Project L.I.F.T.

  Project L.I.F.T. (Life Initiatives for Teens) began in March 2010 when licensed psychotherapist Bob Zaccheo struggled to find a way to connect with teenage boys in his office at a non-profit mental health agency in Martin County, Florida.  With a focus on substance abuse counseling, he found that young teenage boys refused to participate in the therapy sessions. Zaccheo recognized the key to success was to get them out of the office and provide incentives to keep them motivated toward life improvement.

Before beginning Project LIFT,  Zaccheo interviewed teenage boys and discovered they wanted to learn a trade or work on automobiles. He traded in his desk for a pair of work boots, rented a nearby garage, and spent time working with his patients repairing vehicles.   He invited five teens to participate in an intensive 14-week session combining vocational skills training, substance abuse treatment, group and individual mental health therapy and mentoring.