Yellowstone National Park is the oldest, most exotic, and arguably the most pristine national park in the United States. It has been called the "Serengeti of the West" due the abundance and visibility of its wildlife, and it contains about 50% of the world's geothermal features. Advantages to viewing Yellowstone in the winter include drastically reduced visitor numbers and increased visibility of wildlife. The winter conditions in Yellowstone allow students on a three-day tour to experience an arctic environment in the lower forty-eight states. We see the most impressive parts of the park and learn about the geology, ecology and history. Students come away with a comprehensive understanding of what they have seen and a greater appreciation for the park and its treasures.
Our group enters the Western end of Yellowstone in a privately-chartered guided "snow coach" with our luggage and Nordic skis in tow. Along the Madison and Firehole rivers we view wildlife, including bison, elk, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, and bobcats. The snow coach stops at several prominent geothermal basins while our experienced guide describes the park and its sights.
We stay in Old Faithful Village, which is located in the caldera of the world's largest active volcano and offers typical hotel amenities, including warm meals, comfortable study spaces, and an ice skating rink. The nearby interpretive center contains informational exhibit, and an auditorium in which resident researchers and rangers offer evening seminars on park-related topics. Over five miles of snow-covered boardwalks surround Old Faithful Village and there is no better way to view the hundreds of spectacular geothermal features than from cross-country skiing these boardwalks. Pristine backcountry features are located on single track trails away from the boardwalk, allowing students to get a private view of remote features few tourists ever see.
Throughout the trip, students are guided and supervised by Monarch School's own science teacher, Natty Role, who was an interpretive guide in Yellowstone, and social studies teacher, Alysoun Johnston, with her decade of park experience and related content knowledge.
The trip has special appeal to physically active students who are interested in science, history, and politics. Due to the inherent risks associated with winter conditions, geothermal areas and close proximity to wildlife, students must demonstrate an exceptionally high level of awareness and compliance prior in order to be eligible for the trip.
“Suggestions for the future: Longer! Longer! Longer! Trip should have been 6 or 7 days. Great trip, thank you so much.” ~ Monarch School Student
“Thank you! I certainly had a very good time and saw some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.” ~Monarch School Student
for more information contact Monarch School
Phone: 406.847.5095
With over 28 years of professional experience in assisting families and students in residential settings, Kelly brings a wealth of knowledge, both administratively and clinically to the SUWS (NC) family. Kelly earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and her Master of Arts in Human Behavior and was a founding member of Carlbrook School where she served as the Dean of Admissions for many years. Before joining the Admissions team her experience included direct work with families through counseling, advising students, group facilitation, and facilitating parent workshops. In 2013, she joined an educational consulting firm as a lead consultant specializing in educational and therapeutic placements. In 2014, Kelly returned to Virginia after her first grandchild was born and had the privilege of working for an outdoor therapy program in Georgia.
Kelly is excited about the opportunity of spreading the word about SUWS as the Director of Business Development. Her relationship with SUWS really began is 2002 when Carlbook opened it’s doors and their first six students arrived from SUWS of the Carolinas. She holds SUWS in high esteem and feels grateful to be a part of such a long-standing program.
In her spare time, Kelly reads, walks her dogs (Max and Aladdin), spends time with friends and most importantly spoils her grandson, Sawyer. She is especially excited to welcome her second grandbaby in August.
SUWS (NC) welcomes Sara Baicich MA, ATR-BC to Clinical Team. Sara’s drive to work in healing and helping professions stems from a family question her grandmother always used to ask, “But, is it good for society?” Sara’s upbringing emphasized the responsibility we all have in creating goodness in the world around us. This, as well as a passion for art, directed Sara to Philadelphia where she completed a Masters in Art Therapy at Drexel University. Here she learned the therapeutic and illuminating capacity in art making. After graduation, she worked at multiple inpatient psychiatry facilities in the Philly area, honing her skills in group facilitation by providing talk therapy, art therapy, psychoeducation, and recreation groups. Sara is now a Registered, Nationally Board Certified Art Therapist.
As she spent numerous years working in the hospital setting, Sara felt disconcerted by the separation her patients had from nature. They were often unable to ever go outside, and Sara felt there had to be a link between their separation from nature and the challenges her patients felt in healing and finding growth and progress in the hospital.
In 2014, Sara took a job as a field instructor here at SUWS , knowing that the best way to learn how nature is used in the process of healing was in the field and “on the ground” as an instructor. After a year in the field, she became a Logistics Coordinator, supporting the SUWS students and staff from behind the scenes.
Now, as Experiential Specialist, Sara supports groups Luna and Bravo through group facilitation and program enhancements, emphasizing 12-step recovery, mindfulness, art activities, art therapy, psychoeducation, yoga, and lots of fun. She loves that she gets to return to the wilderness and support the students, providing more avenues for them to create their own path towards healing and growth.
Sara is originally from Maryland, near Washington DC, and lived in Philadelphia for six years. She moved to Asheville when she joined SUWS. If she’s not on her porch reading a book, then she’s probably sitting by a waterfall sipping tea and enjoying the birds. In her spare time, Sara enjoys hiking, drawing, painting, weaving, yoga, and dancing. She loves to travel and prides herself on needing extra pages in her passport because she ran out of room for more stamps.
Learning Objectives
Register Here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3972953698526745857
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
February's Newsletter cast a spotlight on Phoenix Outdoor. We invite you to take a deeper look into the Phoenix Outdoor program, daily student life, and what we are doing to address the needs of dual diagnosis adolescents.
Pacific Quest (HI) is excited to welcome Sharon Findlay to the team! As Admissions and Communications Manager, Sharon joins Erin Levine, JD Daubs, and Kellyn Symthe as part of the PQ Admissions Team, and will also work closely with the Outreach and Communications Teams in her new role.
Sharon has worked in admissions and therapeutic education for almost ten years, primarily in residential treatment and therapeutic boarding school settings. Sharon received her Master of Science in Organization Development, which fits well with the models of change and holistic approach that Pacific Quest employs. Sharon brings a great deal of personal and professional experience to this role, and her dedication and integrity make her a wonderful fit at Pacific Quest.
Pacific Quest has established an exceptional team of highly-respected professionals to assist families in need during the admissions process. Erin Levine, clinical director of admissions, adds, “Sharon is passionate, knowledgeable, and personable, and a natural fit at Pacific Quest. We are delighted to welcome Sharon to our team!”
During a recent Summit (MT) graduation, a dad of one of the graduates gave a speech and he share some thoughts on Summit. He talked about the clinical work that is done at Summit and how pleased he was with his son’s progress. He then went on to say that the academics are exceptional and that we do not highlight them as much as we could. He said that he was impressed with the rigor, the excellent instruction, and the diversity of course options. His comments were the prompt for this piece.
From the inception Summit Prep’s Board of Directors insisted that we provide academic opportunities that meet the highest educational standards. To insure this, Summit is accredited by the State of Montana’s Board of Public Education/Office of Public Instruction. Summit is the only therapeutic school in Montana to hold this accreditation.
As a College Prep Program, Summit’s academics offer our students a challenging platform to prepare them for their transition to college. Our course curriculum provides class offerings at many levels and in several academic areas. Our classrooms look and feel like classrooms and the small class size allows student to engage and succeed in their studies.
To assist our students in meeting their highest potential, we strive to be flexible and accommodating. Students with challenges such as Low Processing Speed or Executive Function Deficits are able to gain skills and obtain support from our Learning Resource Specialist. We offer honor’s classes in the different subjects and several of our students attend Flathead Community College during their stay at Summit. This college option affords students more independence as they are on campus, but then they are able to process this experience with their therapist to ensure their success.
On a regular basis we are adding new and exciting class options. In the Science Department we added a Renewable Resource class that was very well received, and during this block some students are enrolled in a new course titled Animal Science. This summer, students will be able to register for Advanced Field Biology Research in River Ecology. When students are looking to take a class that we do not offer, we seek out online options; an example of this is the two students who are taking Chinese as an independent option.
Last but not least, Summit’s Academic Team is outstanding. They are each licensed in the subjects that they teach. Their interests and passions are diverse. Each teacher is a member of a treatment team and is very involved in all of the students’ progress both academically and therapeutically. Teachers often go on Challenge trips and spend time with the students outside of the classroom. It is this group of people who really are the key to making our academic programming so exceptional.
At Fulshear Treatment to Transition (TX), we have a dialectic underlying every young woman’s unique treatment plan. Ultimately, the goal is to go from living through one’s core issue (or fear) to living through one’s core meaning. But what do these even mean?
Core Issue = Negative Self-belief
Both are beliefs everybody holds about themselves, regardless of being in or out of treatment. Someone’s core issue is a negative self-belief validated by negative life experiences. For example, my core issue is that I’m not good enough; validated by setting personal high expectations yet failing to meet them, and feeling like my best is never enough. I have felt this way in competitive outlets as well as in my relationships. Because I believe this about myself, I tend to overcompensate in my relationships with people and send the message that I’m trying too hard to be perfect. My core fear of not being good enough makes it very easy to be rejected or to reject myself for not being smart enough, funny enough, skinny enough, or, overall, good enough.
Core Meaning = Positive Self-belief
More recently, I have stopped believing my core issue. Now I live through my core meaning. My core meaning is that I’m a capable influence for good. This belief is also validated by life experience but has less validation that a core issue. It is easier to believe in a core issue than a core meaning because core issues have more negative validation than the positive experiences reinforcing a core meaning. My core meaning is validated by my joyful ability to help others and be satisfied with doing so. When I am living through my core meaning, I am genuine and true to myself and am overall a happier person.
Discover Your Core
To find your own core issue, you can ask yourself:
1. What do you fear to be true about yourself?
2. What experiences do you focus on that validate that negative belief?
Your core meaning can be found by thinking about times when you have felt capable and accomplished in your life. Ask yourself:
1. What were you doing when you felt this way?
2. What does that say about you as a person?
When we are able to view others through their core issue (or fear) and core meaning, we are more able to show empathy and understanding for them in the relationship.
Leading residential treatment center, Elevations RTC (UT) brings students out into the wilderness for a bi-annual outdoor classroom program.
Elevations RTC now offers students the chance to learn in an outdoor classroom twice a year. Teens get to experience the natural wonders of the outdoors while learning valuable life skills. In order to get involved in this experience, students must undergo an application process.
For this year’s spring trip, the recreation team will conduct Elevations’ annual wilderness and remote first aid course which will count towards their academic credits. Students will cross country ski to yurts out on the north slope of the Uinta Mountains. There, they will learn basic first aid, CPR, and more advanced applications for the wilderness setting.
“Students are getting real life experiences. We aren't just learning about how to stave off dehydration or hypothermia in the wild, we are doing it because it is winter in the mountains,” says Jonathan Griffith, Director of Recreation and Experiential Education. “That kind of immediate application helps students understand and integrate the things that they learn. They also have to improvise and be creative. We don't have a classroom and a supply closet to pull from. Just what we carry on our backs and in the sleds.”
The instructors for this course are certified EMTs and have been teaching the course for several years. Teaching staff will also be joining the trip to complete the training.
During the outdoor education program, students are given community and job roles. These roles offer students feedback and growth opportunities for their DRSLs (Desired Results for Student Learning) which include critical thinking, effective communication, personal and social responsibility, lifelong learning, and collaborative working. Community and job roles range from preparing meals to keeping the group on schedule.
“These community roles provide a simple structure that makes it easy for the rest of the group to see when they are doing well and where there is room for improvement,” comments Griffith. “They are able to live with more accountability because the consequences for their actions are typically very immediate when living outdoors.”
Outdoor classrooms make it easy for instructors at Elevations to illustrate a point. Instead of relying purely on concepts or images, students are immersed in a learning environment they would not get to experience in a traditional classroom. Students can take the skills learned in outdoor classroom experiences and can utilize them in the “real world” after they graduate.
__________________________________________________________
Elevations RTC is a residential treatment center that offers guidance, support and relief to young men and women struggling with issues like trauma, depression, mood disorders, behavioral problems, and substance abuse. Elevations RTC is located in Utah and provides specialized, clinically intensive programs to struggling teens. For more information, please contact Laura Burt or Tamra Foy at 1-866-925-9085
My name is Jordan Rigby and I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. I attended the University of Utah and decided to pursue clinical psychology. My family and I then moved to Phoenix, Arizona where I attended Midwestern University where I completed research in suicidal risk assessment. During that time, I discovered a passion for the brain/behavior relationship and neuropsychology. Subsequently, I completed my neuropsychology residency at the Neurology, Learning and Behavior Center in Salt Lake City. I enjoyed my training immensely and had an opportunity to complete and publish research on assessment measures. Following my residency, I entered into private practice as a licensed psychologist and have been practicing ever since.
I am excited about this new opportunity to bring my years of experience and expertise to the already dynamic team at the ViewPoint Center (UT). When I'm not at work, I find any reason to be in the outdoors, whether it's climbing, hiking, camping, fishing or hunting. I also follow my alma mater, the Utes, in sports very closely. I am excited to be starting at ViewPoint and look forward to calling myself a part of the team.
We are very excited to welcome our new therapist, Mary Zaunbrecher, MS, LPC, to our team of therapists at Entrada (UT).
Mary is passionate about helping her clients through the use of alternative and creative therapies, including art and play. She excels in working with clients experiencing issues related to substance use and dual diagnosis/co-occurring disorders. She also works well with those that tend to exhibit impulsivity, are guarded and rebellious, have issues with depression, anxiety, identity development, self-esteem, codependency, and trauma.
To learn more about Mary, please visit our web site at www.evoketherapy.com/mary or call one of our Admissions Counselors at 866.411.6600
First of its kind, premier, East Coast residential living program for emerging adults is now open
Calo Programs (MO) is excited to announce the creation of Calo Young Adults: a leading edge and one-of-a kind transitional emerging adult program located in the beautiful, quaint town of Winchester, VA.
Calo Young Adults (www.caloyoungadults.com) is open and currently working with a handful of students. They are actively reviewing and accepting enrollment applications.
Alex Stavros, CEO of Calo Programs, said “This is an important step in our growth as we continue to hone our specialized reputation for launching and operating some of the most trusted trauma programs in the country.” Stavros continued, “Calo Young Adults was started to help those emerging adults struggling to find independence due to early unresolved emotional traumas.”
This new cutting edge program will meet an underserved, yet overrepresented, need of families with struggling young adults. Calo Young Adults will bring the latest in mind and body interventions in order to fully heal the underlying, root cause. Advanced brain and body-based interventions will include, but not be limited to Brainspotting Psychotherapy, HeartMath Interventions, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, and Canine Therapy. Calo Young Adults will also house a cutting edge Neurotherapy and Brain Center where emerging adults will obtain a full qEEG / brainmap, which will provide the foundation for a regimen of neurofeedback. And also experience Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback.
A Calo emerging adult is experiencing delays in maturation and self-concept as a result of developmental disturbances and unresolved emotional trauma, particularly as it relates to adoption. The ideal clients have a history of early adverse experiences which have significantly impacted their current ability to form and maintain quality relationships, sustain self-regulation, delay gratification/impulsivity, and form a positive self-concept. Whatever the diagnostic profile, there is a consistent presentation amongst our young participants: our students suffer from feelings of shame, low self-worth, poor quality of relationships, self-sabotage, and emotional dysregulation. Many struggle with substance abuse.
Kathy Donovan, LICSW, Calo Young Adults Executive Director said this of the typical Calo emerging adult: “the ideal client is one who is stalled developmentally due to an unresolved life trauma, such as adoption, abandonment of parent(s), complicated grief and loss, bullying, abuse or neglect.” Donovan shares that “these emerging adults are enormously frustrated in relationships. On the one hand they are desperately seeking connection/friendship/intimacy, but on the other hand they are repelled by the emotions that arise within relationships, causing them to cut off, shut down, avoid, attack, and sabotage - they have lost hope in being able to develop meaningful relationships and a sense of purpose in life.”
“The emerging adults accepted into the program realize they need additional support (therapy, structure, mentorship, safe growth opportunities) to facilitate their incremental progress toward a healthy, functional, and joy filled life.” says Calo Chief Clinical Officer, Rob Gent.
Calo Young Adults is located in Winchester, VA, one and a half hours from Washington DC. Winchester is the perfect location for an emerging adult program. A clinician that recently toured the program had the following to say: “Winchester offers the comfort of a small town environment yet has enough sophistication to allow your young adults to stretch and challenge themselves. Very special that when they are ready, they can take advantage of opportunities in larger 'small' towns like Reston/Herndon and even start their independent adult lives in the hubbub of Washington, DC. Beautiful built-in synergy.”
Contact Admissions Director Jon Young at JYoung@caloyoungadults.com or Executive Director Kathy Donovan at KDonovan@caloyoungadults.com for admissions and tours.
Like Calo YA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caloyoungadults/
We could not be more excited to announce our formal collaboration with Ron Armstrong and Recovery Support Solutions. Ron's long-standing excellent reputation, professionalism, and integrity within our industry brings an amazing resource that allows the Ferguson BHC Team to expand our depth and breadth of services to better support our clients and families.
Ron Armstrong began his work in the treatment field in 1988 when, with the help of his friend and mentor Dr. James Fearing, he took part in his first intervention. In 1996, after assisting in a number of other cases, Dr. Fearing asked Armstrong to join his team at his Minnesota-based organization, National Counseling Intervention Services. In 1998, Armstrong became the Director of Intervention Services, which offered intervention services nationally and abroad. In 2000, after four years with NCIS, Armstrong opened his own intervention practice in Pacific Palisades, California and in 2002 was recognized by the Betty Ford Center as one of the top five interventionists in the country.
In 2004, Armstrong identified the need for improved methods to support people transitioning home from residential treatment. Consequently, he developed the first software used for monitoring the continuing care plans created by treatment providers during the discharge planning process. This innovative application became the core technology he then used to support people as they practiced their new recovery lifestyle as outlined in the framework of their continuing care plan. While providing important structure and accountability for the client, it also benefitted clinicians monitoring behavior and helped identify the potential threat of relapse.
Ron can be reached at Ferguson Behavioral Health Counseling (TN) at ron@fergusonbhc.com, through the office at 800-624-2650, or directly at 310-704-4723. For any other questions, please reach Mike Ferguson, Founder/CEO, at 310-684-2529 or mike@fergusonbhc.com.
The Homestead allows for the time and space to step back, slow down, and gain a new perspective, which is a healthy practice in any well rounded life. How do we best appreciate what surrounds us? At the Homestead, we get out and enjoy it.
Friday mornings at Dragonfly's Homestead (OR) begin with a walk around our 13 acre pond. Rain, shine, or snow, we dress for the elements and venture out seeking fresh air, beauty, and perspective. Fresh air and physical activity has been shown to decrease stress, boost the immune system and increase feelings of happiness.
So close yet so far away, things look and feel different on the other side of the pond. The glistening snow-topped mountains feel closer. Hawks and eagles are spotted soaring overhead. Swans, ducks and geese flutter to the middle for safety. We bring with us good spirits, our favorite animals, and positive intentions for our day. For students it is an excellent opportunity to wake up, organize their thoughts and focus on their day. The vibe of the walk drifts from peaceful and meditative to lighthearted laughter as we hear pigs snorting behind us and acknowledge our unlikely collection of beings.
Animals are part of everyday life at the Homestead. Students build connection and develop compassionate relationships with animals through the act of caring for them. We like to incorporate the farm animals into our days as much as we can. On pond walk days, we saddle up and load our pockets full of treats.
Horses, cats, dogs, and even the pigs join us (we are still working on the cows). Their presence creates another layer of meaning to our walk as we commune with our four legged friends. Animals help us to become aware of our own emotional state and evoke calm and pleasant feelings.
Life of Purpose (FL) announceds its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Burki, MSW, has joined the Young People in Recovery Board of Directors. As the newest member of the Board, Andrew brings years of leadership and experience to the organization.
The Board of Directors, along with Young People in Recovery’s national leadership team, influence public policy and support local community-led chapters through grassroots organizing and training. Chapters support young people in or seeking recovery from substance use disorders by empowering them to obtain stable employment, secure suitable housing, and explore continuing education.
“Literally, without Andrew Burki, the recovery advocacy movement would not be where it is today. His time, talent and treasure, will create a legacy that will impact generations to come. We are honored and excited that he will be on our Board. We know the $1 million dollar pledge is only the beginning of the many billions of opportunities that will come to fruition because of his philanthropic investment in shaping culture,” said Justin Luke Riley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Young People in Recovery.
Andrew has been a long-time supporter of Young People in Recovery. Last year, he pledged a $1,000,000 unrestricted gift to the organization. In addition to the pledge, Life of Purpose has implemented Young People in Recovery’s E.P.I.C. program at every one of their facilities around the country. The E.P.I.C. initiative empowers and educates individuals who receive care at Life of Purpose to invest in their own recovery, find their voice, and become a collaborator in the decision-making process while still in treatment.
“I am beyond thrilled to be joining the Young People in Recovery Board of Directors. Their advocacy work within the nonprofit sector in support of emerging adults with substance use disorders is without parallel. The organizational goals of creating access to quality housing, treatment, employment and education, as well as their desire to support pro-recovery research and legislation, are very much in alignment with my own personal values and beliefs,” said Andrew Burki, Life of Purpose Founder and CEO.
The Trails Family Institute offers individualized family programming and clinical assessments to families in need of clinical help.
Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy (NC) provides clinical help to struggling families in need of support. The Trails Family Institute, family programming for Trails Carolina, offers therapeutic help for families with children in Trails Carolina as well as families in need of clinical assistance who have not yet sent their children to a residential or wilderness therapy program.
In the past year, the Trails Family Institute has started offering Family Intensives to families who have not yet placed their child into a residential or wilderness therapy program. A Family Intensive is a personalized week-long family wilderness adventure, tailored to each family’s emotional, physical, and clinical needs.
“During these family intensives, a variety of treatment occurs. Throughout the week, individual, couple, and family sessions take place,” says Jason McKeown MS, LMFT, CPE, DCC, Clinical Director and Family Therapist at Trails Carolina. “This assures that the whole family is getting what they need out of the experience in order to promote growth. This intervention has been incredibly powerful for many families.”
After a family intensive has ended, the Trails Family Institute continues to support the family for up to two months, ensuring that the clinical work carried out in the field is being incorporated back home.
In addition to a family intensive, the Trails Family Institute also offers clinical assessments and summaries of these assessments to struggling families.
“Clinical assessments allow us to get a really great picture of areas of strength and areas that require growth within a family,” comments McKeown. “We can provide them to families who have utilized Trails Family Institute programming as well as families in need of a clinical review. These assessments can help their therapist or clinical professional back home address the assessed areas.”
The Trails Family Institute has helped hundreds of families work through emotional and behavioral difficulties that hinder family growth. Families leave the program feeling reconnected and ready to build strong, trusting relationships.
Trails Carolina is a wilderness therapy program based just outside of Asheville, North Carolina that offers a multi-dimensional wilderness therapy model to troubled adolescents, ages 10-17. Trails capitalizes upon the profound effects of a student’s wilderness experience, and then combines that experience with strong clinical assessments and therapy. For additional information about Trails Carolina, please visit http://trailscarolina.com or call 800-975-7303.
College Excel (OR) is excited to announce our 2016 Summer schedule that includes more class flexibility and credit options for students.
In the past, our Summer Intensive has included a set schedule for all summer students. In 2016, we will be offering 7 set credits in the afternoon (Film and Speech) for all students, along with flexibility in the morning for students to pick their own accredited classes from the COCC course list. First term students will be taking College Success in the mornings as well as 5 weeks of our Values Clarification course and 5 weeks of College Excel seminars for a grand total of 11 college credits.
Our Fridays will continue to be filled with fun Central Oregon outdoor activities! Limited space still available!
Life Designs (WA) has been successfully empowering young adults in recovery for 18 years and we are continually evolving. Life Designs is a unique program that caters to young adults with substance abuse issues who have succeeded in other programs but need additional guidance and personal growth before becoming completely autonomous.
Life Designs is a great option for young adults that need and will benefit from continuing care that has more structure than a traditional step-down transitional program. Life Designs’ typical resident is a young adult male coming out of primary residential treatment or a wilderness program but is not ready for independence and who has a high risk of relapse if he returns home or enters a transitional program. By keeping our program small (8 clients at a time) we provide individualized and relational mentorship and programming. Life Designs promotes self discovery and independence through 12 step work, connection to nature, experiential and holistic therapy, and life skills training.
Mansfield Hall (WI) is excited when our students are ready to leave because we know they're stepping into the world with an internalized and transferable skill set which will allow them to further their academic and social pursuits as they become independent young adults.
Through the help of the Connections, our non-residential step-down support system, students who choose to stay in either Madison, WI, or Burlington, VT, are able to both maintain their positive connections to Mansfield Hall and experience even greater autonomy and independence. Connections provides non-residential academic and social support, and independent living skills and executive functioning coaching, all while supporting a student's ongoing transition into the college community of their choice.
As students transition into Connections for the 2016/17 school year, a (very) few number of spaces have opened up in the Residential Program. These spaces will go quickly, but for more information about Mansfield Hall, Connections, or to inquire about availability, please contact Jake Weld, M. Ed., Director of Admissions and Business Development, at jake@mansfieldhall.org or (877) 205-3785.
Mansfield Hall (Madison, WI and Burlington, VT) provides academic and social support for students attending college.
The Arise Society (UT) is an entirely new and authentic approach to Young Adult transition programs. Our program cultivates full-time learning through the support of a therapeutic community right within the college dorms. Well what in the world does that mean? It means that we are involved - really involved in our young-adults’ learning process.
We would like to announce that our students are receiving better grades and making academic progress (which they are). But what we are really thrilled about is that many young people who have been able to achieve good grades in the past with little effort are putting in a lot more effort and getting the help they need to move forward in their education.
Sometimes our students choose full-time learning that may be more focused on certification, sometimes they are learning how to have success in freshman classes, and sometimes it’s about having success with vocational learning. We make that decision collaboratively as we “blueprint” out an individual academic plan with our young-adults. Whatever path they choose, we think that the effort and motivation that students learn to put forth is pretty important. It seems like having academic success on their own is really hard to do in a “real-life” setting like regular college-dorms. Parents and students both agree with us; students who transition from treatment settings are inexperienced with the choices and responsibilities of the “outside” world. And parents themselves may be a little nervous about surrendering control of their young adult children at such a comprehensive level.
To get a better idea of some of the fun activities we have, please visit us on Facebook (https://facebook.com/arisesocietyprogram).
Valley View School (MA) announces the addition of Student Assessment and Family Therapy to its programming.
Each Valley View student now receives a full overall assessment by a team consisting of a licensed therapist, academic staff and residential life staff during the boy's first month of enrollment. The assessment process allows each department to evaluate the student's needs and determines which students will receive weekly individual therapy and those who may be resistant to or may not progress in individual sessions, but who may grow through the support and structure of the therapeutic milieu. The assessment also determines the student's academic strengths and weaknesses as well as his overall daily living requirements, which includes dorm life, activities, athletics and all other opportunities that will encourage and enhance his growth. A comprehensive treatment plan is then created for each boy and outlines his therapeutic, academic and residential life goals. The treatment plan is revised as necessary based on the student's achievements or continued needs throughout his enrollment.
Valley View is also pleased to announce the addition of monthly family therapy sessions via Skype. The family sessions are conducted by the student's assigned VVS therapist. Whenever possible, a family session may also occur during a family's visit to campus. The family therapy component is in conjunction with the services of parent coaching by Valley View's partnership with Parent Coach Professionals, LLC.
Meet our therapists:
Robert Ciottone, Ph.D. has provided private therapeutic services to Valley View students for twenty-three years. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors from Seton Hall University followed by a master's degree in Psychology and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Catholic University of America. Dr. Ciottone also completed a two-year fellowship at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, which involved participation in the psychiatric residency program. For many years, he taught in the Doctoral Psychology Program of Clark University and has held appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Ciottone has served as the Director of Training at the Worcester Youth Guidance Center, as Executive Director of The Rhode Island Youth Guidance Center and as Chief Psychologist at a Harvard University psychiatric clinic during which he maintained a private practice in clinical psychology providing diagnostic psycho-therapeutic services for children, adolescents and families as well as consultation for school systems and businesses. Dr. Ciottone is a fellow of The Massachusetts Psychological Association and a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in clinical psychology and has more than thirty publications and research presentations.
Tom Nowak, Ph.D. began providing therapeutic services to Valley View students twenty-seven years ago. He received his master's degree in 1979 when he left his home in Wisconsin and moved to New York City where he landed a position at a counseling center for troubled teens. Dr. Nowak says, "Somewhat to my surprise, I found that I enjoyed the challenge and excitement of working with teens. In addition, I realized that positively influencing a person at this important transitional point in life could have profound effects that ripple through his or her lifespan." Dr. Nowak received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1987 and decided to specialize in working with teenagers in his nascent private practice. His long relationship with VVS began "through an off-hand comment from a colleague. I called the school to inquire about any anticipated openings for a psychologist and after a succession of interviews, my 27-year collaboration with Valley View began." Dr. Nowak initially provided psychological testing and individual therapy to Valley View students. "I am confident that I have used my abilities and expertise to better the lives of many of our students over the years. However, I know that I have received in equal measure. From our students and their parents, I have learned profound lessons about life, love, rage, the nature of trauma, the challenges of parental anxiety, resiliency, the variegated nature of intelligence, and the jagged path to a positive sense of identity. I am honored to have been granted admission in to the lives of so many Valley View students and their families over the years. I look forward to continuing this exchange."
Fulvia Quilici Matteucci, Ph.D. has worked with Valley View students for the past fifteen years. She earned her master's degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Rome in Italy in 1989. She then was invited to Clark University as a research assistant and a year later was accepted in the Clinical Ph.D. program. Dr. Quilici finished her Ph.D. while working at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and completed her post-doctorate degree specializing in Children Clinical Psychology at MGH. She has been the Clinical Director of the Children and Family Services Program at Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center, an outpatient clinic at the Brigham & Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School. She has also supervised pre-doctorate Psychology students specializing in children. Presently, in addition to her collaboration with Valley View School, Dr. Quilici has held a private psychotherapy practice in Boston since 2000. She bases her work with children on the involvement of the "social system" to which they belong (e.g. school, family, friends). She aims to promote developmental change encouraging to change the child as main actor, but also all the parts of the social environment in which the child can thrive.
Valley View School is a small, therapeutic boarding school serving boys in grades 6-12 since 1970. Our campus is situated on 215 acres of forests and rolling hills in the heart of New England just 75 miles outside of Boston. Valley View is a therapeutic community fostering the growth of our students through a well-developed, integrative program where supportive interventions and high expectations are balanced to create a structured and supportive learning environment.
Please contact Rick Bulger, Executive Director at 508-867-6505 and r.bulger@valleyviewschool.org or visit our website at www.valleyviewschool.org for more information.
After 18 months of serving patients and families utilizing a unique model of comprehensive diagnostic assessment and treatment, Williams House at Lindner Center of HOPE ( is enhancing its programming by refining its offerings to better meet patients where they are.
Williams House offers a specialized and intimate setting within the Lindner Center of HOPE, focusing on intensive assessment and treatment of patients, age 11 through 17, suffering with complex, co-morbid mental health issues. A new 14-day core program has a primary goal of completing an intensive assessment, determining an accurate diagnosis, and planning the best next steps. The detailed but concise diagnostic picture, which may include the results of genetic testing, informs the development of the optimal psychopharmacologic treatment plan.
Additional treatment weeks can now enhance the assessment, before or after the diagnostic period, depending upon individual need and the recommendations from the Williams House clinical team.
In essence, the program is customizable around the core diagnostic assessment period to best serve patients and families. The shorter diagnostic core and more flexible additional weeks will allow patients and families to get the greatest benefit from Williams House, as they ready for next steps in treatment and life.
Williams House offers a specialized and intimate setting within the Lindner Center of HOPE, focusing on intensive assessment and treatment of patients, ages 11 through 17, suffering with complex, co-morbid mental health issues. The Lindner Center of HOPE, located in Mason Ohio, provides patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness.
Therapeutic activities come in a variety of shapes and styles, which is why EDGE Learning and Wellness Collegiate Community (IL) provides opportunities to meaningfully explore different ways to express themselves. The Art Impact Project has a history of allowing students to tell their own stories using a variety of media.
Using our existing Sunday Connection Night as a platform, facilitators from the Art Impact Project engage students and staff in expressive art projects. Students have already shared that they enjoy the non-judgmental, open environment. “I liked that I could sort of do what I wanted, with just a little guidance and some art supplies from [the facilitator],” said one young woman after the first session.
The EDGE Team continues to incorporate programming that has broad therapeutic applications to support the individual goals of all students while tailoring individual interventions to each student. The Art Impact Project joins other EDGE programming that includes a weekly mindfulness group, HeartMath, and diverse fitness programming as opportunities for students to explore new ways to manage and express emotions.
EDGE Learning and Wellness Collegiate Community located in Chicago, IL offers a therapeutically supported living environment for post-treatment young adults striving to excel academically while creating a life of balance, joy, and wellness.
Uinta Academy (UT) now offers genetic testing to help determine a persons individual response to medications. This testing may be helpful to many clients but especially those that have tried a variety of medications with little to no success. The testing has the ability to address four target areas, psychotropic medications, attention deficit hyperactive disorder medications, pain medications, and folic acid conversion. Gene Sight (https://genesight.com) works with all medical insurances for a low cost. Mayo Clinic and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center are continued research collaborators with the company.
Uinta Academy is a fully licensed residential treatment center focused on working with young ladies ages 13-21. Uinta Academy is the nation’s leading multi-dimensional residential treatment center for adolescent girls. We specialize with girls who struggle with relationships and attachment who have experienced trauma. Uinta Academy’s clinically intense and sophisticated treatment program is balanced by a warm, nurturing, family-style living environment.
PRN (CO) is excited to announce the opening of a supported independent living program for young adults. Located in the vibrant downtown area of Golden, Colorado, our brand-new apartment can accommodate 2 young adults and provide a flexible length of stay.
Participants must be able and willing to live independently; however, they will work with a master's level clinician / family consultant to create and engage in the pursuit of a personal development plan. Furthermore, they will have access to daily concierge-level support in progressing toward their goals by a team of PRN professional mentors. Independent living skills support will be customized to meet the needs of each participant, and may include job and interview skills training, tutoring services for those participants interested in pursuing college courses, sober companionship, and social skills support. We are currently accepting referrals for our anticipated opening date of April 1st.
Please contact Charles Elias at celias@prnforfamilies.com or 970-923-2323 for more information.
Jake Van Epps has been consulting with Surf House for several months and helping to strengthen and refine our therapeutic model. We are excited to announce that he has agreed to join us in a direct and permanent role as our Therapeutic Program Coordinator.
Jake Van Epps Ph.D. received his doctoral degree from The Pennsylvania State University, and his Master’s of Education from the University of Georgia. In addition to his graduate training, Jake completed a 3-year post-graduate training program in family dynamics at the Bowen Center for the Study of Family in Georgetown, DC.
Jake has extensive experience working with at-risk and adjudicated adolescents, and their families. Jake spent 5 years working at Second Nature, both the Uintas and Blue Ridge programs as a field instructor, and eventually as the Coordinator of the Education and Therapeutic programs. While at Second Nature Blue Ridge, Jake developed a unique therapeutic program that included student curriculum and corresponding staff training. During his graduate training at the University of Georgia, Jake worked for the Juvenile Counseling and Assessment Program (JCAP) where he was part of an interdisciplinary team working with adjudicated adolescents in probation offices, schools and juvenile detention centers. His responsibilities included assessment, counseling, and coordinating care among probation officers, teachers, school counselors, and families. Jake also worked for several years as a psychotherapist in college counseling centers at The Pennsylvania State University and at The University of Utah.
During his doctoral training, Jake worked on a National Institute of Mental Health R-01 grant funded research project exploring the emotional and physiological effects of various parent-child interactions. In addition, his research included studying self-compassion in the context of psychotherapy in college counseling centers across the country. Currently, Jake enjoys teaching Adult Psychopathology to counseling graduate students as a an adjunct instructor at the University of Utah, and he is a partner in an integrative health clinic called The Center for MindBody Health in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Jake’s has a diverse range of experiences, and specific training in adolescent and emerging adult development, family therapy, and therapeutic program development. He values the role of having a multicultural orientation and a sense of empiricism brings to the therapeutic process. This makes him an ideal addition to the Puerto Rico Surf House Family.
Surf House Puerto Rico works with boys and young adults, ages 16-20. Founded in 2013, Surf House is a single household program located just blocks from one of the most famous surf breaks in the world at CARR 413 Km 0.1 Rincon, Puerto Rico. Students complete their high school diplomas while receiving evidence based therapeutic support and getting certified in diving, sailing, and horsemanship. They learn Spanish and broaden their worldview while focusing on the skills and habits of living a balanced life.
Jody Dobson and Ruby Laufer of Dobson Educational Services (NJ/PA) attended the Gender Education and De-Mystification Seminar (GEMS) in February. Sponsored by a group of therapeutic programs in North Carolina, the GEMS conference was a series of presentations educating us about gender identity, gender fluidity, gender role confusion, and the issues raised when individuals realize they identify as a different gender than the body they were born with.
Issues of individual identity, cultural and institutional acceptance, family conflicts, and relationships were all explored in an open, accepting manner that was profoundly educational and emotionally moving.
Dobson Educational Services serves families seeking educational and therapeutic placements for their children, ages single-digit to young adult. We know excellent schools and programs throughout the country that serve clients with educational, behavioral, psychiatric, and addiction issues. Offices in Philadelphia and New Jersey.