All Kinds of News for April 05, 2017

Equinox RTC is excited to announce the addition of Todd Merrill, B.A. Outdoor Education and Psychology, to the Equinox family. Todd is a seasoned program professional who brings with him over 15 years of experience working with adolescents, building programs and leading adventure experiences. He joined the Equinox team on February 20^th.  

Todd's journey into the profession of therapeutic work began in 2000 upon graduating from Appalachian State University.  At ASU, Todd completed studies in Outdoor Experiential Education and Psychology, and has been learning and growing within the industry ever since.  Todd has worked in some of the most dramatic landscapes across the country leading excursions, facilitating therapeutic recreation and implementing adventure best practices.

For years, Todd has worked on combining experiential education and adventure to facilitate healing experiences.  This idea and passion lives in both his personal and professional approach to healthy living.  Todd’s experience and education fits perfectly with our recreation and adventure-based approach to changing the lives of young men. At Equinox, experiential therapy is a significant modality of change for our boys because it leads to quicker integration of skills and concepts and more fundamentally speaks to the dominant learning style of boys.  At Equinox, experiential therapy is used to integrate skills, practice regulating the brain and body, trigger new ways to connect, and thus help our boys heal. As Executive Director Dr. Kyle Gillett noted “Todd’s experience designing, leading and facilitating experiential therapeutics is exactly what Equinox has been looking for to complete our clinical and leadership teams,” adding, “Todd helps our boys make the critical connection that pushing oneself out of your comfort zone leads to internalization of positive values, coping skills, and self-confidence.”

Dan Hadley, Masters level LMFT and Clinical Director, emphasized that “Adventure and Experiential Therapeutics are two different things. What’s so powerful about the addition of Todd is that he brings expertise at designing and implementing both.” At Equinox, our model applies Adventure Therapy as a companion to Experiential Therapy, with adventure being specifically utilized for identity development through a healthy connection with the outdoors, the development of various new and old passions and increased self-confidence through skill mastery.

Todd shares Equinox’s belief that play is at the foundation of how the brain organizes information and experience, as well as where we learn to form healthy relationships.  Play, experience and adventure are all integrated into our model to create healing through the rewiring of healthier neural pathways. Todd’s understanding and experience of the male brain’s need for play and motion to be healthy is already providing a positive impact on Equinox’s young men.

The Help Group’s Advance LA (www.advancela.org) and Dr. Holly Daniels are proud to host this one-of-a kind conference, which offers sessions focusing on the needs of transitional age young adults with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), executive functioning difficulties, learning differences and mental health issues including dual diagnosis.  This event will be on Friday, May 5th, 2016.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Amy Banks, author of Four Ways to Click: Rewire Your Brain for Stronger, More Rewarding Relationships, along with other nationally-renowned experts in their respective fields, will address this year's theme of CONNECTION. Young people with diverse challenges have the same need for connection and belonging as their typical peers, even though their neurodevelopmental differences might keep them from experiencing fulfilling connections intellectually and interpersonally. This conference will adress ways to encourage and guide our young adults as they connect to themselves, to others, and to their academic and vocational pursuits.

Presentation topics include: • Career Opportunities and Job Skills for Emerging Adults with Neuro-Differences • Electronics Use – How Much Is Too Much? • The Dating World for Young Adults with Autism and Neuro-Differences • Mindfulness Support for our Clients and Ourselves • Co-Occurring Complications with Substance Abuse and Autism, ADHD • LGBTQAI Issues for our Neuro-Diverse Young Adults and much more!

Some of the speakers include Dr. Don Grant, Dr. Elisha Goldstein, Dr. Carol Schall, Dr. Jessica Romeyn, Dr. Kevin Pelphrey, Dr. Teri Solochek, Dr. Julie Lounds Taylor just to name a few.

The Advance LA Conference is open to educators, clinicians, researchers, parents, graduate and undergraduate students. Continuing education credits will be available.

FBHC Advisors is excited to welcome Alex Flood, Ph.D, BSc, MA, as Executive Director.  Alex Flood is an internationally known and highly respected expert in the field of mental health, addiction and recovery.  Alex will help lead efforts in strengthening FBHC Advisors' outreach and communication efforts with all the amazing resources and colleagues with whom we collaborate around the world, as well as working with families directly via intervention, intensive workshops and case management.  She joins the renowned FBHC team in leading strategic and development efforts. 

Alex Flood’s highly respected reputation within the mental health and addiction field, combined with her passion for collaboration with therapists and treatment centers has allowed her to work with families worldwide for placement, making her a great addition to the FBHC team. "Alex is a leader in the industry and we are exhilarated to have her lead the team," said Mike Ferguson, CEO and Founder of FBHC Advisors.  Alex's extensive previous experience includes having her own reputable private practice, a therapist for Priory Clinic Sturt, UK and Clinical Director for Farm Place in the UK before leaving to further her training in trauma and addiction in the United States.  She co-founded and was Clinical Director at Nova Vida Recovery Centre in Portugal, and Treatment Director at Milestones at Onsite in Cumberland Furnace, TN. 

Alex is based in the Nashville, TN area and travels nationally and internationally to work with clients, families and visit treatment programs. Alex can be reached at alex@fergusonbhc.com, directly at 801-376-8956, or through the main number at 800-624-2650. 

Boulder Creek Academy is now on the California Department of Education/Non-Public School Funding list.  This means families pursing academic funding from the State of California now have the option to request Boulder Creek Academy.

Boulder Creek Academy features a state certified, special education program. In-classroom teachers utilize experiential learning practices and bring tools to students such as graphic organizers, color coding and sequencing, and task initiation. Students requiring additional academic remediation benefit from evidence-based programs that support the development of phonemic awareness, passage comprehension, attention and concentration capabilities, operational and problem solving abilities and working memory.

“I am constantly amazed by the academic growth we see in our students. We have a student whose reading comprehension went from the fourth grade level to the college level and a student who is now spelling at four grade levels higher than when he enrolled,” explained Executive Director Lisa Hester.

The Academic Team includes a master’s level Director of Special Education Services and Reading Specialist, plus the Academic Director is K-12 Special Education certified. In addition, Boulder Creek's science teacher holds a Ph.D. and our master’s level English teacher has been teaching on our campus for 20 years.

Boulder Creek Academy also creates a therapeutic learning environment for students where every experience is designed to promote self-awareness, social interaction and therapeutic growth.  

The academy has spent more than two decades focused on meeting the unique needs of adolescents ages 13 to 18, who have experienced school failure and feel socially disconnected. Typical student challenges include unevenly developed cognitive skills, ability to self-regulate, social difficulties, executive function issues, depression and anxiety. Students are also bright, creative, and compassionate young people.

To help students achieve to their full potential, Boulder Creek Academy offers a carefully designed blend of academics and therapy, plus adventure and leadership opportunities. Students benefit from: a college preparatory academic curriculum; personalized learning plans; special education support; individual, group, family, recreation and equine assisted therapy; milieu counseling; character development; adventure education; plus our horticulture and therapeutic canine program.

Each day at Boulder Creek Academy is purposefully designed to maximize experiences that allow students to practice social skills, exhibit leadership qualities, benefit from therapeutic learning and have fun. Students also enjoy purposeful breaks and programming designed specifically for single-gender experiences.

For the upcoming Independent Educational Consultants Association 2017 Spring Conference in Denver, CO, Dragonfly Transitions will be facilitating a presentation on TRANSitioning: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Serving Transgender Young Adults. This will be co-presented by Clinical Director Jennifer Patzke, MA, LPC, Academic Director Phillip Squibb, MSW, LCSW, Outreach and Systems Director Sara Arredondo, MS and Mentor Michael DePew of Dragonfly Transitions.

This presentation will explore how to serve and best integrate transgender issues in a program environment by creating a forum to discuss best practices for serving transgender young adults. From a multidisciplinary approach that includes admissions, clinical, academic, vocational and programmatic processes, the presenters will offer insight into putting the student in the front and center of their own work, letting them guide the treatment within a residential therapeutic setting.

Providing a unique and client-centered perspective, the presentation will bring the voice of current transgendered students to participate through videotaped interviews. In addition, the presentation will explore perspectives in communication, working together as a team, inviting transgender students into their own treatment, and how to work in collaboration with transgender students in their process.

Over the past several years, Dragonfly Transitions has witnessed an increase in the percentage of students who identify as transgender and gender fluid. This also seems to be a wider pattern occurring across the field of young adult therapeutic treatment. Recognizing that these students are also often working with several primary treatment issues, this presentation will explore how to best serve transgender young adults throughout therapeutic treatment.

This is a continuation of a previous contribution, so please be sure to check out “Why All The Hostility Towards The 12-Steps? A Ginger's House Clinician's Take On The Steps” from the January 2017 newsletter. Part 1 looked at steps 1-3 and their similarities to the basic principles of counseling.  The goal of “Part 2” is to share the basics of the steps 4-12, as well as clarify more myths and misunderstandings. 

The 4^th step is arguably the most talked about step in the program.  It requires the most physical work and time commitment (imagine filling 5 or more spiral notebooks).  Simply put it is a list of resentments.  Most people will immediately think “Why do addicts get to write a long list about what they resent?”  First, the list is only a small part.  People also write about why they are resentful, what part of themselves is threatened (self-esteem, pride, ambitions, etc.), what was their role (fear, selfishness, blaming, etc.), and what they can do differently in the future.  Secondly, it is the act of purging of the resentments that are festering inside the addict and often leads to justifying their use.  Thus, it is imperative that they understand them and get them out.  Ultimately, the completed 4^th step highlights the areas of difficulty for the addict and the ways they are in control of their lives.    

The 5^th step is the act of reading the 4^th step to a sponsor and can take several hours or days!

Steps 6 and 7 prepare people for the radicle changes they are about to make and recommitment to their higher power.

Steps 8 and 9 have to do with amends making.  Many people will say “Amends should be the first step!”  However, most people in recovery will tell you that they were not ready to make a single amends until they were further into their recovery.  Most people wait over a year in order to make truly meaningful amends.  By waiting the person in recovery has the ability to show they are living a healthy and productive life.  Additionally, amends rarely involve the word “sorry.”  Rather they focus on restoring the wrong and often sound like “what can I do to make up for what I did?”  In some cases the repair is easy to identify, if you stole 100 dollars, you give 100 dollars.  However, more often than not people have to do “living amends.”  Meaning if they were rude, hurtful, and manipulative towards the person, they then commit to living as a kind, compassionate, and accepting individual.  There are also the times were making amends is not possible or unkind.  The best example of this is stealing from strangers, there is not easy way to make amends, so many people donate money to charity or volunteer to make amends. 

Step 10 is something that most people in early recovery (the first several years) will do every day and then as needed.  It focuses on the tenants of the 4^th step, but is designed to prevent people from needing to create another long list.  It asks people to look at what may have upset or angered them during the day and assess their part in it, as well as make immediate, direct amends if necessary.  Many people will consider this a lifelong step.  It basically says: “You’re never done with your work!”

Step 11 serves to reconnect to a high power, which is something that crucial to the success of the 12-steps.  This is not because of some belief that spirituality is the only way to be saved, but rather so that NO ONE can ever be alone with the challenges of sobriety.  Additionally, this step brings in the use of meditation.  Most people will incooperate some sort of daily meditation into their daily life as part of their sobriety.  Over the last 20-30 years the therapeutic world has been very supportive of the development of mindfulness and meditation as a coping skill.  Just remember that the 12-steps were formed almost 80 years ago, so they were clearly ahead of the trend!

The 12^th and final step focuses on the importance of supporting the community and encourages people to continue to reach out and help others work the steps.

More information about the 12-steps can be found in “The Big Book,” which was on the Smithsonian’s list of the 88 book that shaped America with the likes of “To Kill A Mockingbird” and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”  However, the best way to understand the 12-steps is to attend meetings.  Anyone can attend meeting labeled “open” and there are even apps that lists all the meetings available nearby.  To attend all you have to do is say you’re there to listen and learn.

Moonridge Academy, a small residential treatment center for younger girls ages 11-15, is a proud member of the CERTS family of programs.  Each March, the CERTS programs --Moonridge Academy, Kolob Canyon and Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy -- come together for a 2-week international trek.  In past years, treks have included trips to the British Isles, Western Europe and Eastern Europe.  This year executive teams at the different programs decided the trek would be to New Zealand and it was going to be a high adventure trip! The trip included a total of 12 students with four of them being from Moonridge Academy.  The other students on the trip were from two other CERTS programs.  All Moonridge Academy students who were on Level 4 or higher of the program were considered for the trip.  The treatment team then reviewed each student considered before making an ultimate recommendation.  Since the trip is an extra cost for parents, parents of eligible students were sent information about the trip.  A total of 6 students were eligible for the trip and of those 6 students, the parents of 4 students decided that they wanted their daughter to participate.

Adventure therapy is a large part of Moonridge Academy’s day-to-day program.  Adventure Therapy allows the girls at Moonridge Academy to challenge themselves, trying new things that are often physically difficult for them. Therapists at Moonridge Academy have said more than once, that the best breakthroughs in therapy rarely happen on a couch. The true moments of change have been seen while hiking in the rain, laughing with friends in a raft or facing fears as the student rock climbs higher than they've ever gone before.  A girl’s eligibility and invitation to participate in adventure therapy events does not depend on her level at Moonridge Academy or securing a high status in the program.  It starts on the day of admission.  Girls are immediately immersed in being active and experiencing new things.  This trip would allow the girls at Moonridge Academy to take adventure to a new level and a new continent. 

Students and staff left for New Zealand on March 6, 2017.  After a long 14-hour flight, the group arrived in New Zealand.  They were met by rain, rain and more rain.  Despite the wet climate, the students from Moonridge Academy were able to participate in planned activities in Auckland.  Some activities also had to be cancelled due to the weather, and quickly replaced by other activities. One of the students explained, “With all of the rain, we had most places to ourselves!”  Once the rain subsided and the sun came out a few days later, the trek was back on track with outside activities that would thrill just about anyone.  Activities included hiking, river rafting, bridge climbing, zip lining, snorkeling, exploring a volcano and a visit to Hobbiton.

Students and staff arrived back at Moonridge Academy on March 17, 2017.  Executive Director Tawny Thomas who directed the trip reported, “This was an amazing trip that allowed girls to experience things they had never experienced before and might never again.” One of the girls who went on the trip said that it was a “trip of a lifetime”.  She also reported that confidence in herself grew on this trip as she did things that she never thought she would be able to accomplish.  Mission accomplished! 

Skyland Trail offers comprehensive psychological assessment services as part of the residential and nonresidential treatment programs, and also as a stand-alone outpatient service.

Skyland Trail staff has expertise in diagnosing psychotic spectrum disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. In addition to clarifying a primary diagnosis, comprehensive assessment can uncover strengths that can be leveraged in the recovery process as well as underlying challenges that need to be addressed - such as a learning disability or an age-related cognitive impairment - for treatment to be successful.

Whether receiving an initial diagnosis or clarifying a previous one, assessment clients receive a comprehensive, consumer-friendly report – a roadmap for effective treatment at Skyland Trail or through another mental health service provider. A formal assessment summary and treatment recommendations are presented in both written and verbal formats to the client and his or her family by a Skyland Trail psychiatrist.

For more information, learn more at https://www.skylandtrail.org/Our-Programs/Integrated-Services/Psychiatric-Assessment or contact Dawn Collinge, 404-709-3171 or dcollinge@skylandtrail.org.

Susan has been with Gateway since 2013.  She worked in Social Services for 20 years, but when given the opportunity to teach, she knew she had found her passion.  She has over 10 years of experience in education as a tutor, paraprofessional and a substitute teacher and in 2016, was accepted into the State of Utah Alternative Route to Licensure for Special Education. Susan believes it is important to instill a love of learning in every young man.  By developing a relationship with her students, she helps build the trust they need to face academic challenges and develop self-confidence.  Susan wants every student to leave her classroom with an expanded range of knowledge and critical thinking skills that will serve them the rest of their lives.  Her great sense of humor helps students feel comfortable, inspires lively discussions, and shows that learning can also be fun.  In the end, her goal is for her students to go out into the world more equipped to take on the challenges they will face as adults.

• What is most rewarding about working at Gateway? 

Susan: For me, it is seeing students achieve success in school when they thought it was out of their reach. I have had so many students say to me, "these are the best grades I have ever made in my life", and the joy in their faces when they say this is priceless.

• What is your favorite book and why? 

Susan: It’s a tie: The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.  Both books are character driven and are full of the struggles of ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

• What is your favorite brain rule and how to you integrate it in the classroom? 

Susan: Brain Rule ~ Short Term Memory:  Repeat To Remember

I integrate this in my class by presenting the same information in several different modes.  I use the starter, word of day, SPARKS activities, videos, and both written and verbal instructions, to repeat the main ideas in our lesson.  I also frequently review what we have previously learned in successive lessons by linking our current topic with past concepts.

• When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Susan: As a child, it changed often. When I was younger I wanted to be a scientist like an astronomer or a botanist. When I got a little older, I wanted to be a lawyer or a college professor. But through it all, I always knew I wanted to teach in some capacity.

• What is your favorite thing about living in Utah? 

Susan:  The outdoors!!!  I love the mountains and especially love the desert.  Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands and Escalante are the most magical places I have ever experienced. I fell in love with this state 12 years ago when I moved here and my passion for it has not changed. I have become a hiker, biker, camper, and snowshoer, because of the beautiful landscapes in this state.

Foundation House, a transitional living and intensive outpatient program (IOP) for men ages 17-35, has hired Matthew Hendry, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Tonya Thompson, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) to lead its clinical team.

Hendry, who will oversee all aspects of the Foundation House program and clinical approach, has been working with clients struggling with addictions since 1999. He was most recently the Clinical Director for Discovery Academy in Utah where he applied a focus on Experiential Therapies.  He was drawn to the Foundation House because of the organization's commitment to helping young men take accountability for their recovery, its belief in a positive approach to helping young men find their own voice, and what that means in staying clean and sober.

Thompson is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, a National Board Certified Counselor, a Certified Experiential Therapist and has spent the past 25 years in a combination of private practice and addiction treatment programs.  She will lead the Clinical Team at Foundation House to provide the highest level of clinical care to its residents. 

In addition to her work at Foundation House, Tonya is a visiting therapist at Onsite workshops in Cumberland Furnace, TN.  At Onsite, she hones her skills of psychodrama and experiential therapy with experts Dr. Tian Dayton and Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse. In addition, through her previous work at world renowned treatment center The Meadows, Inc. in Wickenburg, AZ, Tonya had the privilege of working and training with top professionals in the field of trauma, addiction and experiential therapy including Pia Mellody, Dr. Claudia Black, John Bradshaw, Peter Levine, and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. 

“I am thrilled to have these two leaders in the field join the growing Foundation House team,” says Patrick Babcock, CEO/Owner of Foundation House. “Their experience helping others in early recovery will excel the more than fifteen years that Foundation House has spent helping young men in recovery realize a life second to none.”

A priority for Summit Prep is working to normalize life for the students as much as possible. Off campus opportunities to practice the skills they are learning are seen as an integral part of our programming. Recently the members of Summit Prep’s Team Neon had the opportunity to volunteer at an area dog sled event.  It was a great way for the girls to engage in community service while having a grand time! Here is a synopsis of the day from Neon Clinical Therapist Ayme Krogstad, R-D.M.T:

“4 am came rather quickly but Neon did an excellent job gathering their belongings and piling back into the Suburban for the three hour ride to Olney, MT. They arrived half asleep, but were ready to jump in with helping hands at the first annual Flathead Classic Sled Dog Race. Neon began the day by putting up fencing at the start/finish line for the distance race with one student eagerly stepping up to help keep time. While some of the students stayed to see off all 12 of the long distance teams the other members assisted in finishing set up at the short course. Several students stood at various places on the course to help guide both the sprint dog sled teams and skijorers (people being pulled by dogs on skis) safely through the course.

One of our students got the chance at her 15 minutes of fame when she was interviewed by a local Fox News reporter, though an adorable 6 year old junior racer ended up edging her out for the spot in the 5 o’clock news report.

Around noon, the team retired back to the vehicle and headed back to campus to shower and get ready for their closing dinner. As a special treat, Neon went to McKenzie River Pizza in Whitefish where they encountered their biggest challenge yet; what toppings to put on their pizzas! With full bellies the team returned to campus and prepared for their last day of volunteering and giving back to the community.

The team woke up to four inches of silky powder and giant flakes of soft snow falling from the sky. They arrived in Olney at 9:30 am and jumped right back in to their roles from the following day.  Some students were involved in timing the races, while others help with logistics. One of the Neon students was a natural at helping the dogs get started.  When the sprint races were finished the team spent some time thawing out while they awaited the arrival of the long race sled teams.

At the end of the day the girls were introduced to the two new pups that were Dan and Traci's from Northwest College Support (transition program in ID). Congrats to Dan and his dogs for the first place finishes in their events! At 3pm, Neon began helping with clean up and were back on campus about an hour later. A good time was had by all!”

Spring is conference season for programs in the Southeastern United States. Networking opportunities seem ubiquitous as the temperatures rise and the flowers bloom. We get excited about opportunities to spend time with our colleagues, but more importantly, share valuable information with other programs and professionals. The month of March began a veritable gauntlet of exciting learning opportunities to learn and grow for mental health practitioners. Odds are, SUWS will provide the CEUs if you attend some of the major events.

The Gender Education Demystification Symposium (GEMS) conference kicked off the busy conference season in Atlanta. This two day event brings some nationally recognized talent to unpack the intricacies of providing a safe and effective treatment environment for clients in the LGBTQI community. Keynote speakers Beck Gee Cohen, and Dr. Izzy Lowell covered topics such as Trans Recovery and Social Justice, and Medical Interventions for Gender Variant Youth. The symposium is growing in support, and SUWS is a proud sponsor of this event.

April third and fourth are the dates set for the second annual Conference for Autism. Located at the Crown Plaza in Asheville, North Carolina, this event takes place in SUWS’s home turf. SUWS spearheaded the conference in 2016 and we are happy to be a part of the magic again in 2017! Keynote speaker Liane Holliday Willey will be speaking from the perspective of females on the autism spectrum. Accompanying speakers will be SUWS Primary Field Supervisor Taisir El-Souessi LPC, and Cameron Allen, Neuro-feedback specialist. SUWS is providing CEUs.

As a proud member of the Outdoor Behavioral Health Council (OBHC), SUWS is also scheduled to play a key role in delivering material at the Wilderness Therapy Symposium held April 6th - 8th. A multitude of wilderness programs will send representatives to Asheville, NC to share new information, and celebrate the heroes of the industry. Two SUWS field staff have been chosen from a nationwide pool to receive the Jumping Mouse Award for excellence in their field. Presenting from the SUWS team will be:

Kevin Waller LPC-S, LCAS, Alice Cennamo LPC-A, LCAS-A, Cameron Allen (Neuro Feedback Specialist), and James Skelton CSAC.

New Haven announces that it is going live. Please mark your calendars to join New Haven RTC for Facebook Live events, each Wednesday in April. 

New Haven loves to use technology to connect with the families of our students, colleagues and partners. Throughout the month of April, New Haven will be using Facebook as a tool to connect or reconnect with the professionals to showcase the exciting aspects of the treatment programming that is happening on the campuses.  New Haven hopes you will tune into this new sharing medium each Wednesday this month. It is as simple as clicking here. 

Mark your calendars to experience the "live" broadcasts which begin each Wednesday at 2 pm EDT/ 1pm CDT/ 12 Noon MDT/ 11 am PDT.  

April 5th:     Overview of New Haven's Treatment Team

April 12th:    How New Haven Treatment Teams Use Outcomes

April 19th:    New Haven's Differentiated Academics

April 26th:    Getting to Know New Haven's Recovery at Hobble Creek Program

Click here to connect on Facebook and follow the live Events. 

College Excel is excited to announce two wonderful new additions to the College Excel team. With the current Admissions Director Colin Cass, moving on to travel the world, College Excel is thrilled to bring on board two professionals with outstanding resumes and experience. 

Tomas Amodia, MBA, MA, the new Recruitment Director, has more than 20 years of combined experience in leadership education, change management, and creative facilitation. Most recently, as a consultant, coach and trainer, Tomas directed programs for universities to improve student outcomes by creating better student support services and conducting needs and readiness assessments to enhance the student journey.

He discovered his passion for education during his tenure at the National Outdoor Leadership School where he led 30-90 day wilderness expeditions and designed and delivered university courses on advanced leadership, communication, environmental resource management, judgment and decision making.  In addition to his background in education, Tomas helped create and operate a mental health clinic for trauma survivors and worked as a small business development, sustainability and planning consultant.

Jon Baker, Admissions Director, grew up in northeast Ohio and went to school at The Ohio State University where he earned a B.S. in Environmental Communication/Education. He moved to Utah and began working for a wilderness therapy program in the summer of 2005 as a field instructor.  In October of 2006, Jon moved to Oregon and continued his work at another wilderness therapy program holding positions as a Field Director and Program Director. Jon values the role of College Excel within the Central Oregon community as well as its importance in the family choice behaviorial healthcare industry.  His passion for helping families, appreciation for program development, and excitement at teaching others has continued to this day.  Jon spends much his time off enjoying beautiful central Oregon with his wife, two amazing children and elderly dog.    

For Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, two Pacific Quest therapists teamed up to share their experiences of working with students who have struggled with a lifetime of frustration dealing with learning differences, often coupled with executive functioning deficits.

Dr. Brian Konik and Kristen McFee share that Pacific Quest’s horticultural therapy focus provides a unique environment for students who struggle with a combination of cognitive and emotional/behavioral issues. Pacific Quest utilizes a strength-based, “multiple intelligence” approach to learning. This approach is rewarding for students who may not have achieved acknowledgement for their strengths and abilities in traditional settings. The garden setting especially promotes growth in students’ executive functioning skills like organization, planning, abstract reasoning, memory, and attention.

Gardening provides a nurturing environment where the nervous system can become regulated, providing opportunities to “access” cognitive-behavioral interventions. By placing the student in the role of the project manager and creative problem solver in the garden, each is forced to simultaneously engage in visual-spatial organization skills and interpersonal communication. This combination of skills can be especially challenging for students who struggle with executive functioning deficits.

Many students find that their executive functioning deficits not only impact academics, but just as importantly affect their social relationships. Effort is taken to encourage social relationships, learn and practice social pragmatics and for students to have an integral role in a supportive peer group. A series of therapeutic horticultural experiences are offered with the intention of accessing the biological processes of the garden in order to increase interaction with the non-linear aspect of nature, increasing mental flexibility.

Therapists help the family reach an understanding of how learning differences contribute to the stress response of the student, help the family avoid negative attributions to the student, and create understanding and acceptance within the family system. The family works toward balancing emphasis on both struggles and strengths, as it can be easy to lose sight of the strengths in face of struggles.

Dr. Konik adds, “I am always inspired and impressed when I watch a student complete his or her legacy garden project: they are beaming with pride, smiling, wiping sweat off their soil-covered faces. And I know how many steps it took them to get here. Managing their schedule to find extra time with all of their other obligations. Days are full of academic work, therapy, yoga, groups, gardening, cooking, cleaning and yet they learn to develop a schedule and make time to create something special. The goal is to find inspiration and work hard to produce something that others who follow will benefit from. I have seen beautifully constructed lava rock walls, medicinal herb gardens, and bamboo furniture pieces, all created by students. Such accomplishments would be great for any student but they are uniquely important for those who have struggled with a lifetime of frustration dealing with learning differences.”

As part of Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness’ commitment to creating a culture and team of people who are dedicated to learning, growing and working at Blue Ridge, they have added a nutritionist, Parent Therapist, primary therapists and most recently a Director of Business Development.

Danielle Hava, LCSW, will lead the team in developing and cultivating referral relations and business development as the Director of Business Development. With over ten years in the treatment industry, Danielle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and earned her Master of Science Degree in Social Work from Columbia University (NY).  Her experience spans working with adolescents, young adults and families in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings.

Danielle naturally builds supportive relationships and is skilled at connecting with all kinds of people. Having a clinical background has been invaluable in her outreach roles and understanding the issues young people and their families struggle with has provided Danielle with a unique perspective and approach to lead Blue Ridge’s marketing and business development. Over the last ten years, Danielle’s experience has allowed her to gain a wealth of knowledge and has elevated her pursuit for personal connection. She has developed many referral relationships and she loves traveling around the country and partnering with educational consultants who play a critical role in Blue Ridge’s treatment and the families they serve.

Dan McDougal, Executive Director said, “Our goal is to run Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness in a way that reflects our unwavering commitment to quality and sustainability in all the programs we offer.” on April 1st, Danielle began utilizing her previous experience strengthening referral relations within organizations and the team at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is thrilled to welcome her into the culture and community.  

About Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness offers clinically driven programs encompassing advanced therapeutic skill, a highly flexible nomadic wilderness therapy model, ceremony, metaphor, licensed wilderness therapy assessment and multiple treatment options for troubled teens and pre-teens ages 10-18 years old.  Our individualized approach, family support and commitment to service translate to an unparalleled experience and better outcomes for adolescents and families. 

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness employs the best therapists and tenured field staff in the industry, offering the most clinically sophisticated, effective and individualized programming possible for its clients and their families. Blue Ridge is proud to announce the addition of Anne Wilzbacher, MA, LPC to their team of highly experienced and trained clinicians.

Anne Wilzbacher, MA, LPC, Primary Therapist, is an astute insight, and with her observations, has the ability to swiftly assess and directly address students in a way that is both disarming and incredibly warm and compassionate.  She is highly skilled in identifying family dynamics, working with trauma and eating disorders. She is drawn to helping students find a strong sense of identity, by helping them discover their own innate tools.  In addition, she also has expertise in working with mood disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse and addiction. She is versed in psychodynamic theory, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness approaches, group dynamic interventions, somatic-based practices, and Family Systems Therapy. Anne’s strengths will help further develop the adolescent boys program at Blue Ridge.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor who earned her Master’s degree in Psychology, Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University (Co), Anne is highly respected having worked in both wilderness and transitional living programs since 2004. Anne joins the Clinical Team at Blue Ridge from Open Sky Wilderness in Colorado. Anne’s official start date is April 24th, 2017.   
 

On March 29th & 30th, Gateway Academy hosted members of the AdvanceEd Accreditation review team (www.advanc-ed.org) as the final step in the renewal of our Academic Accreditation. Gateway Academy is licensed by the state of Utah as a Residential Treatment Center, and conducts an annual licensing review with the Department of Health and Human Services. Academic accreditation is equally as important to the success of the program at Gateway. Gateway’s Academic Program initially received formal accreditation in 2011. Gateway offers a teacher-directed college preparatory curriculum.  All credits earned are fully transferrable.   Students learn in traditional classrooms that follow the core curriculum for each subject, and Gateway teachers are specialists, certified in their individual subject areas.  Providing these learning opportunities is essential to the growth and development of Gateway Academy students, allowing them the confidence and skill set to transition into traditional academic settings, colleges and universities following graduation.      

The Academic leadership team and faculty dedicated time and energy to a successful Accreditation review process. Gateway Academy passed with flying colors, receiving the highest marks possible, and a 5 year Accreditation. Notable positive feedback was given in the areas of leadership and communication. The review team commended the Academy for excellent communication standards involving all stakeholders both internally and externally. Gateway students, families and alumni were involved in the Accreditation review with the review team gathering feedback from various members of the community. Academic Director Matt Smith shared that “the accreditation process created an invigorating opportunity for our academic team to pause in their daily routine, and to come together to more clearly articulate what it is that we do in the classroom with our students. We walked away with a more clear purpose and mission, highlighted by the positive feedback gathered from evaluation by an outside and objective third party.”

If you have visited Onward Transitions in the year since they opened, you have likely met Austin Mehlhorn.  Onward Transitions follows an autonomous model, meaning each member has their own schedule built around theraupeutic goals, individual needs and daily schedules. A marriage and family therapist, Austin works individually with members and their families on finances and in therapy. He also oversees member scheduling with therapists and outreach and wellness coordinators for multiple weekly therapy and mentoring appointments, groups, apartment visits, job site visits, and planned social activities.

Austin brings his experience working in a number of therapeutic and residential settings to the general operation of the Onward Transitions Pine House and the Neighbors alumni service. His energy, wit, creative and organizational vision, carpentry skills and steadfast demeanor are appreciated by all. 

In Austin’s own words: 

“My favorite thing about my job is being able to do a little bit of everything. With my masters in clinical mental health counseling and a focus on marriage and family therapy, I’ve enjoyed being able to work with our members and their families to help them reach their goals. Finances for most emerging adults is a challenge and our members are no different. Helping parents and children establish limits, goals, and a plan for their finances while their children are working on becoming more independent has been a unique and rewarding challenge, as is helping our members gain confidence by independently (with some support) managing their various challenges: school work, budgeting, and getting a job all while managing their mental health needs.

That would be the bulk of my focus, but I also love the other aspects of my job that keep me on my toes. Managing our milieu and helping our staff to deliver the best possible services to our members is a great, collaborative and creative challenge week to week. Especially for a young program that is trying to be as dynamic and responsive as we can as we better understand the dynamic needs of our members and their families.

As a native Maine-er I am also thrilled to be back in my home state with my wife and two dogs. Being able to experience all that Portland and Maine has to offer and do what I can to help expose our members to the fantastic food, culture, and community that we have here has been so much fun".

Mountain Valley Treatment Center (MVTC) is excited to announce a new partnership with Dr. Sandra Pimentel of Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.  This partnership is to establish an internship program at MVTC for her doctoral candidates and this will begin early this summer.

Sandy Pimentel, PhD, is Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Associate Director of Psychology Training and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Montefiore and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  She has been working closely with Mountain Valley's Clinical Director Dr. Timothy DiGiacomo and Jeanette Nogales, LCMHC, MVTC's Associate Clinical Director, to craft the program.  The Montefiore interns will be supervised by Dr. DiGiacomo and Ms. Nogales while at MV, and be responsible for, among other things, supporting MVTC's clinical staff.

Trails Carolina, a wilderness therapy program for young people ages 10-17, utilizes the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) within family programming to improve communication and strengthen relationships.

Over the last four years, Trails Carolina has used the MBTI to help students and family members better understand their personality types in order to use that information within family work.

“Unlike a lot of other psychological testing tools, the Myers Briggs test does not measure dysfunction,” says Jason McKeown, MS, LMFT, CPE, DCC, Family Programming Director at Trails Carolina. “It’s a normative assessment; it doesn’t identify abnormalities or mental health issues like depression or anxiety. It identifies who you are as a person. The lack of awareness of who we are and how we function as individuals is a contributing factor for many of the challenges Trails students struggle with.”

The MBTI helps empower students to better understand who they are as individuals and communicate that to others.

“In my work with families, I have seen the Myers Briggs do an excellent job to help families realize that they are all on the same front,” comments McKeown. “It becomes about discovering each other as a family rather than forcing the other person to be someone that they are not. It can really be a game changer for family dynamics and it helps introduce a non-confrontational language.”

McKeown is presenting a six hour workshop on the MBTI at the Regional Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Asheville, North Carolina on Thursday April 6th. His presentation will be aimed at helping therapeutic professionals better understand the ways in which the Myers Briggs can be utilized within family systems and in a clinical setting.

For more information about the ways in which the MBTI is utilized at Trails Carolina, please view our recent blog post on this topic.

Two weeks ago marked 15 years since the first female student was admitted to Alpine Academy. Since that day in March of 2002, Alpine Academy has had the privilege of working with over 600 youth and families.

There have been a lot of changes to Alpine Academy in the past 15 years. Geographically, we moved from from a single home in Cedar Hills, UT to a beautiful 35-acre campus in rural Erda, UT that has 7 spacious homes, modern academic and clinical buildings, a beautiful fitness and arts building and picturesque riding arenas and pastures for the horses.

Programmatically a lot has changed as well as Alpine has grown and developed. From big things such as becoming a fully accredited school and the creation of the ASPIRE program, to adding support staff members like a full-time special education coordinator, academic advisor and after-care coordinator. Alpine is big on feedback from students and parents and has used that to further growth by making recommended adjustments to nutrition and exercise, program advancement and the use of privileges and free-time.

Fundamentally, however, Alpine Academy remains the same as it was 15 years ago. Alpine prides itself on providing quality treatment through the use of evidence-based and research-driven methods. Alpine is proud to be a NATSAP Research Designated Program and the only NATSAP program that is accredited by the Teaching-Family Association. The Teaching-Family Model is recognized by the APA and SAMHSA as an evidence-based practice for changing the lives of students. This model is paired with loving and caring team members who are driven by a passion to help Alpine’s students and families.

Solstice West is proud to announce Julie Sheppard as the new Director of Business Development. Kris Archer, who was previously in this position will be moving on to our Solstice East location. There she will help oversee all Solstice programs. 

Julie has been working in Marketing for the past 16 years and brings a bubbly and warm personality with her. Even though Julie is new to working in the Family Choice Behaviorial Healthcare industry, her sister is Janet Farnsworth who is Executive Director of another treatment center in Utah. Seeing the influential work her sister does inspired her to want to enter the mental health field, which Solstice West is so glad she did. 

Solstice is thrilled to have Julie as a part of their team and knows that everyone who works with her will as well. 

Greenbrier Academy for Girls (GBA) is always working with staff and clinicans to enhance their professional development.  Equine-Assisted Therapy is offered as a clinical service to assist girls who attend GBA in meeting specific treatment goals. Equine-Assisted Therapy is an experiential therapy provided by a qualified mental health professional that incorporates horses into the emotional growth and learning process. Students learn about themselves and others by participating in group sessions with the horses, then processing emotions, behaviors and patterns evoked in their experiences with the horses.

During the fall of 2016, Kelly Beasley, M.Ed., GBA therapist, participated in the Keys to Connection workshop to deepen her understanding of the horse-human bond.  Kristin Fernald, MA, along with Brigette Potgieter, LCSW, facilitated this 3-day workshop using the HEAL Model™ of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy and Learning (EFPL) at Shady Oak Farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The HEAL Model™ of EFPL is an experiential learning model, based on scientifically validated principles from the fields of neuroscience and psychology (human and animal). The HEAL Model™ teaches core skills for navigating and enhancing relationships, while strengthening autonomy and awareness of self. This aligns with the Applied Relationality Model that GBA employs. The professionals who attend are quickly able to incorportate their professional development work into the Equine Assisted Therapy work with the girls at GBA. 

Outback Therapeutic Expeditions will have key members of the leadership team presenting at two poignant symposiums as well as a prominent conference arena in April and May 2017. Clinical Director Greg Burnham, MS, LMFT and Business Development Director Tracy Hopkins, MSW are set to cover a wide range of topics designed to address quality of service provided to a diverse pool of students and their families. According to Executive Director McKay Deveraux, CSW, MSW, “recognizing and understanding the complexities of the bio-psycho-social components that impact and shape our students, families and staff are critical first steps in providing quality care. On-going training and education regarding such complexities, however, are essential in improving the quality of care and enhancing the experience of our clients and families receiving treatment.”

In the upcoming months, members of the Outback team will present at the Autism Symposium (NC), Regional Wilderness Symposium (NC) and the Spring Independent Education Consultants Association (IECA) conference in CO. Greg Burnham will be joining a team of professionals to deliver a powerful case study on the continuum of care during the Autism Symposium scheduled for early April 2017. He is also set to present at the upcoming Spring IECA on the use of attachment model throughout the continuum of care. During the upcoming Regional Wilderness Therapy Symposium, Tracy Hopkins, MSW, will deliver a 3-hour experiential presentation on implicit bias and the power of influence, with the adverse affects they can have on individuals within marginalized populations. Within the same symposium, Tracy will also facilitate a panel discussion on supporting those who identify as women in the process of advocating for needs and recognition of worth.

The leadership team at Outback Therapeutic Expedition has placed great value on staff continuing to expand and develop the necessary skills required for self-improvement and sharpening leadership skills. As such, Outback is committed to creating space for collaboration, rich discussions, and presenting on topics that focus on understanding how to effectively work with individuals with differences.

At Chrysalis, the academic program is committed to offering a high quality education that connects with each student's individual academic and therapeutic needs.  This goal is met through offering personalized support in small, teacher-led classes in a warm and caring classroom environment designed to both support and challenge students.  Chrysalis is proud of each of the members of the academic team and would like to focus the spotlight on Krysten Fitzsimmons, the English and College Prep teacher.

Krysten is from Oregon and attended college in Montana.  She earned her Bachelor's Degree in English teaching, and is currently working on her Master's Degree in Special Education.  When not teaching school or attending school, Krysten is active in the local community theater, and enjoys all the outdoor activities that living in northwest Montana affords with its mountains, rivers and lakes.  Krysten is accompanied on these adventures by her fiance, Jeremy and canine sidekick, Ruger.

Krysten finds the Chrysalis academic program to be unique in that it addresses each student where she is, as opposed to just adopting the prescription a larger school may assign them to.  She describes one her favorite aspects of teaching at Chrysalis as the satisfaction of watching one of her students graduate from high school, when just months earlier at the beginning of their Chrysalis journey they had felt that would never be achievable for them.

When asked why she loves teaching English, Krysten replied.  "Reading and writing, that's what life is all about.  I get to help my students find a way to learn this in a way that's personal to them."

About Chrysalis School
Chrysalis is a small therapeutic boarding school for girls ages 13-18, located in Montana. Our mission is to provide the best quality therapeutic services, education and experiential opportunities to adolescents and their families in the context of a warm and nurturing residential boarding school environment while maintaining a commitment to integrity in all that we do.

The team at Living Well Transitions is excited to announce the recent partnership with Parent Coach Professionals (PCP) to bring their knowledge, experience and coaching skills to aid parents on their own journey. Living Well Transitions recognizes the value for our parents to have additional emotional support and skills coaching during the time their young adult is enrolled in the program.

When clients land in Boulder, they immediately begin attending to their new lives in Colorado. They are met by a team of skilled clinicians to aid them in the many areas that Living Well serves, and can depend on this team for continued support and guidance. Additionally, Living Well assists families while their young adult is the program by providing regular updates on the client’s journey, education and coaching that specifically addresses the developmental needs of their child, and parent support in preparing for visits, phone calls and their child’s increasing independence.

The PCP team is comprised of experienced, highly trained and credentialed Parent Coaches who are dedicated to ongoing education and development, and to providing the highest quality parent coaching and parent education available. They are also proud members of the International Coach Federation (ICF).  With 150+ years combined experience, Parent Coach Professionals are well positioned to support families struggling with a myriad of issues and pride themselves on offering highly personalized parenting solutions.

Parent Coach Professionals understands the components that make up Living Well’s program, know the staff and are available to assist in deepening families' understanding of those components at work within their own family's dynamics.

Honor. Integrity. Accountability. Success.  At some schools and youth treatment programs, terms like these are little more than vague concepts, but not at Turn-About Ranch.  At Turn-About Ranch, a residential youth treatment program that is located on a historic working cattle ranch in Escalante, Utah, honor, integrity, accountability and success are guiding principles for staff members and very real objectives for students.  These values are at the core of the program's guiding philosophy and are central components of daily life on the Ranch.  They play a primary role in the long-term successes Turn-About students achieve after they complete their enrollment and return home.

Core values often fall by the wayside as we lose our way in life.  If you are the parent of a struggling teen, you know the damage that can be done when honor ceases to be a concern, when integrity becomes an afterthought.  If you'd like a look at what life could be like with a child who not only understands these concepts, but embraces them, take a few moments to learn about Turn-About Ranch.

An Emphasis on Accountability

From the moment they arrive at Turn-About Ranch, students learn that accountability is the foundation upon which their future successes will be built.  "We hold our students accountable for everything they do," said Michelle Lindsay, the Ranch's Executive Director. "This program is based on making real changes -- and as we always tell them, if you can own it, you can change it."

In addition to emphasizing the importance of being accountable for present and future decisions, staff members and therapists at Turn-About Ranch also encourage the students to take responsibility for the attitudes and actions that led to problems in the past.  "If students are still stuck in the pattern of blaming parents or others for their problems, they're not making any real progress," Lindsay said. "The students need to own up to their mistakes before they can start making the changes they need to make."

The Value of Hard Work

Making real, lasting changes to one's attitudes, beliefs and behaviors isn't easy. But at Turn-About Ranch, hard work isn't limited to classrooms and therapy sessions.  In addition to benefitting from the Ranch's respected academic and therapeutic programs, students at Turn-About Ranch also fulfill many of the responsibilities that are required to keep a working cattle ranch up and running.  This daily milieu naturally fosters essential values like honor, integrity, and accountability.

From repairing fences to hauling hay and feeding livestock, students work with staff members to complete the myriad duties that are essential to successful ranch operations. And though the students may not initially appreciate the value of the jobs they are doing, ranch staff-members make it clear that the work is both necessary and beneficial to the students as well as to the ranch.  Lindsay explains, "This isn’t busy work. They're doing necessary tasks that need to be done. They're making valuable contributions and taking an active role in what makes the Ranch work."

A Cooperative Effort

Emphasizing the value of work, staff supervisors and personal counselors work side-by-side with the teens who are enrolled in the program.  The therapeutic process often occurs out in the field, working alongside a student.  Instead of being confined to talking about problems in the office, they are out doing and relating the activities to their life at home.  "Our staff members don't sit and watch students work," Lindsay said. "They work right alongside them, and the students can see the sincerity in what they [staff members] say and do. Our students don't work for our staff members -- they work with our staff members."

With staff members and veteran students serving as role models to new arrivals, an appreciation for the value of work is a constant component of the Turn-About Ranch experience. And though the students may not see the connection at first, the work they do on the ranch directly impacts the successes they are seeking in the academic and therapeutic parts of their lives.  "Working on the ranch gives students a sense of worth and empowerment," Lindsay explained. "There's value in being tired at the end of the day, and feeling proud of what you've accomplished."

From Struggling to Self-Sufficient

This sense of work-related pride is central to Turn-About Ranch's effort to help students transform themselves from struggling and dependent to self-reliant and self-sufficient.  With individual, group and family therapy sessions, the master's level (and above) therapists help students define the obstacles that are preventing them from achieving their true potential, then work with students and their families to develop the skills and strategies that will enable them to overcome these obstacles. 

As students develop the ability to exercise greater control over their attitudes and emotions, they find that they are able to achieve on the individual level while also making positive contributions to the greater group. And as they demonstrate that they have begun to internalize the concepts of honor, integrity and accountability, they are given greater responsibilities on the ranch; they serve as mentors to other students, and they assume more formal leadership positions within the program.

When students graduate from Turn-About Ranch, the challenges that they will face -- difficult academic subjects, family crises, the inevitable interpersonal conflicts -- will still be there, but because they have embraced the program's core values, the students will be much better prepared to deal with these issues in healthy ways.  "We emphasize empowerment, coping skills, and improved interactions," Michelle Lindsay, M.S., LPC said. "We want our students to be able to return home and become more productive members of their families -- and we want them to be able to live lives of integrity, honor and accomplishment."

Elevations RTC, a co-educational residential treatment center for teens ages 13-18, utilizes a normalized campus environment to encourage academic and therapeutic success.

Elevations RTC strives to create not only a strong therapeutic environment but also provide a co-ed experience for students, which is designed to approximate, as closely as possible, the interactions that their counterparts experience in traditional middle school and high school.  Students participate in co-ed activities on campus including the school day, etiquette dinners, co-ed therapy groups (level appropriate), and off campus recreational activities including snowboarding/skiing, hiking, running, bicycling, etc.

Teens often struggle to navigate relationships with opposite sex peers when mental health and/or behavioral issues are within the expected ranges.  Youth who struggle with mental health or behavioral issues often have increased difficulties navigating and managing these relationships. And so treatment with appropriate co-ed components as part of the overall experience provides a venue for students that helps them learn to manage their relationships and practice pro-social behaviors with peers of the opposite sex. This becomes increasingly important as students transition from a treatment environment into traditional school and home environments.

“Myself as well as other therapy staff often participate in off campus recreational activities such as skiing, camping and hiking,” comments Jordan Killpack, MA, NCC, LCMHC, Clinical Director at Elevations RTC.  “A student will often interact more openly with their therapist on a ski lift or while hiking in the outdoors. These opportunities to interact with students in an environment outside of the typical office setting help the clinical staff to reinforce therapeutic relationships and trust.”

At Elevations, many students struggle with academic challenges in addition to behavioral or emotional issues. The co-educational academic environment at Elevations RTC mirrors what students experience in a traditional high school setting. In addition to providing a normalized “real world” environment, the therapeutic and academic programming at Elevations are fully integrated.

“As a teacher of 18 years, I understand that the behaviors students exhibit in a classroom are very multi-layered and intricate. As educators, we need to be able to understand and unravel these complexities,” says Jennifer Capellen, Dean of Students at Elevations RTC.

Over the years, Capellen and the academic team at Elevations have worked closely with families and students to develop effective individualized academic plans.

“I absolutely love the fact that I can attend therapeutic groups with students, go on off campus activities with them, or even train for and participate in a triathlon alongside of them,” comments Capellen. “The relationship that is created in the moments outside of my history classroom ultimately help develop a positive and productive relationship that heeds positive results, both in the academic arena as well as the student’s overall well-being. If I can help a student understand how their learning is impacted by their emotional issues, then I have succeeded in giving them a better picture of their academic future and a healthier one overall.”

At ViewPoint Center, our clinical staff administers an assessment process in order to diagnose and form treatment plans for their patients. Some of these evaluations are neuropsychological in nature and others are psychological. But what is the difference between them? And what benefits do each provide struggling teens?

Dr. Jordan Rigby, Director of Assessment at ViewPoint Center explains that, like in most fields, there are many different types of psychologists. The most common type being what his graduate training and experience is in: clinical psychology. A clinical psychologist is someone who can assess, diagnose and treat psychological and mental health problems. These can include, but are not limited to, psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder etc. 

Early in Dr. Rigby’s training he was exposed to the specialty of clinical neuropsychology. This is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders associated with brain-based conditions. 

Neuropsychology relates to the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional deficits resulting from patterns of cognitive strengths and weakness in someone with difficulties often associated psychiatric (e.g., depression), neurodevelopmental (e.g., autism spectrum), and neurocognitive (e.g., traumatic brain injury) disorders. This requires post-doctoral training and supervision in addition to a clinical pre-doctoral internship.   

A neuropsychological assessment differs from the psychological evaluations conducted by a clinical psychologist. A clinical psychologist will assess a child's history, intellectual abilities, basic academic skills, and conduct a personality assessment. This type of assessment does not include tests to reliably capture cognitive difficulties associated with attention, memory, learning, or executive functioning weaknesses. 

Unlike Traditional Psychological Evaluations, Neuropsychological Evaluations:

• Use a series of tests to assess various areas of cognition and behavior. These areas include: memory, attention, learning, processing speed, and abstract reasoning. This information is linked back to brain structures, to provide information regarding the impact of any identified areas of difficulty on a person's everyday functioning.
• Include detailed investigation of a child's developmental, medical, social, and psychological history. This is in addition to an extensive testing battery that examines intellectual, academic, attention, executive functioning, language, visuospatial, visuoconstructional, memory, and fine motor skills.

The results of a neuropsychological assessment are intended to identify not merely any intellectual or learning difficulties, but also any other cognitive or psychological difficulty that may be a contributing to an adolescent’s profile.

ViewPoint Center utilizes neuropsychological assessments along with psychological evaluations to provide patients with the most comprehensive assessment process possible.

As part of PRN for Families' ongoing effort to best support families who choose to bring their child home following a wilderness therapy experience, PRN is currently offering a specialized package of services specifically tailored for this transition. PRN’s Wilderness Reunification package is designed to assist families in strengthening the emotional, behavioral and communication skills that they learned in wilderness, while further building on these strategies and creating support for healthier family relationships within their own community.

PRN’s foundational approach to supporting families utilizes a home-based family systems assessment, and the Wilderness Reunification package offers this as a three day (rather than a five day) process. A licensed clinician, trained in the family preservation model, spends time with each family member and with the family as a whole during this time. Observation, formal and informal assessment, and collaboration with local clinical, academic and social supports provides the PRN clinician with a clear sense of what is needed, and how to move forward with providing the family with needed wrap-around support.

The assessment process is followed by 12 weeks of case management, case consultation, family coaching, parenting education, mentor services, life skills, and 24/7 crisis support. PRN’s services are always customized to meet the specific needs of each family with whom we work. The Wilderness Reunification package is offered as a more affordable option to those families who are concerned about the cost of ongoing treatment, but who also recognize the importance of extended care in order to bring their family into a healthier mode of functioning.

About PRN for Families

PRN for Families is a home-based support program that serves families who have children or young adults who are struggling, or for whom an out-of-home placement may be necessary. Since 2003, PRN for Families has offered intensive at-home intervention, crisis support, transition and reunification services that empower and support families so that they may live together successfully and safely