All Kinds of News for May 10, 2017

All Kinds of Therapy is pleased to announce Next Chapter as a new advertising partner. Located in Florida and accrediated by The Joint Commission, Next Chapter focuses its work on young men and men in a holistic approach to treatment who may have a history of trauma, personality disorders, anxiety, depression, varying types of addiction disorders and in search of recovery.  This is a clinically intensive treatment provider with a psychiatrist on staff, individual therapy, group and family workshops.  "It is exciting to have a quality young men's treatment program on All Kinds of Therapy," said Jenney Wilder, creater of All Kinds of Therapy. "Gender specific treatment for young adult men is incredibly valuable and needed to ensure that trauma can be addressed in a safe treatment setting."

Since the Next Chapter patient may be complex in nature, they offer a wide variety of treatment modalities to assure clinical needs are met.  Steve Brenner is the Director of Admission, Hugh Nash is Director of Business Development and owners are onsite, in order to be involved in daily operations.  Next Chapter also recognizes that not all men need inpatient treatment and therefore offers workshops to address the treatment needs of men in a week long experience.    

Equine Assisted Counseling and Therapy has long been a mainstay of clinical intervention at Moonridge Academy, a small residential treatment center that specifically meets the needs of younger girls ages 11-15.  Equine Therapy is experiential in nature.  This means that students will learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with horses.  Activities include leading a horse, grooming a horse, haltering a horse and maneuvering the horse to complete specific tasks.  The participant then processes their feelings, actions and behaviors after they complete the activities.   At Moonridge Academy, therapists have found that working with horses has helped the students learn emotional regulation, creativity, problem-solving skills and better communication skills.  Horses are extremely sensitive to a human’s emotions and they respond accordingly.  This makes a horse a wonderful team member with a girl's therapist to help a girl learn more about herself and how she approaches the world.  Working with the horses, girls begin to feel successful, sometimes for the first time in their lives.  For these reasons, therapists at Moonridge Academy utilize Equine Assisted Counseling on almost a weekly basis. 

The Moonridge Academy Clinical Director, Recreation Director, Executive Director, Equine Director and therapists recently spent 3 days working with Pegasus Training to receive advanced training and certification in Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC).  Not only did this advanced training provide the clinical team with more insights, activities and ideas to improve the Equine Therapy already being provided, but it also helped the clinical team bond and communicate better.  The clinical team is consistently looking to improve and advance their expertise in clinical modalities to help the students at Moonridge Academy heal.  

The team at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness continues to strengthen the wilderness therapy program and propel forward with their vision of weaving together the inherent healing of a nomadic wilderness experience with advanced clinical skill. As part of Blue Ridge’s continuing commitment to their vision, they have refined and augmented their family services component with Ashley Green, LCSW moving from her Primary Therapist role with Footsteps into the full time role of Family Services Therapist.

This is a steadfast enhancement to Blue Ridge’s clinical programming and the company is proud to offer this supportive service to parents with a child in the wilderness therapy program. Blue Ridge believes that addressing family dynamics and improving communication between parents and children throughout the process is paramount. Both the Primary Therapist and the Family Services Therapist work closely together to individualize treatment for each student and tailor family services to each family in a way that is consistent with their needs. Blue Ridge continues to offer weekly, parent-to-parent mentoring in the form of a group call facilitated by Ashley. And so, in addition to a call with the Primary Therapist and the parent-group conference call, Ashley will offer a supplemental individual call with parents each week.

Ashley runs Parent Workshops on a monthly basis and parents are invited to attend once or more throughout their child’s time at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness. Workshops provide direct experience with clinicians, field instructors, other parents, as well as experiential activities. The goal is to educate parents on healthy parent-child relationships while connecting parents to helpful tools.

The Blue Ridge team is thrilled to announce the addition of Jeremy Nunnelley, LPC, as the new Primary Therapist for Footsteps. By bringing Jeremy on board, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is expanding the unique programming for co-ed, middle school-aged students, who are often called “Footsteppers”. This group will continue the use of the hybrid basecamp model, which is developmentally appropriate for these particular students, ages 10-14, to spend time regrouping and working on experiential activities and art projects.

Jeremy comes to Blue Ridge with 16 years of experience helping children and adolescents in various therapeutic settings. Having significant experience in outdoor therapeutic programs, wilderness programs, therapeutic boarding schools and a public school district, Jeremy has a well-developed understanding of the emotional and behavioral problems with which many children and adolescents struggle. With a calm and compassionate presence, Jeremy is effective at challenging students to examine their behaviors along with the underlying thoughts and emotions. In working with younger students, Jeremy emphasizes emotional regulation and the development of strong therapeutic relationships. Once these important elements are in place, students invest in therapy and discover their capability for growth and change.

Jeremy has extensive experience treating adolescents who struggle with oppositional and disruptive behaviors, anxiety, depression, anger, trauma/abuse, attachment issues and mood dysregulation. Having privately taught effective parenting for several years, Jeremy is also skilled at coaching parents on how best to address their child’s challenges while promoting the development of strong family relationships. He has received training in and effectively employs many therapeutic approaches including Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR. Through active involvement in continuing education, Jeremy maintains an up-to date awareness of developments in neuroscience and its application to clinical practice.

Jeremy is a Licensed Professional Counselor who earned his Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Georgia School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University Atlanta. He will take new Footsteps students, ages 10-14, beginning May 9.

After an overwhelmingly successful first conference, Phoenix Outdoor at SUWS of the Carolinas is excited to invite proposal submissions for the 2nd Expanding Recovery for Young People Conference and Wellness Retreat. Last August a diverse group of individuals, including therapists, educational consultants, authors and interventionists, presented on major themes, trends and issues impacting young people in recovery. The working theme for this year’s conference is Continuing the Conversation, wherein we invite cutting-edge proposals that will address the options, needs and future of recovery treatment for young people.

Join us September 6th-8th for three days of education, self-care and personal growth, as we explore the expanding options for young people in recovery. Hosted on the scenic campus of Camp Kanuga near Hendersonville, NC, we are proud to continue this conference with key-note speakers Kristina Wandzilak and her mother Constance Curry.  

Kristina Wandzilak, CAS, CIP is the Founder of Full Circle Intervention, Full Circle Intensive Outpatient and Full Circle living. She has been a leader in the addictions industry since 1995, and co-authored "The Lost Years" with her mother, Constance Curry. Their story of healing and hope will be accompanied with breakout sessions and presentations from nationally recognized leaders to provide participants with CEU's. Experience daily yoga and meditation, biofeedback stations, nature hikes, speaker panels and much more.

10.5 CEU/Clock hours provided for full conference participation.

Please email Kelly Dunbar for more information on how to register or submit presentation proposals: kelly.dunbar@suwscarolinas.com 

Mountain Valley has created a team to support OCD awareness at the Boston #1Million4OCD Walk. The residents at Mountain Valley, the staff, parents and families of staff are all excited to show their strength at the Boston event on June 3, 2017.  If you are interesting in joining the team, please contact Mountain Valley. 

As the Independent Educational Consultant Association’s (IECA) Spring Conference draws near, Living Well Transitions and Fulshear Treatment to Transition have prepared a dynamic pre-conference workshop, Exploring Attachment and Acceptance in Young Adult Treatment, taking place on May 10^th in beautiful Boulder, CO.

Fulshear’s Executive Director Nikki Preece and Executive Clinical Director Kevin Randall will present The Fulshear Adult Attachment Model™, which was developed in response to talking with clients who have had extensive experience in therapeutic environments, yet still felt that what they knew about themselves was “nothing good.” Armed with this information, Nikki and Kevin felt that Fulshear needed to provide something different than what had been done before, thus the Adult Attachment Model™ was born. To learn more about this model click here.

Carl Baccellieri, Executive Director at Living Well Transitions, will provide an in-depth training on the applications of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in young adult treatment. ACT is uniquely suited to the young adult population, due to its focus on valued living – the intentional act of engaging in what matters most to them, even in the presence of the aversive experiences that accompany living in a way where a young  adult’s love, work and worldview are at stake.  The more they care, the scarier it is to really show up to their lives.  Attempts to control their exposure to this fear by avoiding circumstances that trigger this fear, or else avoiding knowing what they truly care about, are ultimately unworkable in that they leave young adults living smaller and smaller lives of less and less freedom to act.

Clinicians working with an ACT approach are able to offer emerging adults an alternative to the all-too-common trap of attempting to “not adult today”, as a solution to the challenges of adult life.  As emerging adults learn to open to their experience as it is, without the attempt to control it, they paradoxically develop the psychological flexibility to move in the direction of what they truly care about.  This is the basis for the kind of adulting that leads to adult lives of meaning, connection and love. 

Red Oak Recovery and Bradford Health Services, for the benefit of the Young Adult Recovery Network (YARN), present the Carolinas Symposium on Young Adult Treatment. This conference will be held in Asheville, North Carolina, June 8-9, 2017 at the Crown Plaza Hotel and Resort. The conference website to learn more about sponsorship or exhibit opportunities and registration is now available.  There is a limited number of attendees, be sure not to wait.

Eleven different speakers lined up for the Young Adult Recovery Network event.  There are interventionists and therapists who specialze in different areas of treatment and recovery services for young adults.    

This week, Summit Prep unveils their new and improved website. Please visit the website at www.summitprepschool.org.

Summit Prep’s Mission Statement

To Transform the Lives of Teens by Promoting Emotional Maturity, Academic Success, and Healthy Relationships.

Statement of Diversity

Summit Preparatory School desires is to encourage diversity and inclusiveness. Their developmental model is based on the premise that promoting healthy maturity entails helping teens adjust to life in the real world, and so Summit Prepartory seeks to promote as normalized a treatment setting as possible. This extends to choices of therapeutic activities, campus design, campus location, recreational choices, and social activities, and also extends to creating a diverse student population so students learn to interact positively with teens different from them.

This helps prepare students for the diversity of the real world once they leave Summit.

What this means for Summit Preparatory families is that at times participating families get well-acquainted with persons quite different from them, in regard to race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression (transgender), age, sexual orientation, national origin (ancestry) and disability. Summit Preparatory intends these interactions as "wonderful opportunities for personal growth for your teen" as students acclimate to diversity within Summit’s supervised and nurturing environment. This life-styling is good practice for the real world.

ViewPoint Center helps adolescents struggling with a variety of challenges, including an informed and sensitive approach to teen's experience of trauma. If a student has experienced trauma in their past or is suspected of experiencing a response to trauma, we conduct a comprehensive assessment of trauma. The assessment is conducted through a multidisciplinary approach which involves every member of the staff.

The ViewPoint Center’s team includes a psychologist and several therapists, psychiatric practitioners, nurses, and direct care staff. As a team, they work collaboratively to assess for a wide range of traumatic events. The assessment is conducted through several avenues which include clinical interviews, standardized measurements and observations. 

The entire team also gathers information from a variety of sources including key figures in the child’s life such as parents and caregivers. We also seek information from school representatives, past providers and education consultants. 

After gathering information and observing the adolescent, the ViewPoint treatment team discusses how each traumatic event has interfered or impacted:

• Development
• Functioning (daily living, social, interpersonal)
• Emotional regulation
• Risk factors for behavioral expressions of symptoms.  

During the assessment, the team also discusses how other mental illnesses may be contributing to the functioning of the adolescent. As part of the assessment, it is essential to determine what trauma-focused interventions, as well as other interventions, may be effective in relieving the symptoms and trauma responses many of our adolescents experience. 

After an initial assessment is completed, the team works towards establishing the next steps. An ongoing assessment is beneficial in determining the relief of symptoms, changes in symptoms and the effectiveness of ongoing treatment. 

Throughout adolescents' time at ViewPoint Center, the community at ViewPoint remain dedicated to providing the most thorough assessments possible in order to form an accurate treatment plan.

A positive milieu is a structured community environment which provides teens with the support they need to create lasting changes for emotional and behavioral challenges.  The milieu on campus helps students improve communication skills, feel like members of a team, and build a positive peer culture.  At Elevations, team directors play a large role in ensuring that the milieu on campus is supportive and healthy.

Jamie Clapier, team director of the Green Team on campus, works closely with her team to help each student achieve success.

“In my role, I help foster a positive peer culture, which promotes healthy relationship skills,” comments Clapier.  “A positive peer culture is created through trainings, in the moment coaching, and communication with all members of the treatment team.”

Practicing communication skills and working together as a team are important aspects of creating a positive milieu on campus. Tiffany Paquet, the team director for the Ruby and Diamond teams, describes her role in developing these skills: 

“I get to observe the different dynamics of each team and implement creative therapeutic interventions that foster a positive milieu,” comments Paquet. “ I also have the opportunity to give hands on coaching to our direct-care staff in order to provide the best possible client care.  Our multidisciplinary team act as role models for pro-social behaviors. By doing this we teach our students the skills necessary to help them build happy, successful lives. Working as a team helps break that ‘us versus them’ mentality. After all, I believe we learn just as much from them as they do from us.”

In addition to working closely with students to help build strong social skills, team directors track the progress students make.

“As a part of training and supporting milieu staff, I get to interact with every student on campus on a regular basis, often during challenging times,” comments Team Director Aaron Sceili. “This allows me to learn about each resident and see the progress they make, day in and day out. ”

Program Director Eric Flores, who oversees the team directors as well as the milieu programming in general, describes the team effort in creating a healthy, thriving culture on campus:

“Elevations is a family, a community of professionals who strive to achieve greatness,” says Flores. “This community continuously evolves standards and best practice applications in order to provide exceptional client-care. The knowledgeable and collaborative professionals at Elevations thrive at setting the standards that have defined it as a leader in the Adolescent RTC community.”

Dave “Red Hawk” Slater received the Excellence in Service Award at the 2017 Regional National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) conference in St. George, UT.

Red Hawk has been a field instructor with Evoke Entrada for over 7 years, and including his time spent working with another treatment program, has been in the field for well over a decade. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge that pervades the work he does with Evoke participants, as well as mentoring his fellow staff members. He embodies the qualities of enthusiasm, creativity, hard work and passion.

He is also undisputedly the "hardskills" master at Entrada.  Regularly Red Hawk encourages and coaches the Evoke Entrada participants to try new and empowering projects like hand drills, pump drills, wooden chains and even a collapsible stool. He is a strong believer in the basics of wilderness therapy, and can be relied upon to bring the focus back to hiking, busting a fire and camp life. From these activities he is able to utilize metaphor and personality to draw deep connections for the participants, and foster an environment where they can change and grow. He consistently pushes himself out of his comfort zone to respond to feedback, role modeling for all of the Evoke instructors what it means to be dedicated to the growth process. Red Hawk’s dedication to Evoke's participants, instructors and program make him a valuable addition to the treatment team.

Turn-About Ranch is excited to announce two new additions to the Turn-About team.  Matt Gould is a Doctoral Candidate at Grand Canyon University, and will finish a degree in Organizational Leadership, circa summer 2017.  Matt received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Homeland Security Policy from Walden University (MN).  His Bachelor’s Degree had emphasis in Policy Administration.

Matt is happy to have found an opportunity to get back to the simple life and slow things down a little.  He brings years of experience in both HR and operations management, so Turn-About Ranch is excited to have him join the team. Matt is looking forward to fishing, camping, hunting, reading for fun and spending more time with family and friends. Matt loves music and if you stop by his office you are likely to hear his favorites stretching from the early 1800s-today.

Clinical Excellence and continued improvement are two values important to Turn-About Ranch.  That is why they are so excited to welcome Rob Caldwell, CSW, LCSW to the Turn-About Ranch Clinical Team.  Rob is a well-seasoned, experienced clinician and has worked with troubled youth and their families for the past 24 years.  In addition to working with Child and Family Services in the government and private sectors, Rob has considerable experience working in programs for struggling youth like Turn-About Ranch.  His experience as a Program Owner and Executive Director as well as a Program Director and Program Therapist provide added depth to Turn-About’s program. 

Rob has the unique and valued ability to not only engage teens and families in the treatment process, but to hold them accountable while nurturing self-awareness and growth.  Rob has received gratitude from families for how he helps them navigate a seamless transition from external details to internal reflection and accountantability. He has proven to be an excellent addition to the Turn-About Ranch Clinical Team.

Rob also enjoys all sports, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and giving his students a run for their money on the basketball court.  He values family above all and will work hard to help our clients maintain the integrity of their families as well.

Greg Burnham, MS, LMFT and Tracy Hopkins, MSW both hold leadership roles within the Outback Therapeutic Expeditions community. As such, both are committed to upholding the 4 pillars of Outback: Identity, Family Dynamics, Vision and Resilience. During the month of May 2017, Greg Burnham, Clinical Director is scheduled to present during the Spring Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA) Conference in Denver, CO, on Family Dynamics. Tracy Hopkins, Business Development Director, is the keynote speaker at a local REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc) event in Asheville, NC on Identity and Redefining the Narrative for Women and the Outdoors.  

The topic of Family Dynamics and in particular Attachment Theory is one of great interest and passion to Greg Burnham, MS, LMFT. As Clinical Director and a Primary Therapist at Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, Greg is able to help families understand and progress through the continuum of care. Of his work, he says, “I love what I do, I care for the people I work with…” During the Spring IECA on May 12^th, Greg will present “Is Your Family Work Synergistic or Nihilistic? How Successful Treatment Hinges on Accurate Assessment of Attachment.” This presentation will focus on how to use an attachment model, based on Gordon Neufeld’s theory, by first examining how an IEC can do an initial attachment assessment and then focus on how to use that assessment to guide all areas of treatment.

As part of a national campaign, REI is launching a nationwide initiative dedicated to women and the outdoors.  Force of Nature is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, May 6^th with a full day of workshops for women and evening speaking engagements targeted to bring about hope and inspiration in changing the narratives about and for women and the outdoors. Outback’s Business Development Director Tracy Hopkins, MSW, is joining this initiative as the keynote speaker for the local REI in Asheville, NC. Through her journey of understanding otherness, her curiosity cultivated an understanding of the many common layers that exist under our differences. Her hour-long presentation will address dismantling fear though connection and we are extremely excited to have her continue to showcase one of Outback’s core pillars on Identity.      

Practicing independent living and other adult life skills are key values to Dragonfly Transitions, a young adult program located in southern Oregon. This is why in 2010 the owners of Dragonfly Transitions, Mona Treadway and Glenn White, purchased A Leap of Taste. A Leap of Taste is a coffee shop, experiential learning opportunity, open mic and healthy food option for Klamath Falls, OR. Glenn White stated “it was a perfect opportunity to support students at Dragonfly in an internship and transition into real work experience”.  A Leap of Taste is a community resource with real-life opportunities to gain skills with coffee, food and customer service, all while being in the middle of a busy town. 

Jay Treetop, the manager at A Leap of Taste, works with volunteers from Dragonfly Transitions, who work a range of anywhere from 5-25 hours a week. When a paid position becomes available, it is offered to the intern who demonstrates employability. Jay stated that one of the most important aspects as a manager is to “adapt to learning styles”. Contrary to the response of a typical employer who'd reprimand an employee for poor performance, Jay understands that people learn differently, and might need to practice or learn it another way. Part of the Dragonfly vision is to create community connection and to raise a generation which understands the value of hard work and has confidence in their abilities.

Many young adults have limited work experience, which translates into a minimal resume. In addition to A Leap of Taste, Dragonfly collaborates with local Klamath Falls businesses to provide a variety of other internship opportunities. Students acquire these internships through an application and interview process in order to gain hands on experience. In addition to the vocational skills there are therapeutic experiences that students go through like having to manage anxiety during the interview process, navigating feelings of being overwhelmed in the work place, and conflict management with co-workers and employers.

To support these life challenges and experiences, students participate in a weekly seminar with peers where they debrief, provide and receive feedback and set weekly goals. Weekly meetings with Dragonfly staff, employers and interns ensure continued education and maximize the learning opportunity. Phillip Squibb, Dragonfly Education Director, stated “the community of Klamath Falls has been open and willing to provide learning experiences for our students, which has supported Dragonfly students in their transition into young adulthood with a solid foundation upon which to build”.

Eric Schmidt, MSW, LCSW, MBA had the opportunity to present "The Application of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Co-occurring Substance Use & Mental Health Disorders" at the 2017 Generations Conference.

Following his presentation, both Jordan Harmon and Diana Handy, DBT Practitioners from New Roads Behavioral Health, joined him in a one-day post conference training workshop. The title of the workshop, "Beyond the Basics of DBT" delves into the four key components of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. These components include skills training groups, individual treatment, DBT phone coaching and consultation teams. Eric has started offering this training to various treatment facilities across the country. All proceeds from these trainings are donated to the Utah Association of Treatment Providers. 

Trails Carolina, a wilderness therapy program for young people ages 10-17, offers therapeutic services which benefit teens who struggle with an addiction to video games, social media and other forms of technology.  Similar to other addictions or fixations, removing the source of the addiction and spending time away from technology can have a positive impact on an individual’s overall behaviors. A wilderness therapy environment can be the ideal treatment option for an individual obsessed or addicted to technology.

“Wilderness therapy is an effective intervention for teens who struggle with technology addiction,” comments Shalene Pierce MSW, LCSW, Primary Therapist at Trails Carolina. “In the woods, teens are completely unplugged. They have no access to social media or video games. Instead, they are given the opportunity to socialize with their peers face to face.”

Often, overuse of video games or social media is a symptom of mental health challenges such as social anxiety and depression. Teens may use technology as a form of escape from the real world and may even develop an identity online or in video games separate from their true self.

“Many of the young men I help are addicted to role playing video games like World of Warcraft,” says Leigh Uhlenkott, MS, LPCS, NCC, LMHC, Primary Therapist at Trails Carolina. “It allows them to become someone else and immerse themselves in a world where they have friends. They can play these video games for many hours at a time and their health suffers from it. They don’t get up to eat, use the restroom or sleep. As a result, they are constantly tired, irritable and sluggish. They also suffer socially as a result.”

Young people who spend all of their time playing video games or using social media don’t have to develop social skills out in the real world.

“Students come to me lacking the social skills they’ll need to be successful in face to face interactions,” says Uhlenkott. “They don’t make eye contact and have trouble carrying on a conversation. Fortunately, after some time at Trails they begin to gain some of those social skills. After they are removed from technology for some period of time, they don’t seem to miss their video games.”

When students transition home from Trails, therapeutic staff assist throughout the process. For those teens who have struggled with technology addiction in the past, many therapists recommend removing video games from the home altogether and putting parental controls on computers.

“Like any addiction, there needs to be restrictions enforced,” says Pierce. “After quitting video games or social media cold turkey, it’s important to make sure that your teen gets involved in as many extracurricular and social activities as possible in order to stay away from the temptation of technology. If there are no restrictions, teens will most likely go back to video games or social media like they never left.”

Brightstone Transitions is excited to announce Curtis Foster as the new Program Director.  Curtis brings a strengths-based approach and 30 years of experience working with clients in varying levels of treatment, building teams and programs, developing human resources and leading teams of professionals. Curtis also has extensive experience in the Family Choice Behaviorial Healthcare industry at Wilderness Therapy programs to various levels of residential treatment and therapeutic boarding schools.

Curtis brings a great compassion for working with young adults and a teaching method that brings out the strengths in both the clients and staff. His expertise to continually improve the experiences of the clients at Brightstones Transitions and further developing staff. 

Gainesville, GA: Lydia Bishop has joined the Brightstone Transitions team as Operations Director.  She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Kennesaw State University and soon after worked for Cherokee County as a probation officer. Lydia quickly recognized that many of the individuals she worked with in the judicial system needed resources and therapeutic support. Given this recognition, she returned to Kennesaw State University and received her Masters of Arts degree in Social Work.

Following her graduate program, Lydia began working with adolescents and young adults in various settings, including Drug and Alcohol Treatment Courts, Juvenile Detention, private practice and an in-home therapeutic family support program. Her most recent role as the Director of Admissions for a therapeutic program has given her the opportunity to support families across the country in need of community-based, therapeutic mentoring, parent coaching and family therapy.

Lydia brings to Brightstone her passion and commitment to supporting struggling families and is honored to be a part of the Brightstone team. 

Newport Academy has received the Gold Seal of Approval^® accreditation from the Joint Commission for Behavioral Health Care. The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest health-care accrediting body, setting the highest standards for health-care quality. This accreditation demonstrates Newport Academy’s commitment to excellence and unprecedented dedication to delivering effective, compassionate care to teens and their families struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. 

“We are honored to receive the Gold Seal from the Joint Commission. The incredible team at Newport Academy did an amazing job ensuring that we met every requirement necessary to substantiate our impeccable quality of care as the top teen treatment provider in the US. The dedication of our staff is unsurpassed in offering the highest level of care to our clients. This award is a true testament to the excellence and expertise the team provides in all areas of treatment.” —Jamison Monroe, Founder and CEO of Newport Academy

 Newport Academy meets the Joint Commission’s rigorous performance guidelines for ensuring quality and safe care across all individual programs, including:

• Residential: Newport Academy offers teen treatment in gender-specific male and female residential environments. 
• Outpatient: The Newport Academy Day Treatment and Outpatient programs support adolescent mental health, long-term recovery, and development of life skills.
• Day Schools: Newport Academy offers unique day schools for teens, providing a nurturing, comprehensive educational environment. Teens are able to heal in mind, body, and spirit while gaining high school diplomas or college credit and setting attainable goals for the future. 
• Family Approach: The entire family participates in the treatment process at Newport Academy, through family therapy and ongoing communication between parents and the core treatment team. 

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval^® guidelines will also assist Newport Academy to further elevate its treatment programs, as well as its unique holistic approach, which encompasses clinical therapy, academic support, and experiential practices, such as adventure therapy, horticulture, yoga, and culinary arts. 

Novitas Academy embraces non-traditional classroom characteristics from physical space, to learning resources, to instruction.  While the process of project-based learning (PBL) is not a new concept, many schools have not fully implemented a PBL instructional style.  Teachers of Novitas students allow the students to take charge of their own learning by selecting topics, discovering information through inquiry and creating projects designed to show their newfound knowledge.  The organic flow of collaboration lends itself to students with learning differences and captures their interests.

Project Highlights:

A favorite PBL projects has been recreating WWI during a history class and it was a brainstorm session gone viral.  The students were engaged in building models of WWI trenches and putting together a list of supplies, when one student spoke up and said “Why don’t we just go dig these in the backyard?” They looked at each other with smiles on their faces and put a plan together.  This project incorporated information from each subject during the trimester: health was discussing disease prevention, one math class was working on budgeting, another math class was working on proportions and this project took off. 

Aspiro is very excited to announce two additions to the team, Nicole Andra and Sarah Rothstein, LCSW.

Nicole Andra has joined as the Admissions Counselor, bringing her passion for working with adolescents.  In 1997 Nicole began working hands on as a mentor with students in the Residential Treatment Center, where she enjoyed making a difference in their lives and being a part of the change process.  As Nicole began her own family, she shifted her role to helping families through the admission process and supporting parents through that emotional time.  As a parent of four children, Nicole understands how the whole family is impacted by treatment, as well as the importance of including the family through the healing process. “I love working in Admissions, as it allows me to form strong relationships with families, built on a high level of trust.  I understand the difficulties and stressors families face when enrolling a child in treatment, and am dedicated to helping them through this. I love to see the impactful changes their child makes and to have been a part of that process.”  Nicole is a native of Southern Utah, where she attended Southern Utah University studying Psychology. 

Nicole is the middle child of 9 and was nicknamed "Cinderella" by her mother, due to her reliability and her tendency to always take care of everyone and their needs.  This quality has carried over into her career through her responsible and caring way of working with families and professionals.

Sarah Rothstein, LCSW, clinical wilderness therapist has also joined the team.  Sarah grew up in Pennsylvania and New Jersey watching both of her parents work in helping professions, which influenced her greatly and motivated her to do something meaningful in her career.  Making a difference was important to Sarah, so she decided to become a therapist to help people create quality lives and discover their own path in doing so.

Sarah attended Drew University in New Jersey for her undergraduate degree and Columbia University for her MSW, where she began fulfilling her ambition to become a therapist. It was very important for her to help others dealing with mental health challenges. She says, "talent, career, success and finances don't fall into place or matter if mental and emotional stability are lacking."  

Sarah began her career in an acute mental health hospital, a rehabilitation center for substance abuse disorders, and has also been a therapist in an outpatient setting. Sarah spent the past 2 years as a clinician at a therapeutic boarding school, where she helped students and families build the skills needed to transition home or to a college setting. 

It was in that boarding school setting that Sarah determined that she especially enjoyed working with adolescents.  She said, "I love discovering the big hearts they have inside but are often masking. And I especially find joy when kids finally understand the person they are underneath the behaviors and noise they are creating in life. I love seeing them break through that oppositional behavior, using small moments in therapy to redefine who they are. It is wonderful to watch them create change through developing a healthier and more complex view of their identity."

Sarah is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement & Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), the Seven Challenges, and Gottman Couples Therapy, which she finds beneficial in working through all types of relationships and relationship dynamics.

Due to her love for the outdoors, she moved to Utah after graduate school to spend some time skiing and ended up staying.  She enjoys camping, backpacking, skiing, hiking and participating in her community co-op garden.   Sarah is very excited to join the Aspiro team. She believes the outdoors is an ideal setting to heal, create space for reflection, shut off the noise of the world, and reconnect with what is true and real in life, and in oneself. Sarah explained, "I have built my life around time outside and being in the wilderness, so combining my love for that with my career, by working at Aspiro, is the perfect setting for me. I am excited to share that passion with my students and families."

The 5th Autism Symposium will be held August 21-22, 2017 at the beautiful Grand Summit Lodge in Park City, UT. The Autism Symposium was created to bring more awareness to the increasing need of services for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and to facilitate conversations on the most pertinent topics regarding these students and their families. This symposium has been highlighting top notch treatment approaches and providing insights that continue to aid professionals that serve this population.  

The Autism Symposium features cutting-edge workshops by leading experts in the field of Autism and an informative panel discussion, as well as collaboration with like-minded colleagues within the industry. The popularity of the symposium has been growing every year. Space is limited, register online today, here.

“Aloha ʻĀina, Aloha Kai!” That’s Hawaiʻian for “love the land, love the ocean.”  As a horticultural therapy program, Pacific Quest is well known for caring for the land, but taking care of the ocean is also important.  Pacific Quest students learn about the importance of protecting the ocean during weekly water outings and beach cleanups and frequent swims in Reeds Bay.  In an effort to increase marine stewardship, PQ recently partnered with All One Ocean nonprofit and installed two Beach Clean Up Stations, with two more on the way!

One of the stations was installed at the Young Adult campus at Reeds Bay and another at Richardson Beach. The other two stations will soon be installed at Carlsmith Beach Park. These stations will enable both Hilo beachgoers and PQ students to divert as much as 80,000 pieces of trash a year from the ocean and waterways, improving the lives of sea and land creatures, including humans. Beach Clean Up Stations are permanently mounted wooden boxes containing repurposed, reusable bags for collecting beach trash. Each station features children’s marine-themed art and signage showing how to use the station, the impact of marine debris and how to reduce trash production.

PQ students will use the Richardson Beach and Carlsmith Beach Park Stations during their beach cleanup outings, and the Reeds Bay Station several times a week.  It’s expected that the Richardson Beach and Carlsmith Beach Park Stations will educate 3,240 beachgoers a year about the harm human-generated trash causes to sea and land creatures and teach them how to reduce this waste. Each year, these stations will enable 1,080 beachgoers to remove 54,000 pieces of trash – which is definitely “Aloha ʻĀina, Aloha Kai!”

Pacific Quest built and installed these Beach Clean Up Stations in partnership with All One Ocean and the County of Hawaii. All One Ocean, a local nonprofit, has installed 37 Beach Clean Up Stations and four School Clean Up Stations, in Hawaii, California, Iowa and Alabama.

Pacific Quest is an outdoor therapeutic program for struggling adolescents and young adults that offers a clinical, yet holistic, approach to treatment. Our neurodevelopmental approach, combined with horticultural therapy, integrates evidence-based therapeutic methods, whole-person wellness and organic gardening to sustain a healthy community and motivate change. www.pacificquest.org

Onward Transitions for emerging adults in Portland, Maine is marking the anniversary of their first member enrollment by investing in and committing to the future of the organization and its members in these three powerful ways: 

1. Professional Development

Co-Founder and Clinical Director Darrell Fraize has just completed 50 hours of training towards certification as an Advanced Clinical Supervisor. This allows Darrell to provide improved leadership to our staff and interns, and enhance the delivery of service to all members. Additionally, the health and wellness coordinators have recently completed Safe Zone training for creating powerful effective LGBTQ and ally awareness at the University of Southern Maine. 

2. Celebration

In honor of member and staff successes and growth and to mark the end of the academic year, Onward Transitions is hosting a traditional Maine lobster bake at the Pine House on May 25th. Notably, one member has successfully transitioned from both the Pine House and the Neighbors program and is returning to NYC to attend college full time in the fall. 

3. Refinement of our Mission Statement

Onward Transitions guides and supports bright, motivated emerging adults towards sustainable and independent living and the formation of meaningful reciprocal relationships through engagement with Portland's greater community. 

EDGE Learning and Wellness Collegiate Community is consistently identifying opportunities to provide students with the best opportunities to be successful.  With this objective in mind, EDGE has launched an enhancement to its wellness program.  Under the guidance of Jennifer Ventrelle, MS, RDN, CPT, EDGE students will participate in regular individual and group initiatives designed to assist them in further integrating principles of nutrition and physical activity into their daily lives.

Jennifer is a Registered Dietitian and the Lifestyle Program Director in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. She earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Food Science and Human Nutrition and continued her academic pursuits at Rush University Medical Center, earning her Masters in Science. Jennifer is also a personal trainer certified in adult weight management and has expertise in the design and implementation of wellness programs focused on sustainable lifestyle change. She has more than 10 years of clinical and teaching experience in nutrition and physical activity. As a Certified Personal Trainer, Jennifer works at various health facilities in the Chicagoland area, and has driven extensive research in the areas of lifestyle modification through nutrition, fitness and stress reduction.

“We have found the right person to augment the work of our Therapeutic Life Coaches and Operations Lead in these areas.  Jennifer brings the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to really support our students in making these important lifestyle changes,” according to Jason Wynkoop, Executive Director of EDGE Learning and Wellness.

Among her top priorities at EDGE is educating students on healthy nutrition and fitness behaviors and integrating those into their daily lifestyles.  “The students are going to hear me say ‘choices’ a lot because it’s important for people to understand that all food can play a role in a healthy diet,” said Jennifer.  “I hope to inspire the students to make new lifestyle choices such as eating better and moving more.” Experts agree that there is a link between wellness and mental health, as well as a strong correlation between academic success and wellness pursuits.  “Research has shown that nutrition and physical activity as integrative therapies, can have positive effects on both physical and psychological health and performance, such as increased autonomy, physical well-being, enhanced quality of life, and increased self-esteem and mood,” reports Jennifer.

In addition to the weekly fitness commitments that students have previously made, students will participate in individual assessments, goal setting, and fitness coaching. The shopping and meal planning facets of the program will be enhanced with an ongoing educational series and monthly interactive cooking demonstrations.  “The additional expertise and services give EDGE the opportunity to expand our healthy living promises to our students and parents,” noted Wynkoop.  “We plan to keep raising the bar for what wellness means in the college experience.”

Summit Achievement is excited to announce we now provide Parent Coaching to all of our enrolled families. Beginning this month, parent coaching sessions through Parent Coach Professionals are now a part of the Summit Achievements family programming. This service is in addition to the intensive family programming that Summit Achievement already provides: parents present for intake are asked to meet with the clinician, weekly counseling sessions with their child and a programmed family visit. 

The goal of Parent Coach Professionals is to support parents, provide education and help parents create new tools and strategies for working with their child. Every family who enrolls at Summit Achievement is provided six sessions with Parent Coach Professionals during their child's stay, or immediately following discharge. These over-the-phone sessions are available every 1-2 weeks during a student's time at Summit Achievement. Using skills based coaching, these sessions will cover topics such as parenting styles and roles, communication tools and strategies, parent learning styles vs student learning styles and boundary setting. This is an exciting new service for all the families who enroll at Summit Achievement to assist adapting the family system at home while their child is in the wilderness therapy program.

PRN for Families is excited to announce that our collaboration with Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) will continue into its second season. Families who enroll in Voyageur Outward Bound’s Intercept courses will have the opportunity to take advantage of a post-course support program, offered exclusively to Intercept families by PRN for Families.  PRN for Families, a therapeutic industry expert in home-based outreach and transition services, will provide guidance, support, and case consultation to families that build off of the Intercept experience.

Through this collaboration, PRN for Families will provide customized transition support to participants of Voyageur Outward Bound School's Intercept courses, which is specifically designed for teens or young adults who may be struggling at home, in school or in other settings, as well as to their families. Intercept is a highly structured and facilitated program that removes students from the stressors and challenges of school, home, and peer relationships, and instead presents them with the healthy risks and real challenges of the natural world. Intercept courses focus on communication, conflict resolution and decision making tools.

Families benefit from targeted therapeutic support and guidance as they navigate the transition home, and through this collaboration, PRN for Families will be able to extend the support these families receive beyond the wilderness and into the home. PRN for Families’ services are designed to support families in sustaining and further developing the lessons, tools and resources they have gained through their participation in the Intercept program. PRN will provide structured transition plans, parenting support and daily mentoring calls for the student, as well as other customized support services to families who participate in the Intercept program.

Educational Consultants play a critical role in matching struggling families with appropriate models of care in the treatment community. Consultants are ideally positioned to connect their clients to resources that can focus on a client’s anxiety or depression, while also addressing screen use and dependence. At this point of emerging awareness, we must rely on professionals within the industry to assess for both mental health and screen dependence. Currently, many mental health professionals do not test for video game or technology overuse or dependence, have not received formal training in process addictions, and struggle to keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape. Their assessment results may indicate a variety of alarming mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or trauma, but will likely miss the key markers associated with problematic screen use or dependence.

Professionals find themselves chronically blindsided by a whole new paradigm of brain changing, behavioral altering devices which leave even the best professional at an utter loss for measuring this new phenomenon. Therefore, once we begin to address screen dependence in those seeking our services, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we, as the referring professional, adequately screen for problematic digital use, regardless of professional trends. The Brief Internet Game Screen (BIGS) and the Brief Internet Game Screen for Parents (BIGS-P), designed by ReStart, are effective screening tools for use in your practice (click here).  The results of the BIGS-P screen may indicate struggles with problematic tech use occurring in the family system.

Five ways to be sensitive to parents when discussing technology issues use: 

• Parents may feel alone in the struggle to help manage their child’s media use.

Talking Point: Listen, offer support, and educate family members on the nature of problematic tech use. By doing so, consultants likely become the first professional who truly “understands” what they’ve been going through. Connecting with you offers families a sense of hope.

• Parents may feel a sense of shame or guilt about their son or daughter’s problematic tech use, believing they have failed as parents.

Talking Point: Assist family members in understanding their pivotal role in their child’s ability to embrace healthier, sustainable tech use.By recognizing the problem and taking action now, families join you as pioneers in this new digital arena.  Not by avoiding the problem, but by understanding how screen use plays a crucial role in their child’s academic achievement, mental health, family, and future relationships.

• Parents may not know how to communicate their concerns about digital media use to their children.

Talking Point: Model healthy awareness and start the dialogue with young people and their parents on the importance of sustainable tech use, and the need to recognize problematic use early. Dig deeper during the assessment process regarding the ways digital media is used to avoid dealing with family or academic problems.

• Parents may not understand the extent to which their children are engaging with digital media.

Talking Point: Encourage parents to be curious about their son’s or daughter’s activities online: Ask questions, observe and make notes about the trends they identify in their child’s tech use.

• Parents may be in conflict with each other around what constitutes problematic use, and thus, what next steps for treatment looks like.

Talking Point: Encourage each family member to educate themselves on the addictive nature of digital technology. (See Adam Alter’s book, “Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked”) the film “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital World” and 60 Minutes recently had a segment called “Brain Hacking”.

 

 When speaking with teens or young adults remember the following:

• Youth resist terms used by professionals to describe treatment for problematic tech use, like “rehab”, “treatment,” and even the idea of “addiction” itself.

• Think about phases like phrases like “balanced use”, “readjust priorities”, or “sustainable use” than “addiction,” “dependence,” or “abstinence.”  

Technology will continue to advance at a staggering pace, and parents are desperately seeking solutions to guide them and their children toward a future of limitless possibilities and enduring family ties. As a first responder to this technological crisis, we act as a lifeline to parents who feel as if they are watching their child’s life slip away. Treating technology over-dependence requires a clear understanding of the complex interactions between mental health and digital media use. Without screening for problematic tech use, professionals  run the risk of missing a determining factor in directing struggling families to the appropriate model of care.

Written By:

Cosette Rae, MSW, LICSW, Alison Takenaka, MA, Johnny Tock, MS, LMHC and Gail Curran, MS, MBA

Skyland Trail has amended admissions criteria to accept clients ages 18 and older with a primary diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). For many years, adults with a primary mood or thought disorder and co-occurring BPD have successfully engaged in the residential dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program at Skyland Trail. The new admissions criteria expands the residential DBT program to adults with a primary BPD diagnosis.

Clients who enroll in the DBT residential treatment program at Skyland Trail often have symptoms that include impulsivity, self-injurious behaviors or frequent suicide attempts. They also often have extreme emotional reactions and "stormy" relationships. Most have not developed healthy coping skills for handling stress or emotional discomfort. 

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, has been proven to be an effective therapeutic approach for helping individuals who struggle with BPD or emotional disregulation manage their symptoms, feel safe and accepted, improve relationships, and live a life worth living. Clients who admit to the residential DBT program may step-down to the nonresidential day treatment and intensive outpatient programs as their skills improve.

The Skyland Trail program addresses stage 1 of DBT therapy, which focuses on attaining foundational skills and capacity to manage suicidal behaviors, therapy-interfering behaviors, major quality-of-life-interfering behaviors, and deficits in behavioral skills. DBT creator Dr. Marsha Linehan describes the goal of stage 1 as "moving from being out of control of one's behavior to being in control."

As part of the intensive 90-day program, clients develop practical strategies to cope with intense emotions so that they can prevent repeat hospitalizations, practice healthy coping skills, and build trusting relationships with therapists. As clients complete the intensive program, they become familiar with the shared language and framework of DBT, and learn and practice DBT skills to effectively participate in therapy and supportive social relationships. After leaving the program, clients are prepared to continue therapeutic work on an outpatient basis in the community.

Every generation is criticized for being entitled, lazy, and unmotivated and millennials are no exception. Andrew Taylor, Executive Director of Pure Life Adventure, presented on his research and experiences with millennials at the Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Asheville, NC on April 6, 2017. His presentation focused on previous generations and how their world views were affected by the political, economic, and social factors of their time. When utilizing that lens, Millennials are no different from previous generations.

The younger generations are always different and that makes older generations uncomfortable, however, they are no different in that they also are shaped by their environment. Millennials are our clients and our employees, we must understand them in order to help them. Pure Life delves deeper into this subject with the white paper, entitled Millennial Identity: Unique Aspects & How The Modern Young Adult’s Experience Shapes Identity.  In this white paper, Pure Life provides an overview of today’s young adult generation. The report focuses on unique aspects of millennial identity and how the modern young adult’s experience shapes that identity. The paper also provide tips for healthy identity development.  The Millennial Identity white paper can be found at: purelifeadventure.com/young-adult-identity-white-paper/.

In April, Solstice West celebrated its 9^th birthday.  Solstice invited referral partners to join in on the fun-filled day, showing many of the activities that the students at the campus benefit from. The day started with an Equine experience at the Arrowhead stables, where they participated in a Love and Logic training. The guests then joined an art therapy experience with our art teacher and art therapist. Lunch was served for everyone on campus, where there was music, cake, games and of course singing Happy Birthday. Two of Solstice’s founders, Dan Stuart, Executive Director and Keoni Anderson, Addictions Program Director also spent time with everyone talking about the history of Solstice.

It's amazing to think it has been 9 years!  

Solstice was also able to show off some of their remodeling projects around their campus. The main lodge room was the first to receive some renovating which included paint, a new chandelier, light fixtures, rugs, curtains & beautiful new décor for the mantle and walls.  

A favorite focal point of the room is the new art piece above the fire place, a quote from Walt Whitman that reads, “Keep your face always toward the sun and shadows will fall behind you”.  This remodel has created a fresh, bright and cheerful room for Solstice girls to spend time in. 

Journey Home West and Journey Home East have helped many young women transition successfully from a structured therapeutic environment into independent living. Transitional living programs are relatively new to the therapeutic world and often fall under two categories: structured programming which mirrors a residential treatment environment or independent living programs in which a student is completely autonomous. Our programs are unique in that we fall somewhere in the middle.

Aspects of our Journey Home programs that set us apart from other transitional living programs:

• Gradual process towards independence: When students first arrive at Journey Home, they experience a level of structure similar to what they knew in residential treatment. We then gradually introduce more and more elements of independence. The overall goal is to have students live an independent, happy and successful life.
• Small size: In each of the Journey Home programs, our population size is very small. We keep our numbers low in order to make sure each student is getting the individualized attention they need and deserve to continue their path towards lasting success.
• Single-gendered: Unlike many other transitional living programs, our program caters specifically to young women ages 16-21. Our girls-only program provides a safe, nurturing environment for our students.

Treatment services on premises: Both Journey Home programs have therapeutic staff in the homes on a regular basis. This allows students to receive in-the-moment therapeutic services whenever it is needed.

Solstice East offers a unique spin on Adventure therapy that is unlike any other RTC. The students are taken off campus each Friday and Saturday to learn different modules and then they will go on many camping trips to practice those skills throughout the year. They have done white water rafting, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc. They will also do other Experiential tasks, such as art therapy, cooking classes, and other hands on learning. 

The adventure therapists are also well versed in processing the Experiential part that pulls the students out of their comfort zones and illustrates, experientially, how they approach tasks is how they approach every day life. 

For example, they could be tasked with building their favorite animal out of clay. To provide motivation as well as realism, a catch might be that they only have one minute to build it. The adventure therapists would observe how they approach this task. 

• Do they keep smashing it and starting over because it's not perfect? 
• Do they watch others and compare their projects? 
• Do they take the easy way out and roll a snake so they can be done quickly?  

After this task was completed, the entire group would reflect on the challenge and each student's approach and process why certain things came up. Experiential tasks are a very influential way for students to learn and grow. 

Journey Home East is a transitional living center for young women, ages 16-21, located in downtown Asheville, NC. There are plenty of benefits to the residents being downtown, as they are in walking distance to many fun activities. There is yoga, Friday night drum circle, restaurants, concerts, library access and more all within walking distance. Since many of our residents are young adults, it is important for them to feel connected to an independent lifestyle but to also provide the structure needed. 

Journey Home East has a licensed therapist in the home, who is also the Program Director: Brinkley Werley. She provides individual, family and group therapy. Brinkley understands the importance of having more structure than some other transitional programs. “Some of our students are coming from very structured environments and they still need to learn social skills,” comments Werley. “These young ladies are taken under the wing of older students who have more experience being out in the real world. They go out into the community and are able to model healthy social skills and provide coaching. This has been extremely helpful for students.”

The young women in the home are also helped by the various House Parents, who are able to make sure that they are sticking to their treatment goals and providing support as needed. They are also learning skills such as organization, cooking, cleaning, setting boundaries and other various life lessons that are learned in the process of developing real independence.

Equinox RTC is constantly seeking to remain on the cutting edge of therapeutic and neurologic treatment methodologies and decided to incorporate Brainspotting in our clinical programming. Brainspotting was created in 2003 by David Grand. It is a form of psychotherapy that uses the field of vision to access traumatic memories. This approach is an incredible combination of brain and body-based intervention as it uses the eyes to identify and access “brainspots" while engaging in auditory bilateral stimulation of the brain.  Healing takes place at incredible depth and speed.

In his 2013 book, Brainspotting The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change, Grand expresses that the motto of Brainspotting "where you look affects how you will feel." Brainspotting makes use of this natural phenomenon through its use of relevant eye positions. This helps the Brainspotting therapist to locate, focus, process and release a wide range of emotionally and bodily-based conditions.

Equinox Clinical Director Dan Hadley, MA LMFT, notes “Brainspotting is also valuable as a brain-based tool to support the therapy relationship between client and clinician. Brainspotting taps into and harnesses the body’s natural self-scanning, self-healing ability.” When a brainspot is stimulated, the deep brain reflexively signals the therapist that the source of the problem has been found. Dan Hadley continued, “it can also be used to find and strengthen our natural resources and resilience. Adolescents struggle significantly with the feeling that they are always going to fall short. This increase in resiliency is a significant indicator of positive outcomes for young men.”

Executive Director Kyle Gillett, PhD LMFT, commented, “Brainspotting is a natural way of addressing adolescent trauma issues.  It is a flexible approach and quickly addresses the neurological pathways connected to the trauma.  It is client led, allowing adolescents to quickly bypass the resistance to treatment.  Simultaneously, it helps to develop mindfulness skills naturally, leaving the adolescent with the knowledge that it is possible to heal from trauma.”

Dan Hadley concluded, “I have been a clinician and primary therapist for almost 30 years. This is the first time I have experienced such a natural and non-threatening process to deal so directly and quickly with trauma.”

reSTART, a recovery center for teens and emerging adults with problematic tech use, is catching the eye of mainstream media. FastCompany.com recently named reSTART Life as the world's seventh most innovative company in the gaming sector, a list that is topped with companies such as Twitch, Sony, Blizzard and Nintendo.

With the advancement of digital media, VR and gaming technology, much is still to be gained from an understanding of what it means to use technology sustainably. While most of the companies in the gaming category create products, reSTART instead offers a service. A service, some would say, that will grow in need as technology advances in exceptional ways. By shining a spotlight on reSTART's innovative care, providers and consumers alike raise awareness to the potential of problematic use. In a positive step forward, internet and gaming addiction are being brought to the foreground as both present and treatable. 

Since its humble beginnings in 2009, reSTART has helped emerging adults ages 18-30 find their way back from the profound isolation, depression and anxiety often associated with problematic video game, social media and tech use. With the opening of its new adolescent campus, reSTART now offers teens ages 13-18, and their families, a hands on model for connecting with what matters most -- life. 

Award winning animator and documentary film maker Dustin Grella captivated Boulder Creek Academy students and staff who assembled to hear his life’s journey to personal success.

Dustin Grella, whose film "Prayers for Peace" won more than forty awards and whose work has screened at renowned film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and the Ottawa International Animation Festival, was brought to the campus by My Own Beat (MYO), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to expose students to formative skills through direct interactions with successful practitioners in diverse fields. Boulder Creek Academy will host three more presentations featuring renowned artists and filmmakers in ensuing months.

MYO was founded by the father of an adolescent who is enrolled in a treatment program. His dream is to connect and inspire students who are in a therapeutic placement by introducing accomplished professionals and their work in the humanities, arts and sciences to enable youth to explore and develop life and career goals through direct interaction. 

The presentation included an interactive, hands-on art project, where students worked to create their own animation. In addition, a reception followed and students were able to connect personally with Grella. In preparation for the presentation, students had classroom assignments to help engage and educate them on the speaker and his career.

“Our students enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with a gifted artist. He was well-received and everyone enjoyed the presentation. It was a bonus to have some of our students help with the presentation. One student mastered the lighting and sound and others pitched in as well,” explained Boulder Creek Academy Executive Director Lisa Hester.

It is with great excitement that New Haven announces Matt Bartlett, M.Ed., LMFT, as the sole Executive Director of New Haven Residential Treatment Center. Matt has been in the industry for 15 years, and with New Haven for the past nine years. Matt has been serving New Haven as Executive Director of the Saratoga Springs Campus for the past two years, and will now oversee New Haven’s campuses.

Matt has extensive experience working with complex adolescent females and complicated family systems. During his time with New Haven, he has increased quality of care and has been integral in the success of countless families who have come in search of healing. His experience and vision for New Haven will certainly carry New Haven into the future as New Haven continues to be a premier program for young women and their families.

John Stewart, LCSW, New Haven’s former Executive Director, will be working at New Haven’s parent company, InnerChange, in an outreach and clinical support role. John is looking forward to spreading his influence to New Haven’s sister programs. New Haven extends great appreciation for the wonderful work he has done at New Haven over the last 17 years.