Rebecca began teaching relationship training classes in 1992 while work for TURN Community Services in Salt Lake City. The need for sexuality education was dire. Nervous herself about talking about sexuality, she began developing classes
week by week about important topics such as making choices, building self-esteem, and consequences until the inevitable came...the lessons about body parts and reproduction! Even though she and her students were embarrassed,
she found that they had built such a good rapport during the previous weeks, that they were able to take this step in stride. There were giggles and laughs but they worked through it and learned together. Pictured at left is one of her first "Friendship Classes," as her students came to call it.

     The agency's board of director's and parents had concerns, but after talking to TURN's Executive Director, Phil Shumway, and receiving more information about the class and protocols, they were fine. The board asked that two instructors be present and parents asked "how can my child get enrolled?" Special thanks to Phil and Butch Shumway for their support, encouragement, and commitment to this type of education from the beginning.  Thanks also to co-teachers Eleanor Houston-Till, Les Carter, and Ray Sadler for co-teaching and helping to shape the curriculum over the years. 

    Researching for tools and many times making her own, Rebecca was inspired by the people and stories she came to know.  She began training others in the agency to teach what she called "Choices in Relationships" and, as she moved on to consult with several agencies in the state she found herself cooresponding with parents and specialists from all over, people looking for ways to teach sexuality, self-esteem, and safety to people with special needs.

    From xerox handouts and homemade visuals to a step-by-step curriculum, student manual and a comprehensive power point presentation that includes pictures of a spectrum of people, this course has come a long way and been influenced by so many people excited to impact lives for the best.  Rebecca began writing, compiling and researching, drawing from over 10 years of hands-on experience and in 2005 she released her curriculum as Choosing Relationships.  CR was celebrated by everyone Rebecca had worked with over the years, but she wasn't done yet.  After the opportunity of meeting with a hero of hers and a pioneer in the field, Winifred Kempton, Rebecca decided to reorganize and republish what you see here as PossAbilities. With Ms. Kempton's collaboration, this new and improved course includes innovative concepts, more instructor information, and a more user-friendly format.  As always, Rebecca and her company, PossAbilities, is dedicated to enriching lives through education and driven to help people, regardless of needs or limitations, advocate for their rights to live the life they dream of, free from abuse and full of possibilities!