For countless reasons, 2020 has been a very important year to learn the value of civil discourse. At Elements Traverse, young adult clients are getting ample opportunities to hone their skills around owning one’s opinions while respecting others’ personhood despite differing points of view. “Respecting others while holding healthy boundaries for ourselves is one of the most important lessons we can all learn in today’s society,” said Andrew Powell, CEO at Elements Traverse. “Our clients come from all over the country and bring many points of view to the table. As with everything we do, we try to lean into some of these uncomfortable conversations while maintaining a baseline of emotional and psychological safety. I believe this aligns perfectly with our DBT-informed Interpersonal Effectiveness skills development, and it’s one of the best things young people can take out onto the world when they leave our program.”

Elements Traverse worked with home family systems and other contacts in the young adult’s resident states to facilitate absentee voting. Depending on the laws of each client’s resident state, ballots were mailed out over the past weeks to ensure that the results of clients’ efforts would be realized.  

About Elements Traverse

Elements Traverse is a young adult wilderness therapy program based in central Utah. Our clients spend nine weeks backpacking in the San Rafael Swell past petroglyphs and dinosaur fossils. We offer gender-inclusive groups where clients work on treatment goals together. Clients learn Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills to help them navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs. They also gain a deep understanding of their substance use through the evidence-based 7 Challenges curriculum. Furthermore, clients discover what they are truly capable of through guided adventure activities such as rock climbing, rappelling, stand up paddleboarding, fly fishing, and more. As a small owner-operated program, we know each one of our clients well, and their families have access to us at every level. For more information, visit www.elementstraverse.com