All Kinds of News for August 07, 2019

Each month, the ATC clinical team facilitates an all-day experiential activity utilizing the spectular outdoor resources available within close proximity to their St. George, UT location. The purpose of these excursions are

1. to get young adult clients outdoors in some unique corners of Southern Utah while getting them out of their residences and off their electronic devices;
2. to faciliate co-ed social connection and build an overall stronger sense of community;
3. to provide clinicians greater opportunity to build relationships with clients outside of the traditional therapy office and relationship;
4. to gain additional data and assessment through observation and experiential activity with their clients and. most importantly
5. to give non-clinical staff a well deserved day off of work!

Last month we traveled east, close to the Utah-Arizona border to hike Water Canyon in the Canaan Mountain BLM wilderness area. Water Canyon follows a ravine containing a flowing stream, following through a succession of beautiful cascades, pools and slot-like passageways that culminates in a narrowing sandstone slot canyon with cascading waterfalls. The cool stream provided a great respite from the summer heat and all enjoyed the opportunity to explore this amazing canyon together. For those who have experienced wilderness therapy, we know all too well the therapeutic opportunities that hiking can provide. 

Excursions in the next several months include:

1. enjoying the forest landscape and cooler temperatures in the Pine Mountain Recreation Area;
2. fishing, cliff jumping, kayaking and paddleboarding at Gunlcock Reservoir;
3. exploring the majestic Zion National Park; and
4. rappelling and rock climbing in Moe's Valley.

About At The Crossroads

At The Crossroads is a transitional program for young adults utilizing a highly individualized and client centered approach to treatment. Upon enrollment, each client is assessed to formulate a treatment plan unique to his or her strenths, challenges, needs and goals. Our multi-disciplinary team comprised of highly trained professionals aims to honor each young adult as a distinctive individual. There are no two pathways to success that will be exactly the same and therefore we, as a team with the client, navigate towards individuated success.

Embark Behavioral Health is pleased to announce that Mary Jo DeGrandi, M.S. has joined the team as Director of Professional Relations. With over 25 years of experience working with families and struggling adolescents, the past 8 years focused on admissions, outreach and business development roles, Mary Jo comes to Embark following four years as the Director of Outreach and Marketing with PRN for Families.  (Mary Jo has held clinical and leadership positions with several well-respected programs in the therapeutic industry.)

While at PRN for Families, Mary Jo focused on creating and strengthening partnerships with referring professionals, programs, families and community resource providers in order to support families in their own homes and communities. Charles Elias, Founder and Executive Director of PRN for Families, expressed his gratitude for Mary Jo’s work with PRN, and support for her professional transition.

Mary Jo brings a strong background in the mental health field to her work with Embark Behavioral Health, with experience working with children and complex family systems in a variety of treatment settings (including residential treatment, therapeutic boarding, outdoor behavioral health, and outpatient programs). "I am thrilled to be reunited with many of my old colleagues at Embark and to continue my work with families in need," she said.

Mary Jo’s responsibilities will include supporting Lake House Academy as their Interim Admissions Director while concurrently broadening collaboration with school systems seeking help with their students. On a personal note, Mary Jo is married with 2 young children, a 16 month old daughter and a 5 year old son, as well as 2 young adult stepsons, ages 21 and 23.  Her hobbies include cooking and eating delicious food, hiking the woods of Vermont, traveling and exploring new places, getting her hands dirty in the garden, playing in the ocean, and enjoying time with family.

Mary Jo earned her bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in psychology and English from Fairfield University, and her Master’s degree (M.S.) in Ecopsychology from Antioch New England University.

Mary Jo may be contacted at: maryjo.degrandi@lakehouseacademy.com or at (828) 329-7441.

About Embark

Embark Behavioral Health is a unique organization comprised of an extraordinary family of programs, all dedicated to reversing the increasing rates of adolescent anxiety, depression and suicide in the country. Embark includes a premier network of clinical and therapeutic programs (residential treatment centers, young adult transition programs, outpatient centers, addiction treatment facilities, wilderness therapy programs, and more) that offer a comprehensive set of services that run the span of acuities, ages and services; all focused on cutting-edge interventions, prevention and education. For more information about Embark, contact Thomas A. Ahern at tahern@embarkbh.com.

ATLANTA – Skyland Trail, a nationally recognized nonprofit mental health treatment organization providing evidence-based treatment for individuals with a primary psychiatric diagnosis, announces its new website. The new website includes information about the new adolescent residential treatment program for teens ages 14 to 17, including:

• Admissions criteria
• Referral information
• Descriptions of evidence-based programming
• Information about the new J. Rex Fuqua Campus, opening Fall 2019

Additionally, the updated website provides an improved user experience on desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

Visitors to skylandtrail.org will also find information on residential treatment and day treatment programs for adults ages 18 and older. Potential adult clients and their families will find information about:

• adult psychiatric programs admission criteria
• financial information
• descriptions of levels of care, including residential treatment, day treatment and intensive outpatient programs
• an overview of integrated wellness programs, vocational services, and expressive therapies
• client and family stories and treatment experiences

Mental health professionals and educational consultants will find information on how to refer to the adult and adolescent programs as well as information about professional workshops and mental health continuing education opportunities in Atlanta.

About Skyland Trail

Located in Atlanta, Skyland Trail is a nationally recognized nonprofit mental health treatment organization serving adults ages 18 and older and adolescents ages 14 to 17 with a primary psychiatric diagnosis. Through our residential and day treatment programs, we help our clients grow, recover, and reclaim their lives. Skyland Trail is focused on individuals with complex mental health issues through expert, evidence-based psychiatric care alongside a compassionate, holistic path to wellness. Our integrated mental, medical, and social model helps clients develop strategies to improve mental health, physical wellness, independence, and relationships with family and friends. Unique therapies include music, art, and horticultural therapy; workforce and school readiness; primary care services; family therapy; pastoral counseling; and healthy living and nutrition coaching. Learn more at www.skylandtrail.org.

Summit Achievement has promoted Liam Byrer to Academic Director, starting July 23.  Summit's Academic Director oversees the academic department and works closely with students, families, consultants and schools to ensure that students are taking appropriate classes. Summit's unique hybrid model has participants attending a traditional academic setting three days a week and then venturing out on expedition four days a week.

Liam received his Bachelor's in Outdoor Education from the University of New Hampshire.  He has worked, on and off, at Summit since 2013 in a variety of positions including Guide, Field Director, Teacher and Academic Director.  Liam has a diverse educational background before Summit, including an outdoor educator, rope course manager, and summer camp counselor. He is a skilled outdoors person from ski patrolling at Wildcat Mountain to fly fishing the rivers of New Hampshire.

Liam is replacing Kristen Pilarcik, who has transitioned to a public school.

Summit Achievement wishes the best to outgoing Academic Director Kristen Pilarcik.

About Summit Achievement

Summit Achievement is, and always has been, guided by positive reinforcement and the power of choice. Our outcome-focused program employs effective therapeutic and educational principles. Through the process of engaging therapy, classroom academics and exciting wilderness expeditions, students experience the therapeutic benefits of outdoor adventure-based activities while learning to manage the demands of a more traditional environment. As an intentionally small, owner-operated wilderness therapy program, we serve adolescent boys and girls, ages 13-20, from around the world.

ViewPoint Center helps diabetic patients build a deeper understanding of their condition throughout their time at the program.  ViewPoint Center encourages diabetic patients to accept their diabetic diagnosis, but to not let it define them as an individual. Emphasis is placed on encouraging the diabetic patient to make confident lifestyle decisions and to live healthy, productive lives despite living with diabetes.

ViewPoint Center seeks to:

1. Help patients become more educated regarding the role that diabetes plays in their treatment and overall health
2. Educate patients regarding optimal food choices to promote responsible diabetic care
3. Encourage hygiene techniques to facilitate healing and physical health maintenance
4. Evaluate the patient’s ability to self-monitor and care for glucose levels
5. Emulate understanding regarding living with a Chronic Disease and teach the patient to gain physical and emotional control over the diagnosis of diabetes.

Educating Diabetic Patients About Maintaining Health

Upon admission, every patient receives a history and physical exam within 24 hours. If the patient has been previously diagnosed with Diabetes, a Dietitian Consultation with a Registered Dietitian is ordered. ViewPoint Center's very experienced RD meets individually with the patient and evaluates the client's lifestyle food choices, educating as necessary about the relationship between blood sugar, food, and physical health.

The VPC Nursing Department works closely with the patient to ensure that they are comfortable with blood sugar testing, insulin sliding scale calculation, carb counting, insulin preparation and administration, and signs and symptoms of both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Throughout the Diabetic patient’s stay, Food Diaries are kept for every meal and snack. A Glucose Level Monitoring Sheet is also kept in the patient’s permanent EMAR (Electronic Medication Administration Record) so that high/low trends may be audited and addressed, if needed.

About ViewPoint Center

ViewPoint Center, a mental health assessment center for teens ages 12-17, is located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. With a program lasting 6-7 weeks, ViewPoint Center provides superior assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and stabilization for teens struggling with mental and behavioral issues such as suicidal ideation, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. In a safe, personalized environment, ViewPoint helps teens focus on the healing process.

Since 2006, In Balance Young Adult Transitional Living, an aftercare community serving young men, 17.5 to 28 year old with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, the clients have been on the move.  It is common knowledge that boredom is one of the worst enemies for young adults. For young adults dealing with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, boredom can be absolutely detrimental to their recovery and future success. In Balance never wants to create a vacation atmosphere; their residents are working, going to college, have chores, therapeutic assignments and have to be working a strong recovery program…but why not have a blast doing all of that?

In Balance Young Adult Transitional program provides a safe, fun, recovery-oriented community to combat boredom and show young adults that one can stay busy and active, and really enjoy life - with a combination of mandatory and optional (free for them) weekly activities, and various adventure trips. All the residents’ schedules are filled with meaningful and fulfilling activities like:

• Access to country club and gym 2x a day, a boxing gym and a yoga gym everyday
• Multiple 12 step recovery meetings and fellowship opportunities a week
• Individual Therapy
• Weekly volunteer service opportunities
• 2 IOP groups a week which combine Traditional and Experiential therapies

The weekly schedule at In Balance Young Adult offers the following:

• Monday: Art Group
• Tuesday: Skateboarding  Club
• Tuesday: Community Meeting
• Wednesday: Basketball Club
• Thursday: Rock Climbing
• Thursday: Night Hiking Club
• Friday: Healthy Eating and Cooking Class
• Friday: Life Skills Class
• Friday: Recovery Yoga Class
• Friday: Community Dinner/Night Time Activity
• Saturday: Recreational Fellowship Activity
• Saturday: CrossFit Fitness Class and Process Group
• Sunday: Golfing Club

Many of the clients are tracking as young adults and also have high school to complete so the transitional living program offers options, in each of the five affordable Young Adult Sober Living houses, where young men can step down for 30 days, 3 years or however long they need. These houses provide programming structure, support with independence and the opportunity to stay connected with the In Balance program and their community.

About In Balance Young Adult

In Balance Young Adult, founded in 2006 and located in Tucson, AZ, is an aftercare community serving young men, 17.5 to 28 year old with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders who have successfully completed primary care treatment. In Balance’s young adult services include In Balance Transitional Living Program for young men seeking employment, internships, volunteer positions while gathering extensive life skills, clinical support and 12 step recovery. It also includes In Balance Young Adult Sober High School, which allows young men, who are ready to experience some independence but still need to graduate high school while living in the Transitional Living program. These young men track as young adults but go to our specially designed sober high school four days/week for individualized assistance from our academic director and 3 other teachers. In Balance Young Adult also includes In Balance Collegiate Living for young men who would like to enroll in college classes, while learning to be in recovery, independent and successful. 

In the first several weeks of August, all of the clinical team at Greenbrier Academy for Girls will go through a 10 day training focusing on sharpening the therapeutic use of language, as well as learning and practicing techniques that greatly accelerate therapeutic gains. The training is held on campus in Pence Springs, WV and will compliment the different trainings and skill sets that each therapist uniquely brings to their role at this therapeutic boarding school for girls. 

The objectives for this training integrate the values, vision, mission, ambition and roles of each therapist to the GBA WAY, enlighten therapists to the GBA Applied Relationality Model and distinguish Greenbrier’s program-based practice from a private practice. Greenbrier’s clinical therapists are all trained in a distinct model and practice integrating Strong Relationality within their therapeutic plans for students. This 10 day training not only strengthens Greenbrier’s community culture and teamwork, it insures a quality of care for the families we serve. 

By coming together for 10 days to review the mission and purpose of being a therapeutic boarding school for girls, the clinical team at Greenbrier is unified and equipped with additional tools to facilitate healing and change for the families that walk through the doors of this historic campus.  

About Greenbrier Academy

Greenbrier Academy is an accredited academic/therapeutic boarding school and a licensed by the state of West Virginia as a non-acute residential treatment center in Pence Springs, WV serving young women 14-18. We offer college prep academics within a therapeutically immersive experience. Our program preserves and protects your daughter's future; emotionally, socially, physically, and academically.

Fulshear Treatment to Transition recently hosted their annual alumni reunion. It was the biggest alumni event yet! The reunion opened with a dinner that included alumni clients, alumni staff and current staff. It was incredible to see our alumni clients reunite with each other and our amazing team. The best way to describe the emotion felt in the room is joy. There were lots of hugs, tears, smiles, and laughter. 

Dinner also included a surprise for one of our alumna, who did not complete our program. After leaving Fulshear she experienced many trials, set backs, and disappointments. Despite these experiences, she was able to find her power and solidify her values and direction for life. Our mission at Fulshear is to provide opportunities for each woman to restore her personal power, choose a personal design for her life, and create a positive influence in her community. It was evident that this alumna had accomplished all of those things and it was important we recognize the work she had done with a Fulshear graduation ceremony. With her parents and fellow alumni in attendance she was honored as our most recent graduate of Fulshear. She was also awarded the prestigious Fulshear Recovery Token that celebrates a client’s commitment to recovery.

The next day our alumni spent time at our Ranch location where they participated in groups. The groups provided an opportunity for alumni to share their struggles and successes with each other and current clients. One alumna shared how Fulshear was the safe place that kept her alive until she gained the strength and hope to live life again. Another shared the trial of relapsing after Fulshear and losing hope. It was beautiful to watch the alumni rally for each other as they provided empathy and support in a unique way, exclusive to Fulshear clients. 

At the closing of the day, alumni participated in an experiential activity. During this activity clients were asked to identify a resource they could give themselves to increase their personal power. Each young lady stood in the room and visualized walking a timeline of their life with this resource. A reverence flooded the room as the alumni walked their past, stood in their present, and viewed their future. Some cried while others stood a little taller. They expressed an increase of hope and a deeper understanding of what was next in their journey. 

The Fulshear team is grateful for the opportunity to work with so many amazing clients and looks forward to the next reunion.

About Fulshear

Fulshear Treatment to Transition, founded in 2003 and accredited by the Joint Commission, is located right outside of Houston in Needville, TX and Stafford, TX. Fulshear works with young adult women ages 18-25 struggling with mental health issues along with accompanying co-occurring disorders, and is known for its development of the Fulshear Adult Attachment Model.

Spring Ridge Academy clinicians recognize the value in utilizing a comprehensive and diverse approach to therapy. Viewed from the lens of complex developmental trauma, the students are best served by clinicians that are trained in various modalities.  They use top-down approaches including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Hypnosis, NeuroFeeedback, Grief Recovery Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialetical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Rational Emotive Therapy and Motivational Interviewing (MI). Bottom-up approaches include NeuroAffective Relational Model, Somatic Experiencing, Sensororimotor Psychotherapy, Trauma Release Exercise, Post Induction Therapy and Gestalt therapy.  Clinicians are highly skilled at pendulating between the Top Down / Bottom Up modalities in session and seamlessly blending them in the moment.

When people experience various types of trauma (especially at an early age), they often develop non-working coping mechanisms and barriers to allowing themselves connection to others.  Over time, the capacity for self-regulation is adversely affected and entrenched patterns of dysfunction emerge. Traumas may happen in utero or at a pre-verbal stage and are experienced physically and emotionally.  Asking a client to access memories through traditional top down cognitive approaches does not provide a platform for accessing early traumas.  Traditional "talk therapy" does not allow the client to access the source of developmental injury.  Bottom-up approaches provide access to trauma that may be held in the body or brain via more indirect routes.   Somatic approaches assist in unsticking a trauma held in the body at a cellular level or emotions attached to a self-limiting belief.  Clinicians view client history through a developmental lens and assess client responses to the various methods to guide in treatment planning.     

Spring Ridge Academy clinicians work with the students in a combination of individual, group and family therapy blending the various modalities with the goal of assisting the young women to find authentic connection to herself and her family and the capacity of agency to choose more effective ways of relating to others and the world.

About Spring Ridge Academy

Spring Ridge Academy serves young women ages 13-17. We combine a clinically sophisticated therapeutic approach with a rigorous college prep curriculum and an enriching community life to tend to all realms of the student: emotional, relational, spiritual, intellectual, and physical. 

"The mission of Telos is to create inspiring interpersonal relationships that invite and assist all people to move toward their Ultimate Potential."

Telos is a team that believes that Ultimate Potential is more than a slogan. It is who each of us strives to be and what we want our student to become. Sometimes that even means the company itself gets to move toward its Ultimate Potential. Which is the case now.

Telos is thrilled to announce our most exciting evolution yet. The start of a new Senior House for Young Women. That’s right! A Senior House for Young Men AND a new service for Young Women.

This September, young women 17.5 years of age can move to Senior House for Young Women. This includes students aging out of other programs, students from wilderness and even coming from home. This high-structure therapeutic model is the stepping stone into adult living. Students see the clear path and can plot the course to succeed. The focus of Senior House services is to stabilize emotionally, catch up and graduate from high school and if needed, launch to Telos U where students can move on to the possibilities of college, trades and/or work.

 
About Senior House

Senior House is a unique service for young adults with purposeful differences designed to help accelerate students in this age and stage to thrive. The following are key Senior House features for Young Women:

• Premium college style living
• Maximum of 8 female students
• Townhouse style homes on the larger Geneva Campus
• Full-sized gym and fitness center
• A primary full-time therapist for each student
• Weekly individual therapy sessions
• Family Days as scheduled
• Master level, clinician-led emotional safety
• Nightly, student-led and staff supported community groups
• Biweekly space center simulations for team building, leadership training, executive function building
• Weekly activities and scheduled super-activities

 
About Telos

Telos is located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in beautiful Orem, Utah. Available are two campuses specifically designed for teens and co-ed young adults dealing with depression, anxiety, social problems and learning differences. Caring staff use proven clinical therapies coupled with the power of healing relationships to promote deep, lasting change. The aim is to help students live principle-based lives characterized by insightful choices, that promote clarity, healing, and direction. Telos is a unique, clinically-sophisticated, relationship-based treatment center for teens and young adults ages 13-26. For more information: info@telos.org or www.telos.org.

Trails Momentum, an outdoor and adventure-based program for young adults ages 18-25, is excited to announce that their clinical team is growing. Two new wilderness therapists, Ryan Ebersberger, MSW and Joe Fuller, LCSW, have joined the Trails Momentum team this summer.

Both Ebersberger and Fuller come from a background rooted in Wilderness Therapy and have worked alongside clients to develop strong relationships based on connection, trust and collaboration.

Ryan Ebersberger has worked with youth and families for over a decade in a variety of settings across the country, including therapeutic boarding schools, direct care social work and Wilderness Therapy. He received his Master’s of Social Work from Western New Mexico University. 

“I am drawn to helping young adults because I enjoy making a positive impact on young people's lives while seeing the profound changes that occur as they discover their true potential,” says Ebersberger. “When a client is able to take their power and put it into constructiveness instead of destructiveness, the seed of change begins to grow and that spreads to everyone around them.” 

Ebersberger takes a trauma-informed approach and has been trained in Brainspotting, HeartMath, and Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga. 

Joe Fuller’s approach stems from working with teens and young adults through a variety of challenges including depression, anxiety, learning differences, addiction, relationship challenges, and life transitions through Wilderness Therapy, Young Adult Transitional Programming, Restorative Practices and Community Mental Health. 

Fuller received his Master’s in Social Work from the University of Vermont where he adopted an integrative approach inspired by strength-based, narrative therapy, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, collaborative-relational and client-centered methods.

“Rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach, I believe that it is important to co-create a healthy therapeutic relationship with every student,” comments Fuller. “This helps maintain a safe, non-judgemental space where they feel empowered to take a more active role in navigating their strengths, challenges, needs, direction, goals, and relationships. In doing so, students feel more at ease opening up by having the freedom to move beyond focusing on problem behaviors to think about other themes in their lives.”

About Trails Momentum

Trails Momentum is an outdoor adventure-based therapy program for young adults ages 18-25 struggling to launch themselves into adulthood. Young adults are guided on a journey of self-discovery where they develop self-concept and are empowered to make the transition into independence. Adventure programming, clinical services, family involvement, college coursework, and social and life skills development are seamlessly interwoven to maximize the transference of important life skills and address clinical and behavioral challenges. Learn more about clinical programming at Trails Momentum by visiting https://trailsmomentum.com/grow or by calling 877-296-8711.

ScenicView Academy has undergone a rebranding of the exceptional services they offer to adults on the Autism Spectrum.  ScenicView announced that services will focus on 3 main programs: Live, Work, and Thrive.  

Helping young adults with Autism and other neuro-diversities achieve the principles of Live, Work, and Thrive independently in the community has long been the mission at ScenicView Academy, founded in 2001 by Ray and Tye Noorda.  Rebranding allows for ScenicView to promote its life-changing independent living program in a more clear and concise manner.  (Click for short videos detailing Live, Work, & Thrive programming.)

Marty Matheson, ScenicView’s Executive Director reports: “We are very excited with the direction our programming at ScenicView is headed.  Fine tuning our services to Live, Work, and Thrive is already helping us be more specific with how we individualize what we do and fulfill our tagline: Empowering Lives of Independence.”

This announcement comes on the heels of another exciting new development - Alex Johnson, former therapist and admissions officer, has been promoted to the brand new position of Admissions & Business Development Director. Alex will be responsible not only for the admit of new students into SVA’s program, but for the growth and expansion of ScenicView Academy’s influence and services.

“We are thrilled to enter an exciting new stage of growth and development at ScenicView.  The demand for our services has never been greater. I look forward to connecting young adults seeking independence with our great program,” says Alex.  “It’s easy to be excited about the future of ScenicView Academy!”

About ScenicView

ScenicView Academy, founded in 2001 in Provo, UT, is a nationally recognized nonprofit school for young adults with autism spectrum disorders, neurodiversities or learning disabilities. Through our residential programming, we empower our students to reach their potential and gain skills to live independently. Scholarships are available based on financial need. SVA is accredited by National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES).  

Point School Puerto Rico is excited to announce itself as the newest Gap Year Provider Member for the internationally recognized Gap Year Association. PSPR is listed on the GYA website as a Level 5 of Independence and Supervision gap year program. This means Point School Puerto Rico is a gap year program that provides support and structure geared towards skill building and mental health considerations for a small cohorts.  

Point School Puerto Rico recently became eligible for membership as a gap year provider due to celebrating its two year anniversary in July. PSPR will now begin working on becoming an accredited gap year program through the Gap Year Association. 

About Point School Puerto Rico

Point School Puerto Rico is a hybrid gap year program for young adult men, ages 18-22 that integrates cultural immersion, experiential and service learning with positive self-discovery. Each young man at PSPR has the opportunity to build positive self-identity through career, interest and personal exploration based on individual strengths. 

Creativity is at the core of AIM house values, with the program discovering and hoping to support any creative form that one chooses to express themselves. One of AIM House's participants takes a unique approach to self expression through the art of fire performing. 

Ari F, originally from Santa Cruz, California, has been in the AIM house community for 5 months. He first got into fire spinning while attending a juggling convention that passed through his hometown. He started without fire at first, but eventually wanted to try performing with fire because it seemed exciting. 

Ari was inspired by his twin brother who had been interested in the flow arts for a few years. Ari was intrigued by the way it seemed to calm down and relax his brother in a way that he had never seen before, so with that, he picked up his own prop and started practicing. Ari’s first object was made from a piece of paracord and a tennis ball filled with sand. 

When Ari is performing, he finds he is able to connect with himself in a rare way. When speaking about his love for the art, Ari says that he “loves fire performing because it is a mindfulness practice that gives me a high no substance can. When I'm flowing, I feel connected to everything and everyone around me. Fire performing is an art form... more specifically a flow art or movement art. It has allowed me to connect to my body and self by making me more aware of my movement and how my body moves. The key to flow is muscle memory and repetitive practice. I do it daily and I feel very connected to every part and every movement of my body.” 

In Boulder, Ari has been lucky to find an extremely supportive group of people in the fire community that he has connected to like family. While Ari had a wonderful fire community back home in Santa Cruz, he has been able to establish a new flow community in Boulder that meets every Tuesday night at a local eatery called Thrive for a weekly “fire jam”. Ari says that it is “always a little intimidating trying to meet new friends but here in Boulder, I was welcomed in and go back to Thrive every week I can.” 

Ari has opened up the AIM House to a new community of the flow arts -- even preforming at the July Family Workshop! He has encouraged staff and participants alike to broaden their horizons when it comes to creative expression and mindfulness practices, which has been a fantastic experience for all! 

-- Written by AIM House Marketing Intern Casey K
 

About AIM House
Founded in 1999, AIM House is a transitional living program located in Boulder, Colorado. Young adults come from wilderness therapy programs, residential treatment programs, therapeutic boarding schools and drug and alcohol treatment centers. Mentors and therapists work with each participant to create an individualized program that meets the needs of the participant and their family. Participants have access to a large variety of educational institutions, including the University of Colorado Boulder. AIM House also offers executive functioning support, vocational coaching, and personalized artistic and entrepreneurial mentorship. 

Elevations RTC, a residential treatment center for teens ages 13-18, is excited to share the results from 2019 parent surveys. These results are compiled from 30 parent survey responses between January and May of 2019.

Parents are sent two surveys throughout their child’s time at the program. First, they are sent an incoming parent survey upon their child’s enrollment. This survey helps inform the Elevations RTC team about how smoothly parents felt their admissions experience went and provides them with a better understanding of how they can improve the admissions process.

A month after students discharge from Elevations RTC, parents receive a discharge survey that measures parent satisfaction of the program.

“Discharge surveys allow us to reconnect with parents and hear how students are doing after they have completed our program,” comments Laura Burt, Director of Admissions and Business Development at Elevations RTC. “We get a sense of where students are and what life looks like for them after treatment.”

 From the discharge surveys received in 2019, Elevations RTC found that:

• 93% of families surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that they would refer a friend or family to Elevations.
• 96.7% of families surveyed were satisfied with the quality of therapy their child received.
• 90% of families surveyed agreed that the therapy provided was effective for growth and change for their family. 
• 100% of families surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that the admissions process was handled professionally and met their needs.
• 90% of families agreed or strongly agreed that campus facilities were in good repair, clean and adequate.
• 87% of families agreed or strongly agreed that discharge planning was effective and helped them plan for the next steps.

 “The entire team at Elevations RTC feel that surveys are an important way for us to gain constructive feedback about our program,” says Burt. “They help us in our mission to continuously improve our program and the experience of students and their families. Parent surveys also help us see what’s working for families at Elevations RTC. We are very proud of our most recent survey results and are excited to share them.”

Learn more about student and family outcomes at Elevations RTC by visiting https://www.elevationsrtc.com/about/outcomes/ or by calling 855-290-9681.

About Elevations RTC

Elevations RTC is a unique residential treatment center that works with all students ages 13 - 18.  Elevations offers guidance, support and relief to students struggling with issues like trauma, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, behavioral problems, and substance use. Elevations RTC is located in Utah and provides specialized, clinically intensive programs to struggling teens. For more information, please call 1-855-290-9681.

Orem, UT: The Arise Society is proud to announce the launch of a new, user-friendly and mobile-responsive website with improved menu functionality so visitors can find information most relevant to them.

For the most updated information, articles, and announcements from The Arise Society, visit the new website and blog, sign up to join the email newsletter list, and follow them on social media. Check out the new website at www.thearisesociety.com.

Located in Orem, Utah, Arise is a transitional living, supportive therapeutic college community that helps students who are struggling with anxiety, depression, gaming or other motivational issues. Personalized academic, therapeutic, and social support is provided in a “real life” setting that gives students the skills to reach their fullest potential and move forward in their life. The Arise Society empowers students to regain a sense of confidence, independence and health as they move forward in life.

For admissions information or to schedule a tour, contact Becky Brown, Director of Business Development & Admissions, at (435) 691-4318 or email beckybrown@thearisesociety.com

About The Arise Society

The Arise Society helps young adults that are struggling with anxiety, depression, gaming or other motivational issues. We provide personalized academic, therapeutic, and social support in a "real life" setting that gives our students the skills to reach their fullest potential. They attend college at UVU and benefit from group and individual therapy, 24/7 availability of mentor support, activities and social events. We empower students to regain a sense of confidence, independence and health as they move forward in life. www.thearisesociety.com

Chamberlain International School’s Auto Program offers students an opportunity to seriously look into the automotive industry through a hands-on learning experience. This program is designed to help students (who have had challenges in the classroom) to not only learn the basics about automotives but to explore the potential of a career in the field. 

The program was founded by Doug Anderson in 2008 as a way to teach students about auto maintenance and repair. Joe Kingsland, who took over the program from his friend in 2014 when Doug passed away from cancer, understands cars and the need for diversified special education programs. All students at the school attend automotive classes. These classes are designed to teach about auto ownership and basic maintenance and so include oil changes, how to check proper tire inflation, determining the purchase/resale value of car and much more. Students with a serious interest in learning more, select Automotive as an elective course. 

The Automotive Elective students perform a number of extensive repairs such as body work, brake jobs and part replacement, to name a few.  Joe is always introducing new things to them and has these students plugged into CDX Automotive, an online automotive training curriculum, to teach them about electrical and engine repair, safety, and other maintenance-related issues. The group also takes field trips to vintage car festivals, car museums, the Mass Cruisers car show, auto conventions, seminars and the Thompson Speedway in Connecticut. The students get the opportunity to swap stories about cars with professionals in the field, learn how to speak with mechanics and car salesmen, display the Cobra kit cars they have worked on, answer questions from patrons and even have the opportunity to work at some of the car shows and the speedway. Kingsland, a Desert Storm Veteran, has been partnering with "Race Cars for a Cause" for the last few years, giving race track rides to disabled Vets in the student-built Shelby Cobras on race tracks all around New England.

About Chamberlain International School

Located in Middleboro, Massachusetts, Chamberlain International School offers a therapeutic residential learning experience for students ranging in age from 11 to 22. Students at Chamberlain International School struggle with a variety of learning disabilities and mental health challenges.

Red Mountain Sedona is excited to announce a partnership with Kokua Recovery in Colorado to provide cutting-edge mindfulness-based treatment to adolescents at their facility just north of Denver and east of the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.

With this partnership, Red Mountain Sedona (RMS) will continue to provide exceptional transitional care to emerging young adults – the current structure of the Sedona program will remain intact – and we will be bringing our clinically sophisticated model to adolescent residential treatment, as well. To achieve this, RMS Founder and Executive Director Josh White, MA, LCMHC, CGP.WPA will continue to serve as Executive Director at Red Mountain Sedona and will provide support to the amazing team already in place at Kokua. RMS Co-Founder and Executive Program Director Maureen White, MA, will also remain in her role at Red Mountain, but will be crucial to the curriculum development at the Kokua Recovery in Colorado.

About Red Mountain Sedona

Red Mountain Sedona is a mindfulness-based, trauma-informed young adult “Launch” program, located in beautiful Sedona, Arizona.  Red Mountain specializes in helping young adults between the ages of 18-28, address the social, emotional and behavioral issues holding them back from successfully transitioning into adulthood.  Through a truly holistic program that provides structure, individual, group and family therapy, life skills training, recovery support and mindfulness-meditation, yoga and martial arts instruction, Red Mountain Sedona helps students gain the stability and maturity needed to move forward in life.  For more information on Red Mountain Sedona call (855) 998-5272.

Kevin Waller, LPCS, LCAS, CCS is transitioning into the role of Family Program Manager after working for 10 years as a primary therapist at SUWS.  Kevin brings a wealth of experience including his outdoor education degree, years spent working as a field guide, and his time as a therapist with adolescents.  He looks forward to supporting and challenging families as their child progresses through the treatment stages.

The Family Program has been well-established over the years with webinars, workshops, home transition support and an experiential adventure at graduation.  Kevin plans to continue these services with his own perspective and add family phone calls throughout treatment.  The calls will be focused on normalizing the process for parents, introducing psycho-ed concepts around family roles, and helping families commit to self-care.  They will also allow families to practice and strengthen the skills they learned at the workshop, such as diving into the nuances of a “feelings statement.”  And finally, the calls will help reinforce themes that have emerged throughout the course of treatment and offer supportive accountability.

Kevin’s approach relies on the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) perspective to family systems.  He believes that when families can center their relationships on shared values rather than focusing on problematic behaviors, many conflicts can be reframed and diffused.  Self-care becomes a key factor in re-charging a parent’s battery and allowing them to do the hard self-reflection.  As families explore their values alongside their child, and commit themselves to actions based on those values, they strengthen the focus on their internal compass and their relationships.  Kevin plans to infuse all family programming with this consistent messaging (similar to what their child is learning in the field) and looks forward to intensifying the healing process with our families.

About SUWS of the Carolinas

SUWS of the Carolinas is a licensed, CARF International-accredited mental health facility, committed to helping families rediscover their strengths and fostering growth for young people. Operating in the Pisgah National Forest outside of Asheville, SUWS delivers wilderness based therapeutic interventions for 10-17 year old boys and girls with compassion and excellence. 

Equinox RTC, a residential treatment center for adolescent boys ages 14-18 located outside of Asheville, NC, has spent the last few weeks building a BMX pump track on part of their campus. The pump track is another testament to the commitment to both adventure programming and community responsibility. 

The pump track took a few weeks to design and build at Equinox. The on-site maintenance of the pump track is handled by students, which incorporates many beneficial hands-on experiences.

“Boys at Equinox stay as active as possible.  It is good for mental health, for wellness and healing. Activities like the pump track help to build new interests and work on skills necessary for other outdoor activities,” Bryan Tomes, Founder and Director of Business Development reports.  He adds, “Building new interest while at the program is key; having new things to do, new hobbies, is why we offer various activities.”

The pump track presents challenges for boys at the program. Biking the track helps skill-building, offers programmatic diversity, and trail maintenance touches on a commitment to working hard. The development of this resource helps to build integrity and tackle entitlement issues. 

Tomes shares, “The track helps boys develop the understanding that things don’t just exist to take advantage of, but you have to build them, maintain them, and work on them.” 

The benefit of budding adventure activities can span many of the areas young men struggle with. Equinox looks for new avenues to connect while providing a unique residential experience. The program’s 145-acre campus is an adventurous environment and further development of the campus helps to continuously evolve the Equinox RTC experience for future attendees. 

About Equinox RTC

Equinox RTC is a leading residential treatment center for adolescents ages 14-18. Equinox is unique in its focus on Trauma, Loss and Attachment, providing clinically intensive treatment for young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, ASD, learning disabilities, and other emotional and behavioral needs. Equinox offers a combination of clinically sophisticated support with a whole child approach including adventure therapy, integrated Cross-Fit program, and a whole foods diet. Equinox provides a fully accredited school, with broad course selections taught by licensed teachers in a college-preparatory environment. Learn more about Equinox’s mission by visiting our About Us page, or by calling (877) 279-8925.

TechieForLife (TFL), a specialized post-secondary vocational school, is celebrating their three-year anniversary. Located in Southern Utah, TFL has been growing its unique wrap-around career support program to better serve student needs. Ongoing efforts to adjust and improve have shown to be integral to the success of this cutting-edge school.

Undoubtedly, work to support an under-served population of neurodiverse young adults, like those with Autism, doesn’t come without some risks. “We’ve had our fair share of small failures along the way,” said Cam, the Program Director at TFL. For example, a big push was made to improve on TFL’s point system. Set up to help motivate students, it went through many revisions with student input. "It wasn't working," said Cam. Eventually, it was dropped for a more fitting plan. 

As a result, what has emerged is now more of an organic hybrid balance to TFL's culture and approach. TFL has combined and enhanced the vocational school and college support models. Consequently, students who struggle are getting their educational, as well as social and emotional needs better met.

Since opening, TechieForLife has sought to find just the right balance between too flexible and overly rigid. “Many of the young adults who come are looking for support and mentoring. They want more than just therapy in a restrictive setting. So, they appreciate the chance to make friends and have fun as well,” said Debbie Grygla, TFL’s Admissions Director.

“Reaching our three-year mark feels great. We love seeing our students succeeding!” said Debbie. Learn more by visiting TechieForLife.com or emailing  getstarted@techieforlife.com.

About TechieForLife

TechieForLife (TFL) is a co-ed, residential postsecondary school with a wrap-around career support program in beautiful St. George, Utah. Students with neurodiverse social, emotional and academic challenges such as autism receive mentoring at TFL so they can build social connections, confidence and independence. Licensed as a vocational school, TFL offers in-house computer tech training, college or trade school help, apprenticeships, internships and job support for individualized paths forward. At TFL, students have a place to belong and support to succeed.

A big part of the Hero’s Journey at Solstice West, a residential treatment center for teen girls, is empowering girls to express themselves in creative and healthy ways. Some of the electives offered through Solstice’s accredited academic program, such as Visual Arts and Musical Theater, allow students to explore their passions and dedicate themselves to projects that give them a sense of purpose. Building confidence in themselves helps them tune into different aspects of the artistic process, which has a lot of parallels to other situations they’ve experienced.

“A lot of students have this idea that you’re either born with talent or you’re not. Over time, with practice, they can rise above and become something they didn’t know they could become,” Art Teacher Nate Pack explains. “We try to challenge these beliefs they have about identifying as an artist or not feeling like they should claim to be one. As teens are trying to define who they are or who they’re not, they struggle to just let themselves experience things they haven’t before and see where it takes them.”

Solstice West places an emphasis on community involvement to give teens the opportunity to give back. This summer, students in art classes have participated in a few projects, including creating a backdrop for the musical theater class’s performance of “Wicked” and painting Nate Pack’s car. 

“Every few years, I ask students to help me come up with a design and then let them take the reins,” Pack laughs. “This design took layers and layers of paint and lots of patience in watching it all come together. I introduce them to a lot of mediums throughout the year, but this project is kinetic. Like life, art is always changing as it unfolds.”

The visual arts program is more than just art, it’s about teaching life skills like confidence, self-awareness, leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving. Small class sizes give students a space for their voice to be heard and their work to be seen.

About Solstice RTC

Solstice RTC is a residential treatment center in Utah that helps girls ages 14-18 who struggle with issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship struggles. In additional to traditional therapy and adventure activities, their accredited academic program emphasizes creative expression and experiential learning. Solstice RTC is dedicated to teaching young women how to incorporate healthy habits into their lives and develop healthy relationships.

Call 866-278-3345 for more information about Solstice RTC or visit http://solsticertc.com. 

Pure Life is excited to welcome Allan Capp to Pure Life. Allan is focusing his time and effort towards reviewing and improving existing programming at Pure Life. He is also spending time in Costa Rica to help Pure Life intentionally develop new innovations for our students.

Allan's work helps students integrate their adventures with therapeutic care, and empowers them to take more ownership of their own treatment. Pure Life students often come to the program scared, insecure, reluctant and resistant to change. They overwhelmingly leave the program with more confidence and the knowledge they can do things they previously thought impossible.

Allan’s passion for adventure started at an early age, whether it be surfing, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, fishing or mountain biking. He began working in the outdoor industry over 15 years ago, when Allan discovered wilderness and adventure therapy, and worked for years as a guide, leading backcountry expeditions and adventure activities. He eventually moved into program management and leadership, and has worked with numerous programs over the years. 

Allan shares, "In the time I’ve been working with Pure Life, I’ve been consistently impressed with the transformational growth I’ve witnessed in the lives of Pure Life students and their families. There is something about cultural immersion, and traveling to a completely new and foriegn place that adds to the experience for our students. Costa Rica is such a rich and beautiful environment, and the “pura vida” way of life provides a unique opportunity for Pure Life students. “Pura vida“("pure life” in english) is a phrase used in Costa Rica similar to "aloha" in Hawaii; it’s more than a greeting or expression, it’s a way of being and experiencing the world. Pura vida includes optimism in the face of adversity, a sense of belonging wherever you are, and connectedness to the people and environment around you. The Pure Life environment is a perfect place for young adults to discover and clarify values and goals for their own lives."

About Pure Life Adventure

Pure Life Adventure is located in the Central Pacific region of beautiful Costa Rica. Relying on decades of experience in the Costa Rican outdoor industry, the bicultural team provides a therapeutically sophisticated and holistic approach to helping young adults with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, executive function deficits, trauma and substance abuse. The students are individuals with very real challenges looking for lasting change. Pure Life utilizes traditional individual and group therapy in combination with outdoor experiential learning and adventure. The Pure Life integrated and dynamic approach includes an emphasis on fitness, mindfulness, life skills and cultural immersion.

The clients of Q&A Associates have a very unique opportunity when they are participating in one of the Q&A young adult transitional living programs.  Saddles & Smiles is a 501c3 nonprofit established by Q&A Founder and CEO Angie Shockley six years ago to provide equine-assisted services to children, teens and young adults with challenges and disabilities.  At this time, there are over 30 participants in the Saddles & Smiles (S&S) program.  All services provided by S&S are free of charge to the participants and their families.  The success of the program is dependent on volunteer hours of service and dedication as well as fundraising throughout the year.  

The clients of Applewood Transitions, The Journey, and Cabin Mountain Living Center have the opportunity to benefit from the services of S&S in two ways. First, each client is invited to participate in the equine-assisted learning and therapy provided through S&S.  For many transitioning young adults, emotional self-regulation is a challenge.  Working with horses is a great way to learn self-regulation.  If the client is ready, the horse will be the teacher.  Clients learn true mindfulness, discover how to be present, and gain self awareness by working with the horses.  All of these skills lead to better emotional regulation.  The team at Q&A is skilled at helping the clients transfer skills learned at the barn to their daily life.  

The second way for clients to benefit is through volunteering to assist with the children and adolescents who participate in S&S.  Tuesday through Saturday, children and their families show up at the barn throughout the day for scheduled sessions.  Some participants are wheelchair-bound.  Some participants are dealing with trauma response from experiencing abuse or neglect and being in the foster care system.  Some participants have Autism Spectrum Disorder and are learning self-awareness and connection.  Some participants have behavior issues and are learning better self control by working with horses.  No child or adolescent is ever turned away from S&S.  The clients of the Q&A family of programs provide support for the children while they are riding by being side walkers or by leading the horses.  They also interact with the children and adolescents, giving them an ear and emotional support.  The clients learn how to care for and prepare the horses which helps them build self-esteem and confidence.  

“Saddles & Smiles is a great ancillary program for the clients of Q&A,” said Michael Anderson, Director of Applewood Transitions.  “As an additional benefit, we have a couple of young ladies who are exploring equine therapy as a career option,” he continued.  

“We are grateful to have Saddles & Smiles as a part of our programming,” added Keith Bishop, Chief Operating Officer.

About Q&A Family of Programs

Q&A Family of Programs works with young adults ages 18 and up, providing opportunities for each of them to develop independent, functional, and happy lives with a high level of quality. Our clients have struggled to reach independence for a variety of reasons such as the inability to develop and/or implement the life skills needed to be successful, or struggling to obtain consistent employment. Our goal is to help these individuals find meaning and an authentic purpose for their lives and a practical path to achieve their goals. 

blueFire PulsaR is a wilderness therapy program based in Idaho that assists young adults who feel like they have no direction in life. Many of their clients have struggled in traditional school settings with social anxiety, stress management, depression, and learning differences that shaped their beliefs about their self-worth and potential. They have had difficulties envisioning a successful future for themselves, let alone setting personal goals to help them get started. PulsaR offers career assessments for every student, that serves as a launching point for a potential path to explore.

In a wilderness therapy environment, young adults are removed from the pressures and high expectations of a fast-paced society, which allows them space to consider their personal goals. While young adults explore their personal strengths and build resilience through adventure activities, they begin to think about how to apply these skills beyond wilderness therapy.

blueFire PulsaR’s career assessment, the Greenwood System 120, looks at several attributes and puts them into an algorithm to identify a student's top career choices, Grit Score, lowest career choices, and a Meyers-Briggs Personality type. The GS 120 career assessment parallels PulsaR’s focus on helping young adults explore their interests, personality styles, values, and possible aptitudes. Results provide a sense of direction for young adults who are struggling to recognize where their strengths may be recognized and valued by others in the “real world.”

While someone may recognize that they are compassionate towards others or that they pay close attention to details, they may struggle to picture themselves as a doctor or as an analyst. Many young adults believe that some of their qualities or experiences may prevent them from entering certain fields, as counselors, lawyers, or law enforcement, however, the experiences that they’ve had played a significant role in determining where they may be successful. Staff at blueFire PulsaR helps young adults find meaning in their experiences and confidently pursue their personal, academic, and career goals.

About blueFire PulsR
blueFire PulsaR is a co-educational wilderness therapy program for young adults ages 18-28. Adventure therapy, equine therapy, academic opportunities, career counseling, and “family spark” help students open up and look at their life. This program is dedicated to helping students regain a better sense of the world around them while addressing their emotions by developing healthy coping skills and communication skills. 

Call (844) 413-1999 or visit bluefirepulsar.com for more information.

Salt Lake City, UT: Maggie Willis, the Art Director at Eva Carlston, has recently won the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Artist Award from Mayor Jackie Biskupski. This award recognizes artists who use their talent and creativity to address issues in the community. 

Within the classroom, Maggie challenges her students to stretch beyond their comfort zone. Maggie encourages students to embrace their mistakes by putting away their erasers, when one is made it becomes a “happy mistake” and they incorporate it into their work without erasing it. Maggie’s lessons, beyond just technique, are applicable to life and are used by students in therapy as well.

Much of Maggie’s work with sculpture, particularly when working with the Utah Arts Festival, is “upcycled” - meaning she takes material many might consider trash, and uses it to create art. But her work also includes other mediums, including oil paint. Eva Carlston is grateful to have Maggie on the team and the impact that she has on their students. When Maggie isn’t lending her talents to Eva Carlston students, she is serving on the Board of Directors at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, volunteering for the Tumbleweeds Film Festival, running the Children’s Art Yard at the Utah Arts Festival, and producing her own pieces as a working artist.

About Eva Carlston Academy 

Eva Carlston Academy  (UT) is a licensed residential treatment center located near the urban center of Salt Lake City. The program serves young women between the ages of 12 and 18 in a clinically intense, family-style program which focuses upon creating opportunities for students to explore the arts while working toward continued growth and healing.

College Excel welcomed three exceptional Student Success Coaches onto our team this summer. As our students pursue college success and independence, our coaches work alongside them to provide individualized support and elicit transformative change. Each of our new coaches comes with a unique background that has prepared them to elevate our program and the student experience:

• Amanda Frankel (right) comes to us with a background in environmental education and community outreach. Quick to share her passions and strengths, she has already put her expertise in these areas to use at College Excel. This summer Amanda developed a service learning curriculum and engaged our students in meaningful volunteer opportunities around the community.
• David Swope (center) brings to the team nearly a decade of experience in outdoor education and wilderness therapy. He has led numerous expeditions with NOLS and worked as a field guide for a local wilderness therapy program. Through these roles, David has honed the ability to empower young adults as they face their challenges head-on, making him an already-powerful presence in our students’ lives.
• Katie Tomer (left) is a certified Health Education Specialist and registered yoga instructor with a passion for holistic and integrative health. Among the dynamic experiences that have prepared her for the coaching role, Katie has facilitated psycho-educational groups within universities, worked as a dance instructor, led community-based research initiatives and taught English in Thailand.

About College Excel

Founded in 2003, College Excel is the nation’s leading residential college support program located in beautiful Bend, Oregon. At College Excel, post-secondary adults (18+) with diverse learning needs requiring extra support are provided the structure they need to move forward, both academically and personally. Using a proprietary, blended coaching model rooted in Harvard research-based neurocoaching and behavioral coaching techniques, College Excel students receive daily support from a team of credentialed and experienced Academic and Student Life Coaches while earning transferable college credits.

Boise, Idaho: Along Their Way, LLC founder and CEO, Jamie Blume, presented at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) in June.  “Eat Well Be Well” focused on the way the foods that are eaten affect our mental health.  The presentation covered, among other things, nutrients necessary for proper brain health, consequences of a poorly fed brain, and the connection between gut health and brain health.  Ms. Blume presented current research to support her claims and also talked about how to implement appropriate nutrition for mental health into wilderness and therapeutic program settings. 

Jamie Blume holds a Masters in Nutrition and a degree in Holistic Wellness Coaching.  As Jamie explains, “How we nourish ourselves affects our health, specifically our brain health.  Simple changes in the way we eat and live can make a huge impact on our mental health, especially depression and anxiety.”  

Participants who attended this presentation received information on factors that affect our mental health, including genetics, lifestyle choices, environment, trauma, stress management, food, inflammation, poor gut health, and connections. Jamie Blume explained how the choices one makes in nourishing ourselves can greatly impact how we think, how we feel, and how we behave. Jamie provided the science and research behind the importance of properly feeding the brain and ways to implement these learnings into the lives of the seminar's participants, as well as the clients they serve. 

Participants enjoyed an exercise on intuitive eating and had an opportunity for questions.  Jamie acknowledges, “Taking steps toward a healthier diet and lifestyle can seem daunting, yet applying learned stepson be quite attainable.  And the results can be life-changing.”  For questions, or if you are interested in learning more, please contact Jamie Blume at Along Their Way, LLC 303-506-5776, jamie@alongtheirway.com

About Along Their Way

Based in Denver, Colorado, Along Their Way, LLC, provides life coaching and mentoring solutions for teens young adults as well as coaching for parents nationwide.  Jamie supports clients on their own path to better self-care, self-discovery, and self-acceptance.  Sessions can be arranged in person, by phone, or Skype to help navigate the daily challenges, assignments, and expectations of her clients. 

Trails Carolina, a wilderness therapy program for students ages 10-17, is delighted to announce that Jacob Thomason, LPC will be joining their Family Programming team. 

“I’m really excited to be able to complement the team in place at Trails Carolina. They have done an outstanding job of supporting families and have a wonderfully comprehensive program,” says Jacob.

Having had a family member in treatment, Jacob understands first-hand the value of including parents and siblings in the process. He is passionate about keeping attuned to the wants and needs of parents and siblings throughout the wilderness therapy experience.  He explains, “A student’s long term success is dependent on parents being aligned and having supportive goals in place. That is why family programming is so vital to the work we do here at Trails.”

After earning his Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College, Jacob began working in the wilderness therapy field nearly a decade ago and has worked in wilderness programs in Utah and Wisconsin. Additionally, he worked at an extended care sober living program in Maine and ran adventure camps while in college. 

The opportunity to join the Trails Carolina team allowed Jacob to bring his family back to his hometown, where they can be closer to his family. 

“Jacob’s many years working with teens and families within a wilderness therapy environment make him a valuable addition to our family programming,” says Graham Shannonhouse, Executive Director and Founder of Trails Carolina. “We are thrilled to have him on board.”

About Trails Carolina

Trails Carolina is a wilderness therapy for pre-teens and adolescents ages 10-17. The clinically sophisticated and time-tested program engages students through wilderness therapy, mindfulness and yoga, equine-assisted therapy, intentional transitions, and academic engagement. Recent outcome research demonstrates efficacy. Trails Carolina was created to help families reconnect and heal. For additional information about Trails Carolina, located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, please call 800-975-7303. 

Boasting a motto of “Real Ranch, Real Values, Real Change,” Turn-About Ranch began operating as a program to help troubled youth in 1989.  As Turn-About Ranch celebrates its 30th year of “Making Real Change,” they have invited mental health professionals to experience some key aspects of this amazing program.

“We’ve had many professionals and consultants refer families to the program over the years.  We felt it was time to give them a chance to truly experience what their clients experience participating in our treatment model,” says Shane Young, Admissions Director.  “More than a tour, we will be inviting these therapists to participate in and learn from some of the core activities of this real working ranch and residential treatment center.”

Turn-About Ranch uses Experiential Therapy in conjunction with other treatment modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Trauma specific therapies and more.  The experiences become the primary teachers as counselors guide participants through the various challenges and activities.  “This gives real-life situations that we can use to help each student connect the dots to life back home and the changes needed for them to be successful there,” Young explained.  “We hope the therapists who visit will be able to benefit personally from the experiences we provide but also believe it will help them be even more effective as their clients graduate from Turn-About and return to their care.”

Turn-About Ranch will be hosting a handful of these mental health professionals along with some alumni students in August.  They will share Horsemanship and Ranching, Group Therapy in their “Million Acre School” during a hike, and even hands-on activities like Bow Drill Fires and a Ropes Course.  As Shane Young stated, “There isn’t a  better way to celebrate 30 years of success than to share the benefits of the treatment we provide with those who play such a major role in the long-term success of each of our students.”

About Turn-About Ranch

Turn-About Ranch is a wilderness therapy and residential treatment program located in the heart of Southern Utah’s canyon country. Students experience life on a real working ranch while undergoing treatment to improve their life back home. Surrounded by multiple national parks and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Turn-About Ranch is the ideal location for youth of today to have the space they need to find healing and purpose.

Aspiro is holding a contest during the month of August 2019 for all adventurers out there! The goal is to encourage people to get outside and experience the joys of nature, challenging themselves physically, mentally, or emotionally, connecting with others, and having fun! Aspiro's 13 years of research show that as people are out doing adventurous activities such as hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, biking, etc., that growth and change takes place. There is a feeling of competence that comes from completing something challenging; a sense of success, and a boost in self-esteem. This leads to increased grit and self-efficacy.

To join the contest, simply post an adventurous photo on Facebook or Instagram. Include the hashtag #adventureheals and tag Aspiro (@aspirogroup for Facebook or @aspiroadventure for Instagram). Prizes will include great adventure gear like Enos Hammocks, REI Gift Certificates, LifeProof Phone Cases, BlackDiamond Headlamps, and more!

Post your #AdventureHeals photo this month, and come find Aspiro at the Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Park City, Utah for a free #AdventureHeals t-shirt! Looking forward to seeing you there!

About Aspiro

With treatment-specific programs located in Utah and Costa Rica, Aspiro’s mission is to be the most clinically-advanced outdoor behavioral healthcare program in the world, providing safe, dynamic, highly effective treatment modalities that are backed by empirical research. Aspiro Wilderness Adventure Therapy is a short-term wilderness program serving adolescents ages 13-17 and young adults ages 18-28 with varying degrees of social, emotional and behavioral challenges.

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for teen girls in North Carolina that takes a holistic approach in addressing substance addiction and other process addictions.  Primary Therapist and licensed Substance Abuse Counselor Anna White, MSW, LCAS, LCSW, explains “Using substances is just one symptom of addiction. When you take substances away, there are so many other underlying issues that reinforce their unhealthy coping mechanisms. This is why addiction therapy is just one element of our program.” 

With individualized treatment plans that incorporate a variety of therapeutic modalities to treat addictive patterns, therapists at Solstice East emphasize developing close relationships with every student. (Watch the interview with Anna here.)  “Addiction is a disease of disconnect,” says White. “It makes teens feel isolated from their families and the world around them. Teens have to relearn what a healthy relationship looks like, beginning with the support of mentors and their peers struggling with similar issues.”

Many teens are resistant to the idea of treatment when they first start looking at their unhealthy patterns. They may minimize the impact of their behavior as “normal teen things” or romanticize their lifestyle. When they stop relying on substances or other coping mechanisms, they may believe that their problems have been resolved. 

However, “when teens begin to recognize how their unhealthy behaviors were their way of coping with situations and meeting certain needs, they feel empowered to look for alternative ways of reducing the void they feel, rather than just filling it,” White describes. “They have to detach from their impulsive behaviors before they can attach to the solutions treatment offers.”

Solstice East uses the Seeking Safety model, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, motivational interviewing, and group therapy to help educate teens about the impact of process addictions, encourage open discussions about attachment issues and impulsive behaviors. Additionally, they help teens develop healthier relationships and coping mechanisms. 

While most treatment centers for teens struggling with addiction are based on a 12-Step Recovery model, Solstice East takes a personalized approach to help girls struggling with substance use, self-harm, compulsive social media use, disordered eating, and other process addictions. 

Solstice understands that the needs of young girls are different from those of adults and that one addictive behavior can easily be replaced by new addictions. Because of this, they focus on addressing underlying issues, and not just problem behaviors.

About Solstice East

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for young women ages 14-18 struggling with process addictions, substance use, and trauma. This program helps young women detach from unhealthy coping mechanisms by integrating healthy habits into their lives. Students learn to cope with emotions, communicate effectively, form healthy relationships, and build confidence. Their holistic approach acknowledges that addiction is only one piece of the puzzle to be addressed in order to help girls succeed in multiple areas of their lives. For more information about addiction programming at Solstice East, call (828)-471-0221 or visit solsticeeast.com. 

Family healing comes to life when New Haven families, staff and clinical teams head down to Green River and Moab each year; each year these trips are a highlight for everyone involved. Their most recent trip to Green River was a huge success.

At times families have been apprehensive to participate in a “camping” trip yet by the end of each trip, most families report that had a great experience.  Some of the comments included loving having the opportunity to get back to the root of being a family without any distractions and having the time and space to connect in a meaningful way.  These experiences are powerful for each family at New Haven. 

At the last Green River trip in May, several families were asked to share their experiences together in a video.  To hear from some of New Haven’s families about this experience feel free to visit their YouTube channel. Moab is scheduled for October; stay tuned for more on that trip and as always to learn more about New Haven’s Family Healing Program visit our website at www.newhavenrtc.com.

About New Haven RTC

Founded in 1995, New Haven Residential Treatment Center has been an industry leader in treatment for young women since its inception. We serve adolescent females, ages 12-18. New Haven is clinically intensive with an emphasis on family involvement, healthy relationships, academics, love and service. New Haven is a fully licensed professional Residential Treatment Center, located in rural Utah, just south of Salt Lake City.

One of the many things Sunrise Residential Treatment Center cherishes is their Mentor Leadership. The mentors at Sunrise are the everyday staff that work diligently to keep their girls safe and teach them what a healthy relationship looks like. The effort that each mentor brings is valued because they have the opportunity to share their passion of building a life worth living everyday with the students.

One of these highly valued mentors is Laura Smith, Sunrise Fields Campus Residential Director.  Laura is someone that has been a great example of what it means to lead in the Sunrise philosophy. As Residential Director of Sunrise, Laura’s main role is to work with parents, girls, and the clinical team to make sure that all therapeutic interventions are being played out accurately in the residential milieu. 

Laura enjoys all things outdoors including, biking, hunting, fishing, running, and camping. You can catch Laura on the weekends with her four children enjoying these activities. 

About Sunrise RTC

Sunrise is a residential treatment center for adolescent girls ages 13-17 aimed at uncovering the academic, social and emotional potential of girls who have been held back by emotional or behavioral struggles. Sunrise combines the warmth of a home, the safety and clinical expertise of a residential treatment program and the community access of a transition program.