S. presenting the Program to Women's Shelters and churches. As a result, she was interviewed along with her parents on programs such as: Focus on the Family, 700 Club, D. James Kennedy, USA Today, and many other local radio and television stations.
Following the passing of her father, Dr. Paul in the Spring of 2017 the Life Skills Board asked her to serve as President, and the still serves as its President and CEO today. She strongly believes in the "Learning to Live, Learning to Love" program because these concepts were what brought their broken family back together. She has had to face many issues of her own, and has been able to use these same life-changing principles to become free of behaviors that had caused her to react to the abuse she endured as a child.