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Stay the CourseInstitute

Life Course: Foundations for Change

You’ve decided you want to quit.
Start building what comes next.

Practical lessons and exercises for people who want to stop drinking or using drugs, including people who have recently stopped.

Explore the lessonsSee pricing
 

You know something needs to change.

You may be keeping up at work and holding things together for everyone else. Privately, you keep coming back to the same questions.

  • Why do I keep putting off the decision to quit?
  • Why do I talk myself back into something I said I was done with?
  • What do I do differently when the same thoughts and situations come around?

Foundations for Change gives you practical lessons and exercises to start working on those patterns.

You don’t have to have it all figured out.

This course is for people who have decided they want to stop drinking or using drugs and want practical tools for what comes next.

  • You’ve recently stopped and want more structure in your day.
  • You’re still using, but you know you want to change.
  • You’re rebuilding after addiction or incarceration and want to practice a different way of living.

The starting point is a willingness to reflect honestly and put what you learn into practice.

Supporting someone you love? Choose Pay in full and select Send as a gift at checkout. Gifting is currently available with the pay-in-full option.

Practice the decisions that shape your day.

Through five modules, you’ll work on mindset, self-talk, communication, boundaries, and goals. Recorded lessons introduce the ideas; workbook exercises help you apply them to your routines, relationships, and choices.

The aim is to build daily structure, follow through on small commitments, and work toward a life you want to keep building.

This is an educational course. It does not provide detox, medical care, or addiction treatment. It can be used alongside professional care and other recovery support.

Learn at your pace.
Practice in your life.

Watch a lesson, work through the reflection questions, and choose an action to practice. Return to the material as you notice what works and where you need to adjust.

What’s included

  • Recorded lessons across five core modules
    Work through the course at your own pace and revisit ideas as you practice.
  • Workbook
    Use reflection questions and exercises to connect the lessons to your own life.
  • Course quizzes
    Review the ideas and check your understanding as you go.
  • Certificate of completion
    Receive a certificate when you meet the course requirements.

Learn from someone who actually lived it.

John Mathews knows this road firsthand.

He has lived with addiction, homelessness, and rock bottom. He rebuilt his life from the ground up, went on to lead in public service and business, and now teaches the tools that helped him do it.

Everything inside Stay the Course Institute is built from lessons earned through recovery, discipline, leadership, and the long process of rebuilding from the ground up.

What people are saying

"What stood out to me about the Stay the Course Institute was the way it connected honesty, structure, and personal growth. The guidance was clear, practical, and easy to apply to everyday life. It helped me build a stronger mindset, take a closer look at my choices, and move forward with more confidence and purpose.”

Lex

“The Stay the Course Institute helped me slow down, look at my life honestly, and start making better decisions. The message was clear, relatable, and easy to apply in everyday life. It gave me more confidence, more direction, and a stronger belief that real change is possible if I stay consistent.”

Ryan

“Nothing was sugarcoated, but it was also never hopeless. I walked away with a stronger mindset, better awareness of my habits, and a clearer sense of how to move forward in a healthier direction.”

Tim

Explore the lessons

See what’s inside.

Browse the course outline below. Enrolled students access the lessons through Student login.

  1. Module 1: Mindset & Momentum

    1. 1.1 The Science Behind Addiction
    2. 1.2 Neurotransmitters and the Habit Loop
    3. 1.3 No One’s Coming
    4. Capstone 1: The Final Review

  2. Module 2: Internal Communication

    1. Introduction: The Voice Inside Your Head
    2. 2.1 The Inner Voice
    3. 2.2 Addict Brain vs. Authentic Self
    4. 2.3 Imposter Syndrome
    5. 2.4 Shame vs. Guilt
    6. 2.5 The Comparison Spiral
    7. Capstone 2: The Final Review

  3. Module 3: External Communication

    1. 3.1 How to Carry Yourself: The Silent Resume
    2. 3.2 How to Sound Confident
    3. 3.3 Active Listening
    4. 3.4 How to Get Taken Seriously
    5. 3.5 Conflict Resolution
    6. 3.6 Handling Criticism Without Crumbling
    7. 3.7 Adaptability & Audience Awareness
    8. Capstone 3: The Final Review

  4. Module 4: Boundaries

    1. 4.1 Saying No Without Guilt
    2. 4.2 Unhealthy Dynamics and Upgrading Your Circle
    3. 4.3 Fear of Isolation vs. Power of Solitude
    4. Capstone 4: The Final Review

  5. Module 5: The Art of Setting Goals

    1. Introduction: Structure Over Motivation
    2. 5.1 Discipline vs. Motivation
    3. 5.2 Goals That Match Your Real Life
    4. 5.3 The Art of Setting Goals
    5. 5.4 The 30 / 60 / 90 Check-In System
    6. 5.5 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Wins
    7. Capstone 5: The Final Review

  6. Resource Library

    1. Module 1 Resources
    2. Module 2 Resources
    3. Module 3 Resources
    4. Module 4 Resources
    5. Module 5 Resources
    6. Course Workbook
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Pricing & enrollment

One course.
Three ways to begin.

Choose the payment option that works for you. Every option includes access to Life Course: Foundations for Change and the course materials.

Learn

Recorded video lessons

Work through the course at your own pace.

Apply

Workbook

Use guided reflection and practical exercises.

Review

Course quizzes

Review the ideas as you move through the material.

Complete

Completion certificate

Earn a certificate when course requirements are met.

Lowest total price

Pay in full

$1,497

One payment. $1,497 total.

Course access and all course materials.

Includes the Stay the Course Gift Box with a beautifully printed workbook, a leather-backed journal featuring the STCI logo, a copy of Wisdom at a Cost, and a 20-ounce STCI tumbler. Everything arrives in a branded box, shipped to your door. The box may also include additional STCI items as they become available.

Enroll with one payment

Split your payments

Two monthly payments

$797 / month

2 payments of $797. $1,594 total.

Course access and all course materials.

Recorded lessons, a workbook, quizzes and a certificate when course requirements are met.

Enroll with two payments

Spread out the cost

Three monthly payments

$547 / month

3 payments of $547. $1,641 total.

Course access and all course materials.

Recorded lessons, a workbook, quizzes and a certificate when course requirements are met.

Enroll with three payments