September 1, 2020, Raleigh, NC - Green Hill is excited to announce that Marcus Shumate is joining the team as the Clinical Outreach Director. For the first time, Green Hill has created a position dedicated to educating referents, family members, and potential clients about Green Hill’s programs. Marcus brings intimate knowledge of GRreen Hill's organization from his time as the Director of Pavillon’s Young Men’s Program, which many clients have attended prior to joining Green Hill.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Marcus to the team,” says Green Hill CEO Tripp Johnson. “Marcus and I have been friends and colleagues for the past few years and I always knew we’d work together sooner or later. Marcus’s passion, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to the field make him a natural fit for the team.”
Marcus previously served as the Director of the Young Men’s Program at Pavillon, a residential treatment program in North Carolina. Marcus holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Gardner-Webb University and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Gardner-Webb University. At Pavillon, he began as a Continuing-Care Coordinator, transitioned to a primary therapist in various programs, and then developed and implemented the Young Men’s Program. As the Director of the Young Men’s Program, Marcus led the development and implementation of clinical programming, provided direct clinical care, and provided clinical supervision to a team of clinicians and program staff.
Now as the Clinical Outreach Director at Green Hill, Marcus will build strategic relationships for Green Hill throughout the country with a clinically-informed approach. Marcus is passionate for innovation in the field of substance use disorder treatment and promotes the idea that practitioners should be challenging assumed constraints. Given his interests in all things related to human flourishing, Marcus was drawn to the alignment he felt with Green Hill’s mission.
Green Hill’s Development Director Jake Summers added, “We were really trying to find a way to build an outreach department focused on education that was grounded in our values and mission. There are many programs in this field that take more of a sales approach, and that just isn’t who we are. We look forward to working with Marcus to grow our engagement with clinicians and treatment practices across the country.”
About Green Hill
Green Hill Recovery is a nationally recognized treatment provider for young adults grappling with substance use and other co-occurring mental health disorders. Green Hill prepares clients for success beyond their days in treatment through sophisticated addiction, mental health, and executive functioning treatment; intentional community integration, experiential, and wellness offerings; and individualized academic, career, and personal growth curriculum. At its core, Green Hill empowers individuals to live with profound purpose.
For more information, visit www.greenhillrecovery.com or call us at 984-204-1106.
West Ridge Academy, a co-ed residential treatment center for pre-teens and teens, is excited to announce two new members of their leadership team.
Dr. Leilani Clark joins the team as Residential Life Director, after serving most recently as Dean of Students in a local private high school in SLC. She started her teaching career at a Hawaiian immersion program in Keaau, where she also managed and worked directly in the residence halls there. She has taught science and math at several schools over the past decade, led and mentored teachers, and developed curriculum and positive reinforcement systems designed to assist students with a variety of challenges. She earned her undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences, her Masters in Biology, and just completed her doctorate of education degree prior to joining West Ridge's team. Leilani’s academic training and residential experience make her uniquely suited to help West Ridge navigate this “new normal” climate, and will provide such valuable insight and training for the youth mentor team that she will directly oversee.
Clint Firth joins the team as the Academic Director; his most recent work was as an administrator for the academic team at Monuments Academy, and he’s had the privilege of working in teaching and administrative roles in academics in several residential treatment centers over the course of his career. Clint’s first career was as a technology executive, and he’s excited to incorporate this experience into the school system at West Ridge Academy, while creatively utilizing the talented, specialized teachers and special education coordinator at WRA for direct instruction, learning labs, school outings and assemblies, and individual academic advising for every student in the program. Clint is licensed as a Math and ESL teacher has an undergraduate degree in International Politics, and is working to complete his Educational Leadership licensure in the spring of 2021.
Executive Director, Janet Farnsworth, reports “this change in organizational structure mirrors the internal changes we’ve worked hard to orchestrate over the past few years, with a renewed focus on cross-departmental collaboration and innovations in approach across all of our programs and services. Because our vision is to create a program that is accessible for all kinds of families, and for students across a wide age range, we feel blessed to have found such uniquely talented folks to join us. These two additions to our team will help us to continue our mission, with an intensified focus on creating opportunities for real-world experiences both in and out of the classroom. I know that Clint & Leilani will work closely together to create new pathways for learning, growing, and healing for all of our students.”
About West Ridge Academy
West Ridge Academy… where our 50 year mission has been to offer hope and healing in an environment that encompasses Humility – Accountability – Service – and Love. Feel free to give us a call or email us if you have any questions.
Raleigh, NC: Green Hill is thrilled to announce that CEO Tripp Johnson will be speaking at the Addiction Professionals of North Carolina’s (APNC) Fall Conference, which will be held October 13-16, 2020. Green Hill recently became an organizational member of APNC to support APNC’s mission of empowering professionals in the prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery field. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what it’s like to lead a values-based, mission-driven organization in the substance use disorder field -- you can register for the virtual event now by emailing info@apnc.org.
“I’m really honored that APNC asked me to speak at their upcoming conference. APNC is a terrific organization that, among other things, oversees North Carolina’s collegiate recovery programs which we frequently work with at Green Hill,” said Johnson. “The opportunity to discuss conscious leadership and what it means to lead a values-based, mission-driven organization, is something that I didn’t want to miss.”
The APNC conference will be held virtually to keep all colleagues safe and while this will be different for many, it is an example of how adaptability is one of the keys to providing quality care. Tripp’s presentation will focus on how intentionally developing a culture based on a shared set of values and a vision has allowed his organization to thrive amidst the chaos caused by Covid-19. He will share lessons learned from the early stages of Green Hill through the organization’s navigation of the pandemic. Attendees will be presented with information and resources focused on culture development, conscious leadership, and operational systemization which they can incorporate into their organizations.
About Green Hill
Green Hill is a nationally recognized treatment provider for young adults grappling with substance use and other co-occurring mental health disorders. Green Hill prepares clients for success beyond their days in treatment through sophisticated addiction, mental health, and executive functioning treatment; intentional community integration, experiential, and wellness offerings; and individualized academic, career, and personal growth curriculum. At its core, Green Hill empowers individuals to live with profound purpose.
For more information, visit Green Hill’s website at https://www.greenhillrecovery.com or call us at 984-204-1106.
About APNC
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC) empowers our prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery professionals to thrive in an evolving continuum of care. To learn more about APNC, click here and secure your spot at the fall conference by emailing info@apnc.org.
Boulder Creek Academy is thrilled to welcome Dusty Cash, M.S. back to their campus. Dusty joined the Admissions team of Boulder Creek Academy, as Admissions Counselor, August 24th, 2020.
Dusty’s fabulous rapport, not only with Educational and Therapeutic Consultants but his work with families and students makes him an obvious choice for Boulder Creek. “We are so happy to have Dusty return. He is such an asset to our program and our team, we love what he brings, and what he has to offer to our families and our school.”
Dusty has been involved in various capacities with the Family Choice Behavioral Healthcare Industry for over 16 years. “We love his positive energy and are excited to have him connect with families and professionals about Boulder Creek Academy and all that it has to offer,” said Lisa Hester, the Executive Director of Boulder Creek Academy. If you would like to talk with Dusty please contact him at Dusty.Cash@uhsinc.com, or 208-290-2902.
About Boulder Creek Academy
At Boulder Creek Academy, students rediscover their academic and social confidence. The key to our success is that we reignite our students’ belief in themselves by utilizing time-tested and proven methods. Students begin to experience academic achievement, regain self-esteem, learn to embrace their uniqueness and become capable learners who are confident in themselves. Each day at Boulder Creek Academy is purposefully designed to maximize experiences that allow students to practice social skills, improve self-worth and develop healthy identity, benefit from therapeutic learning and to have fun.
Boulder Creek Academy has been creating a therapeutic learning environment for high school students ages 14-18 with anxiety, depression, untapped academic potential, interpersonal relationship difficulties, limited executive function skills and overlooked strengths and talents for more than 25 years.
The Sunrise Residential Treatment Center Admissions Team participated in a three-day conference hosted by Embark Behavioral Health, to learn better ways to meet the needs of partners and families. One of the most influential sessions of the conference was "Refining Your Story" by Park Howell. For over 35 years, Park Howell has guided leaders of purpose-driven brands to achieve exponential growth for themselves, their organizations, and the people they serve. His work revolves around speaking and teaching on the applied science and bewitchery of business storytelling. Howell's curriculum, The Business of Story, breaks down the elements of a story and how these elements can be used to bring clarity and understanding to a situation, company vision, or personal brand; it starts with defining the problem, identifying the stakes (or what could be gained or lost), and determining and acting on a solution. This system "is powerful because it's distilled from the timeless narrative structure of the Ancients, inspired by the story artists of Hollywood, influenced by masters of persuasion, guided by trend spotters, and informed by how the human mind grapples for meaning." (The Business of Story, 2020).
This was an inspiring session for the Sunrise Admissions Team because their number one goal when working with families is to help them bring meaning to their own story and help them understand how Sunrise can help them reach their ultimate goals. " 'Stories are about moments.' That phrase really stuck out to me when thinking about how to apply what we learned in this session to the work we are doing at Sunrise," says Amy Bowler, Sunrise Admissions Counselor. "These families come to us feeling so lost and defeated, often hopeless, not understanding that this moment with their daughter does not have to be their defining story. It is merely just a "moment" on their journey." Doing the required family therapy, gaining an understanding of the roles, rules, and relationships within the family system, and learning the skills necessary for healthy communication practices are how families achieve their goals.
The students at Sunrise also go through a very similar process as they redefine their identity and personal values while they embark on their treatment journey. They begin to understand their own backstory, see themselves as the hero, define their stakes, and develop the skills needed to build a life worth living. "If the only thing a girl learns while she is with us," says Senior Clinical Director, Craig Simpson, LCSW, "is the confidence and resiliency to recover from her mistakes, while repairing and maintaining her relationship with herself and others, then she will be set up to have a successful and joy filled life."
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.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — CooperRiis residential mental health treatment and healing community in Western North Carolina officially opened its new program on September 01, 2020. The new CooperRiis at Asheville program is a short-term treatment, 30-90 days mental health stabilization program designed to develop a foundation for a potential next step into its longer-term residential program on the CooperRiis Farm in Mill Spring, into its Asheville Community Program, or into another treatment program.
The CooperRiis at Asheville program accepts adults 18 and over who experience mental health diagnoses such as anxiety, major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and any co-occurring condition related to addiction (dual diagnosis).
The CooperRiis at Asheville Program integrates clinical recovery services through psychiatry, individual and group therapy and experiential group therapy, independent skill, and functional recovery programming, including psychotherapy, optimized medication use, psychoeducation, and 24-hour nursing. Evidenced-based group modalities such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Expressive Arts Therapy, and Psychosis Support are part of the program.
The recovery program benefits individuals in early recovery and individuals experiencing setbacks or recurrent mental health and substance use challenges, and persons whose mental health has been exacerbated by COVID 19.
"CooperRiis has a long tradition of providing recovery-based and inclusive services for people with mental health challenges. We are excited that CooperRiis at Asheville will be able to round out the continuum, providing services for people who require intensive clinical services and support" says Eric A. Levine, Ed.D, President and CEO.
About CooperRiis Healing Community
Founded by Donald R. Cooper and Lisbeth Riis Cooper, CooperRiis is a non-profit organization accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CooperRiis is a residential healing community in Western North Carolina, with a rural campus on a 94-acre farm and an urban campus in the heart of Asheville. Since 2003, CooperRiis has been helping adults living with mental health challenges, achieve their highest levels of functioning and fulfillment. A personalized recovery approach, CooperRiis combines trusted clinical therapies, community work & service, education, and integrative wellness practices.
Visit https://www.cooperriis.org, call 828.894.7140 or email AshevilleAdmissions@CooperRiis.org
Elements Traverse, a young adult wilderness therapy program in central Utah, is thrilled to announce that Eric Fawson, LCSW will be the program’s new Clinical Director as well as co-owner. Fawson brings to Traverse a wealth of experience in behavioral health as well as enthusiasm for the wilderness. Most recently, Fawson worked as a Primary Therapist at Elements Wilderness Program working with teen boys. “It is absolutely wonderful to be joining the Traverse team,” shared Fawson. “While working at Elements, I observed the amazing clinical and healing work that happens at Traverse, which is a credit to such a well-intentioned and thought-out organization.”
Started in 2016, Elements Traverse has established itself as an effective and reputable wilderness option specifically tailored to young adults. With the addition of Fawson to both the clinical and ownership teams, Elements Traverse is poised to continue growing in terms of the number of clients served as well as the quality and effectiveness of the program. Fawson’s leadership and therapy style match Elements Traverse’s approach of focusing on healthy company culture and providing evidence-based treatment that promotes better outcomes for clients and their families.
“We are excited to have Eric on our team,” said Executive Director Janine Donald. “He is a talented clinician as well as a caring and humble leader for our Clinical Team and the company as a whole.” Fawson will be officially joining Elements Traverse on October 1, 2020. “I can't imagine a better team and community to join and feel blessed to have an opportunity to learn from everyone at Elements and Traverse,” shared Fawson. To talk with Eric Fawson or the admissions team about working with him, please contact Elements Traverse’s Admissions Department at 866-542-2252.
About Elements Traverse
Elements Traverse is a young adult wilderness therapy program based in central Utah. Our clients spend nine weeks backpacking in the San Rafael Swell past petroglyphs and dinosaur fossils. We offer gender-inclusive groups where clients work on treatment goals together. Clients learn Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills to help them navigate life's inevitable ups and downs. They also gain a deep understanding of their substance use through the evidence-based 7 Challenges curriculum. Furthermore, clients discover what they are truly capable of through guided adventure activities such as rock climbing, rappelling, stand up paddleboarding, fly fishing, and more. As a small owner-operated program, we know each one of our clients well, and their families have access to us at every level. For more information, visit www.elementstraverse.com
(Redlands, CA) Benchmark Transitions is pleased to announce that on September 9, 2020, Benchmark celebrated their 27th year in business, making them the longest running young adult-specific treatment and transitional living program in the nation. Due to the El Dorado fire in Yucaipa, which caused emergency evacuations for two Benchmark programs, as well as limitations posed by the COVID-19 healthcare crisis, the occasion was celebrated modestly with staff and clients.
"When I started Benchmark 27 years ago today," remarked founder and CEO Jayne Longnecker-Harper, M.Ed., "it was very modest, indeed. I had one staff to help me and we had only one young adult client. The fact that we've managed to survive in business all of these years is truly a blessing for me and my family. Our goal has been the same since the first day. We are here to help young adults and their famillies heal and help them gain the skills they need to live healthy and productive lives. If we've done that over all of these years, then we have succeeded," Jayne concludes.
Bechmark continues to work closely with local fire authorities and with the State of California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to ensure client and staff safetly during the fires and has been keeping families updated throughout the process.
About Benchmark
Benchmark Transitions is a comprehensive multi-discliplinary approach to residential treatment and clinical transitional living for young adults, 18-28 years of age. Benchmark provides evidence-based and compassionate treatment for mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders, supportive transitional living, educaiton, career and vocational development, and independent living life skills.
Benchamark has been helping young adults and their families for 27 years and is best known as the longest running young adult specific program. Benchmark treats a wide range of complex mental health and dual-diagnosis substance use disorders including anxiety, bipolar, depression, ADD/ADHD, attachment and trauma, disordered eating behaviors, psychosis, mild autism spectrum and executive functioning.
Benchmark accepts most PPO insurance plans and is in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross (accepting most BCBS Blue Card Members,) First Health, Kaiser Permanente of Southern California, MHN, Tri-Care West and Quantum Health. For more information please contact admissions at 800-474-4848 x1 or admissions@benchmarkyas.com.
(Yucaipa, CA) - A wildfire started on September 5, 2020 near Benchmark's primary residential treatment homes in Yucaipa, CA. The fire, now dubbed the "El Dorado Fire", has burned over 11,000 acres of wilderness and damaged structures in the Yucaipa, Oak Glen, Cherry Valley neighborhoods and surrounding areas of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
Benchmark Transitions' Panorama Ridge program was evacuated on Saturday, with clients and staff relocating to the Wildwood Canyon home. The following day, the Wildwood Canyon 52-acre ranch went into mandatory evacuation status. The Panorama Ridge home was cleared so that clients and staff could re-locate to that home. Wildwood Canyon is still under mandatory evacuation at this time. Clients, staff, and animals have been relocated for safety.
"Benchmark is ensuring that all clients, staff, and animals are as safe as possible," assured Shelley Skaggs, Chief Marketing Officer for Benchmark Transitions. "We are working closely with local fire and first responders and have offered our ranch as a staging location, should firefighters need to access that backside of the range. We are also in daily communications with our colleagues at the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS.) They have been extremely supportive throughout this process," concluded Skaggs.
The El Dorado fire is reported to have been started by attendees of a gender-reveal gathering, using a device that sparked the fire.
About Benchmark
Benchmark Transitions is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to residential treatment and supportive transitional living for young adults, ages 18-28. Benchmark provides treatment for mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders, community-based supportive transitional living, education and career development and independent living life skills. Benchmark is known as the longest-running young adult-specific treatment, celebrating 27 years in business, having been founded on September 9, 1993 by Jayne Longecker-Harper, M.Ed. Benchmark has had great success treating complex mental health and substance use co-occurring disorders, including anxiety, bipolar, depression, ADHD, attachment and trauma, eating disordered behaviors, psychosis, mild autism spectrum (ASD), executive functioning and learning differences.
Benchmark accepts most PPO insurance plans and is in network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross (accepting most BCBS Blue Card members), First Health, Kaiser Permanente of Southern California, MHN, Tri-Care West and Quantum Health. Contact admissions at 800-474-4848 x1 or email at admissions@benchmarkyas.com
Legacy Outdoor Adventures has long been at the forefront of OBH (Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare) research, helping to drive data that suggests the overwhelming power of wilderness and adventure therapy. Co-founder Derek Daley is taking this to a global level through his collaboration with a UK-based researcher, Dr. Kaye Richards.
The field of outdoor behavioral healthcare in North America has evolved and continues to grow alongside the fields of mental healthcare and youth and young adult therapeutic programs. Wellness-driven organizations such as Legacy Treatment Center and other OBH-accredited therapeutic programs are aligned in their vision of bringing more nature connection and outdoor experiences to the families and young people they work with. The United Kingdom has seen parallel developments in the growth of outdoor adventure therapy practice, whereby similar practices have been integrated into healthcare, counseling, and psychotherapy provision (OBH Center Newsletter, August 2020).
Daley is currently collaborating with Dr. Richards on research that will help to bring international attention to the efficacy of outdoor behavioral healthcare, which, especially in light of the pandemic, is an increasingly important treatment option. The two had been planning on their first joint presentation in London in May 2020, however those plans were postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. Once travel is more widely reinstated, Daley still plans to travel to the UK so that he can support efforts to make outdoor behavioral healthcare a more widely accepted modality.
About Legacy Outdoor Adventures and Juniper Canyon Recovery Center for Women
Legacy Outdoor Adventures is located in Loa, UT and made up of two, gender-specific programs. Legacy Outdoor Adventures for Men is an adventure therapy program for young men ages 18 and up. Juniper Canyon Recovery Center for Women is the premier wilderness recovery program for young adult women 18 and up. Both Legacy programs are licensed as Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Programs. Additionally, Legacy programs are licensed by the state of Utah as Residential Treatment Centers. They are Joint Commission Accredited, and treat addiction, trauma, depression, anxiety, and dual diagnosis clients.
On Wednesday August 26, 2020, Emily Ordover, Health & Recovery Coach at Red Mountain Sedona, led staff members in a one-hour virtual yoga class. This class was the first in a series of monthly virtual classes for employees of the mindfulness-based, young adult mental health program in Sedona, AZ.
Ordover, who helps Red Mountain Sedona students reach their health and wellness goals, is offering these classes as a way to support the team and encourage self-care practices among staff. “Even without [the impact of] COVID, being a mental health professional can be really draining and hard on the nervous system,” she said. As a part of the trauma-informed therapeutic program, Red Mountain staff coach students, 18-28 years old, on a variety of life skills, which includes the development of healthy habits. Part of the coaching process involves staff modeling adaptive behaviors and coping skills. And so Ordover believes it is crucial that staff are engaging in self-care when they are off the clock, both for their own benefit and for the benefit of the students.
“Our students are smart.” she said. “They don’t want to be helped by people who don’t take care of themselves.” Ordover went on to say that students are inspired by staff who are authentic in their discussion of what helps them manage their stress and cultivate mental wellness. Ordover, an alumna of the Red Mountain program, prioritizes her self-care and engages in an assortment of activities including meditation, hiking, cooking, going to 12-step meetings, and practicing yoga. “I would have a really hard time teaching something I don’t do myself.” Ordover said.
As a certified health and wellness coach, with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Ordover provides Red Mountain Sedona students with “gentle nutritional guidance,” support around body image issues, help with setting recovery goals, relapse prevention planning, and she provides a few supplementary services as well. “I like seeing the light go on in people’s eyes and helping them to find meaningful connections in seemingly hopeless situations,” Ordover said.
In developing self-care plans, Ordover has several suggestions for students. “Start small and ask for help,” she said. “I really want students to follow the things that bring them joy.”
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.
(Orem, UT) Telos announces a new training series with Drew Davis and John Hall (therapist talent) that speaks to parent questions, fears, industry strengths and more. "Finding clear answers to common questions can be difficult", remarked John Hall. The goal of this new training series is to give parents who find themselves facing residential treatment a foundation to make good decisions, regardless of their placement choice.
This new training series is intended to build parent confidence. The first video in the webinar series discusses neuro health. This is addressed with the topic of PrTMS, a powerful treatment available through Telos Neuro Health. More at www.telos.org/prtms and for programs offering to parents a "whitelabel" version at www.NeuroHealthTherapy.com. Watch the first YouTube video to learn more.
"Building this training series has been a great add to the Telos Library and we look forward to more", added Dan Pontius, Chief Branding Officer. "There are hundreds of families who don't know where to turn next. The goal of producing this training content is to expand the reach of families looking for answers."
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 online at telos.org.
BOULDER, COLO. September 11, 2020 – Choice House, a residential and transitional program for men struggling with substance use, co-occurring mental health, and trauma, recently hired Josh Hamlin as Activities & Admissions Coordinator.
A California native, Hamlin comes to Choice House with extensive experience gained while working in recovery treatment centers in Southern California and Colorado. He has held numerous active, hands-on positions including Family Program Manager and Admissions Coordinator, helping individuals with substance abuse and addiction disorders to find their way back to a healthier, more rewarding lifestyle.
Hamlin’s passion for recovery extends beyond his professional career. In 2008, he embarked on his own personal journey with sobriety, giving him a unique perspective that enhances his work experience. Hamlin has first-hand experience with using outdoor activities to help support and enhance the recovery experience, and credits the therapeutic outdoors with helping him rebuild the life he nearly lost to addiction.
“We’re thrilled to add Josh to the talented Choice House team of recovery professionals,” said Jordan Hamilton, Executive Director and co-owner of Choice House. “His positive outlook, invaluable experience, and deep understanding of the recovery journey make him a huge asset for the men in our care.”
Choice House strives to make addiction treatment as accessible as possible, integrating the ability to work with insurance carriers for its 90-day residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs, which can significantly reduce treatment cost while helping to ensure the comprehensive support needed to achieve lasting sobriety. Men with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders may choose from several treatment options, including a 90-day residential treatment program, intensive outpatient program, and a structured sober living community.
About Choice House
Colorado-based Choice House is Boulder County’s premier provider of 90-day residential treatment, long-term structured sober living, and intensive outpatient services. The treatment center helps support those on their road to lasting recovery with a strong focus on the beautiful Colorado outdoors. Learn more at choicehousecolorado.com.
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness considers family participation in the program to be an integral component of students’ long-term success, embracing a whole-family approach when supporting and assessing clients. Blue Ridge is thrilled to welcome Reese Wells, MA, to their growing team of Family Therapists as the company continues to foster and grow this pillar of service.
Reese’s wide array of education and experience makes him an ideal member of the Blue Ridge community: from his undergraduate studies in Environmental Science and Mathematics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in conjunction with his graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Appalachian State University to his practice as a Therapeutic Field Instructor in a Wilderness Therapy program in the Utah Desert and his 200-hour Yoga Teacher certification, Reese provides quality, knowledgeable support to his clients. He will be an indispensable addition to Blue Ridge’s carefully cultivated team of clinicians.
Reese hopes to provide parents at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness meaningful support as they experience the parallel process of change while their child is in the woods. His therapeutic approach is grounded in mindfulness, holism, and present-moment awareness; he believes that change is experienced through self-insight and actualization. Reese values self-efficacy, community, and the powerful experiences that wilderness provides.
Support and guidance for not just Blue Ridge students, but their whole families, helps to create a long-term, sustainable process of healing wherein families feel prepared for the future after transitioning from the program. While clients in the wilderness are supported by weekly Therapist visits and 24/7 contact with Field Instructors, their families don’t always have similar access to support while they juggle their many duties (and support other family members) at home. Reese and the Blue Ridge Family therapists’ role is to offer parents and caregivers support and guidance during their journey in the program, providing the time and space for parents to process and share their feelings, reflect upon their family dynamics, and receive more in-depth information about their child’s experience.
About Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness (BRTW) founded in 2002 as a licensed wilderness therapy program that offers clinically driven wilderness therapy programs encompassing advanced therapeutic skills, a highly flexible nomadic wilderness therapy model, licensed wilderness therapy assessment and multiple treatment options for struggling teens ages 13-18 as well as young adults ages 18-30 in their Emerald Arrow program. Their individualized approach, family support, and commitment to service translate to an unparalleled experience and better outcomes for adolescents and families.
Students joining the Q&A Family of Programs have the opportunity to enroll in college and take online courses with Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. This provides the Q&A clients opportunities to continue academic pursuits while also receiving supports in life skills and personal growth development. Through partnerships with community-based mental health providers, the clients of Q&A can benefit from the ongoing therapeutic and medication management supports. The college provides 24-hour academic support and coaching, which is enhanced by on-site staff at Q&A. This wrap-around approach provides clients the opportunities to gain confidence while continuing their post-secondary education and developing skills needed to manage their lives and become independent.
Many young adults are either returning to college or beginning their freshman college experience amid a Covid-19 reality, which is not what they or their parents have expected or prepared for. Normally, transitioning to college is exciting, but also a stressful time. Many young adults are experiencing increased levels of depression and anxiety as they try to navigate the many combinations of campus living, staying at home, online virtual learning, and classes in person. Providing alternative learning environments with mental health support is critical to the ongoing success of the young adult population.
Gaining skills and confidence to perform as an online learner is critical in the Covid-19 normal. Because many young adults struggle with balancing screen time and online presence, this has become a major challenge. At Q&A, life coaches and mentors provide direct teaching, support, and accountability as the young adults practice finding and maintaining better self-regulation and balance with online activities, including virtual learning, research, and social media presence.
"With academic and technical offerings from required core classes to business management, vet tech, or even windmill technology, students are able to pursue their interests, prepare for transferring to a university in the future, or explore career areas in a supportive environment," said Keith Bishop, Chief Operating Officer. "We are grateful for this partnership with Eastern WV Technical and Community College," continued Bishop, "and we are excited to see how our talented young adults can excel with these opportunities."
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.
Journey Home East, a transitional living program for females ages 16-21 in Asheville, NC, is excited to welcome Dr. Michael Finch, MD as their new psychiatrist. Dr. Finch is embarking on this new role at Journey Home East and its sister program, Solstice East. Dr. Finch joins these two Solstice Programs with nearly 20 years of experience working as a psychiatrist for children, adolescents, and adults.
Dr. Finch’s approach includes a robust psychodynamic understanding of the individual while considering their family and community. He believes that envisioning a better future is achievable by understanding one’s own life journey. “I strive to get to know each student individually and within the context of their family in order to best help them on their journey,” explains Dr. Finch. “This may often, but not always, include utilizing medications, which I strive to use judiciously. At the end of their journey at Solstice East and Journey Home East, I hope everyone who continues on medications will feel knowledgeable and in control, rather than feeling that medications control them.” Dr. Finch also stresses the importance of good health and well-being, such as practicing yoga, meditation, healthy eating, and exercise.
Dr. Finch relocated to Western North Carolina about seven years ago, where he worked at Mission Hospital on the child and adolescent inpatient units. He then opened a private practice. Journey Home East and Solstice East are pleased to have Dr. Finch as a member of their teams.
About Journey Home East
Journey Home East is a transitional living program serving females ages 16-21 in the artistic semi-urban community of downtown Asheville, NC. We provide around the clock structure and support for young women learning everyday skills in preparation for real-world living. Our residential program, led by a team of experienced and compassionate professionals, assists residents with all aspects of daily life including budgeting and financial planning; managing free time and electronic device consumption; relationship building and growing boundaries; health, hygiene, and personal safety; applying for jobs; school studies; shopping for groceries and cooking meals; and more. Clients enrolling at Journey Home East have had previous therapeutic placement and require transitional housing prior to independence. We provide all residents with continued therapeutic support to assist them on their life journey.
HarrisKramer & Liston is pleased to announce that as of October 1st, 2020, Myrna Harris will transition from the firm to explore new opportunities. Myrna will remain committed to families and students who have been under her care, the HK&L team, and the firm as a continued resource. The consulting practice, founded in 2013, has upheld its mission to serve families and support children and young adults as they strive to meet their unique potential in whatever academic and or treatment setting they are in.
Myrna said, “I could not be prouder of the work we do and the reputation we have built as individual professionals and as a team. Thank you for the faith you’ve had in this team and me over the years.” She went on to say, “I am confident HarrisKramer & Liston will continue to serve all clients and families in their care with empathy, expertise, and professionalism.” In 2017 after nearly ten years working side by side with Myrna, the firm was acquired by Jodi Liston, her longtime mentee, colleague, and friend.
Since the acquisition, under Jodi’s leadership, HK&L continues to evolve as a collaborative and integrated team of smart, passionate professionals committed to their mutual clients and families. “I am incredibly grateful for the business Myrna created. It has been an honor and a privilege to work and collaborate with Myrna over these many years. Every member of our practice is dedicated to providing the care, expertise, and values-driven principles that Myrna and HarrisKramer & Liston are synonymous with, and we wish her the very best,” said Jodi Liston, President of HarrisKramer & Liston.
HK&L has expanded over time, having grown in reach and size including expertise, knowledge and resources. Principles at the firm have remained consistent:
- We Are Compassionate and are fueled by the knowledge that we can help you visualize and build a positive future.
- We Build Relationships with you, your child or teen, and every program we interface with.
- We Care about your child, your family, and finding the most successful outcome to satisfy your needs.
- We Are Knowledgeable and bring with us a multidisciplinary and synergistic set of skills and experiences to help you identify your needs and find the right resources to serve them.
- We Will Not Let Go. We track our clients through placement and interface with every pertinent educator, therapist, and family member to provide the very best opportunity for them to grow and succeed.
For questions about current clients or referrals, please call 914-401-4442 or Admin@HarrisKramer.com.
About HarrisKramer & Liston
HarrisKramer & Liston, founded in 2013, is an educational and therapeutic consulting firm based in Westchester, NY, with additional Manhattan and Boston offices. Families work with consultants in person or virtually. Our families come to us when their child’s current school is no longer meeting their needs or challenging them to grow. We visit hundreds of schools and partner with admission directors, therapists, and educators at each one. Working with over one hundred young adults and adolescents per year, we use our intimate knowledge to help you decide what your adolescent or young adult needs to reach their unique potential. We spend time personally meeting with your family, evaluating records, and speaking with others who understand your child’s strengths and struggles to suggest the “right fit.” HK&L specializes in providing possibilities offering various supports and structures to help students access their best selves.
With the coronavirus pandemic imposing self-isolation across the world, many have become reliant on technology to maintain social connections. While technology use is not inherently bad, technology addiction is a growing problem for teens. Equinox RTC has expanded its technology addiction programming to support teens who are struggling with unhealthy tech habits and impulse control. Similar to what we think of as more traditional substance use addiction, tech addiction is a behavior that someone is engaging in in a compulsive way. These activities stimulate the reward centers of our brain, much in the same way that talking to a loved one or having a good meal activates the reward parts of our brain. These positive associations make it difficult to regulate or control that behavior.
At Equinox, the treatment team helps students focus on healthy connections, socializing, and communication skills. Primary Therapist Casey Dewar, MA, LCAS, LCMHC, said that people are often drawn into tech addiction because of a lack of social skills. “When you talk to people who have recovered from video games or tech addictions, they will say that it’s really the communication skills that they have learned in treatment that are really helping them. Communication and healthy socializing are things that are interwoven into everyone’s treatment here,” Casey said.
Equinox also focuses on helping students learn healthy impulse control. An inability to manage intrusive thoughts and feelings without acting on them is part of the struggle with addictions of any kind. “Whether that’s art and creative expression or hanging out with friends, we try to help them find more healthy ways to create meaning in their lives. We also help them work on executive functioning, daily living skills, and keeping and maintaining a schedule,” Casey said.
Often the underlying causes of tech addiction are related to mental health issues like depression or anxiety, and the Equinox team can help students understand and address these challenges.
About Equinox RTC
Equinox RTC is a leading residential treatment center for boys ages 14-18. Equinox is unique in its focus on Trauma, Loss, and Attachment, providing clinically intensive treatment for boys 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-person approach including adventure therapy, integrated Crossfit 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.
Solstice West is excited to announce the promotion of Kim England, MBA, MS, CMHC to Equine Director. Kim has been an integral part of the Solstice clinical team and the Equine Therapy program for years. She began her journey at Solstice as a mentor and then worked as a team director before becoming a full-time clinician and leader in the equine program.
The equine therapy program is a key part of the clinical process at Solstice. The overall approach of the equine therapy program at Solstice West is based on relationship logic, a philosophy based on the significant body of research that supports the idea that the “therapeutic alliance” is the factor that contributes most to positive change in the therapeutic process. This “alliance” refers to healthy, trusting relationships. Solstice works to help students develop safe, secure, and authentic relationships.
Kim leads a variety of equine-assisted therapy groups throughout the week. Each group focuses on a different topic and can change based on the current needs of the milieu. Solstice is a leading trauma treatment center for teens, and the equine-assisted groups will often focus on trauma work.
“Equine therapy works well for those who struggle with trauma and attachment issues because building relationships for them has often been difficult. When they are able to get out of the office and out of their own heads with the horses, they can start to develop those relationships in a positive way, first with the horses and then with people in their lives,” Kim said.
As Equine Director, Kim will lead the ongoing development of the equine therapy program. She is excited to expand the equine-assisted therapy options for students and help them create and navigate healthy relationships.
About Solstice West RTC
Solstice West RTC is a residential treatment center for teen girls that has helped hundreds of struggling teens on their journey to solving issues like trauma, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Solstice RTC, located in Layton, Utah, offers a specialized, clinically intensive program based on the specific needs of young women. At Solstice RTC, young women discover their full potential. For additional information on Solstice RTC, please visit http://solsticertc.com/ or call 801-444-0794.
Focus Collegiate welcomes Student Skills Specialist Adam Tiro, MSEd. to its team. Adam has almost two decades of experience working in special education. He has a master’s degree in Moderate Special Education from Eastern Nazarene College and a bachelor’s degree in professional music from Berklee School of Music. An empath at heart, Adam’s fascination with special education and complex learning profiles emerged during his final year at Berklee. When he witnessed the powerful positive impact music had on a young boy with learning differences, he knew he’d found his calling.
He soon started as a paraeducator, where he put into practice the talent he honed in both of his degrees: clear communication based on active listening. By his second year in education, he had his own classroom. Since then he has been working in private and public school settings with students whose learning differences are not always visible or tangible. Whether as Special Education Department Chair, working with general educators to modify curriculum, or creating individualized transition plans, Adam recognizes that, “We’re all working with something. Everyone deserves to be heard no matter what they’re working with.”
His teaching philosophy is that support must be individualized. No book or manual on emotional learning can instruct us on student needs better than that student themselves. Each student struggles for reasons that are not often obvious. Getting to the heart of those reasons is how Adam empowers his charges to find successes they may not experience otherwise.
Rather than categorizing students by their learning profiles, Adam listens for the reason behind every behavior. This attention engenders trusting relationships with his students and their families that create a foundation for growth and what Adam describes as ‘real therapeutic learning in action’ for everyone involved.
About Focus Collegiate
Through its Collegiate Virtual, Summer Cohort, and academic-year services Focus Collegiate provides dynamic, individualized support for college students with learning differences. Working on campus and virtually in the skill areas of academics, executive functioning, life-skills, and social integration, Focus Collegiate guides students as they transition to independence using the college experience as a launching pad to success in the classroom and in life. The team at Focus Collegiate, comprised of clinical social workers, therapists, counselors, learning specialists, and advocates, has collected more than eight decades of experience working with young people in transition.
blueFire Wilderness and blueFire PulsaR wilderness therapy programs for adolescents ages 11-17 and young adults 18-28 are happy to announce that they are now a part of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council (OBHC).
“We are thrilled to be joining the Council,” says Reid Treadaway, blueFire wilderness and blueFire PulsaR’s co-founder and Director of Admissions. “OBHC sets a high standard for wilderness programs. As part of this membership, we are working on next steps and beginning an accreditation process to take a thorough look at all of our policies and procedures to continue to strive to hold ourselves to the highest bar."
Managed through the Association of Experiential Education (AEE), the accreditation “provides impartial validation that the program meets or exceeds standards that have been developed exclusively for outdoor behavioral healthcare programs,” according to the OBHC. It also provides “solid evidence of a program’s commitment to quality and adherence to professional standards.” blueFire and PulsaR are excited to be working towards this accreditation with the AEE and OBHC.
About blueFire PulsaR
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.
Solstice East, a residential treatment center for girls ages 14-18 centrally located on the East Coast, is excited to announce the promotion of Mark Dunn to Director of Aftercare Services. With over two decades of experience in behavioral health and training in numerous therapeutic modalities, including EMDR, Brain Spotting, and Trauma-Focused CBT, Mark is well equipped to take on this essential role. As Director of Aftercare Services, Mark will lead the aftercare programming for all Solstice East students.
Making certain each student is prepared for life after Solstice is a continuous part of the therapeutic process. The structure of residential treatment is key to helping students work through issues, but understanding that life outside of treatment may look quite different is critical to being successful post-graduation. "The goal of the Solstice Aftercare Program is to help families consolidate the gains during treatment, and to be a resource and guide for students and parents during the transition process," reflects Mark. "At Solstice East, we individualize treatment for each student and family to help mend their emotional wounds; I admire our unwavering dedication to providing each family with a healing experience."
Choosing the appropriate next steps for students leaving residential treatment can be daunting for parents. At Solstice East, the aftercare programming is essential to a student's successful return to real-world living. Mark works with parents on aftercare decisions leading up to graduation, taking into consideration each student's needs. He is then available for up to two-months post-graduation for questions and support.
For Mark, this new position seems like a perfect fit, given his clinical background. "I bring over 25 years of experience as a counselor and coach for students and families to the role of Director of Aftercare Services," he says. "In many ways, this role is a natural extension of what I already do. I am excited to help families practice what they have learned from their time with Solstice East, and remind them of the great progress they have made."
About Solstice East
Solstice East is a residential treatment center for young women ages 14-17 nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. Solstice East is committed to treating each student through a combination of individual, family, equine, and adventure therapies as well as treating and diagnosing a range of issues including (but not limited to) trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, self-harming behaviors, attachment, and identity issues. Solstice East assists adolescents and their families in developing excellence in relationships, influence, character, and health throughout their life journey. Our holistic approach acknowledges that mental health diagnoses are only one piece of the puzzle; we strive to help young women succeed in multiple areas of their lives.
Evoke Therapy Programs has introduced two new programs in response to needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and, also, as a result of its mission to address racial inequalities and better serve the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community.
The first program, the pre-transition Family Walkabout, is a formalization of a practice that arose before the pandemic but has become especially in demand since the novel coronavirus outbreak. Evoke has been very vigilant regarding the spread of COVID-19 and as a result of widespread testing, a strong emphasis on safe employee behavior both in and out of the field, and the curtailing of family visits, the company has avoided COVID outbreaks at both of its wilderness locations. While community health is incredibly important, Evoke also recognizes that families need to connect and commune during this important time. To this end, Evoke has designed the pre-transition Family Walkabout, after its students have completed their programs and before they move to their next endeavor — be it a therapeutic boarding school, the family home, or another type of treatment program.
Family Walkabouts are custom-designed programs spanning anywhere from a day to a week. Parents and siblings are welcome. These walkabouts take place in the Evoke wilderness areas, yet feature a higher level of amenities and comfort than the therapeutic Wilderness offerings for teens and young adults. The Walkabouts are staffed by knowledgeable outdoor guides with backgrounds in therapeutic support. The trips are designed to help families reunite and recharge before their child moves on to the next step in their journeys.
The second new program, called Embracing You, is an online therapeutic Intensive created for BIPOC women, led by BIPOC women, and running from September 30 to October 3, 2020. Evoke therapist Judith Sadora, MFT-I, CADC-I will be leading the three-day offering, with the support of Gabrielle Burton, who will be acting as her co-facilitator, and Jessica Amascual, an ancestral healer and yoga practitioner.
Embracing You will provide a safe, healing environment for women of color. Participants will explore core themes beneath their current challenges and dive into what it means to navigate the world as women of many shades while looking at trans-generational trauma. Embracing You will explore healing opportunities and what it means to be an authentic Self. This program acknowledges that BIPOC women have experienced trauma that is unique, and may have a greater influence on them when navigating spaces that lack diverse representation. Evoke is offering scholarships to attendees who may need them and registration close on September 23rd.
Please contact Admissions@EvokeTherapy.com for information on either program.
About Evoke Therapy Programs
Evoke Therapy Programs provides both outdoor-based therapeutic programs for adolescents, young adults, and families and Intensive therapy programs for individuals, families, and couples. Evoke is accredited by the AEE/OBH and is a NATSAP Research Designated Program. Evoke’s outdoor programs are based in Bend, Oregon and in Saint George, Utah. Evoke’s Intensive Therapy programs are in northern Utah.
Covid-19 has changed everyone's world completely. And adjusting to new normals is a challenge everyone faces. Making sure that children are still receiving the same quality education, despite the challenges the pandemic presents, requires flexibility and a commitment to doing the absolute and consistent best. At Trails Carolina, a wilderness therapy program for preteens and adolescents ages 10-17, teachers are educating students on the science behind the virus and how they can keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe.
Academic programming at Trails is incorporated throughout the wilderness and base camp components of the program. Trails students participate in a traditional academic classroom back at base camp. This can help students gain confidence in a traditional classroom setting and make transitioning back to those environments after Trails easier. As part of the current curriculum, students get updates on current Covid statistics at the start of each science class from “Science Steve” O’Neil, Ecology Specialist. This includes the numbers and facts about where the school, state and country stand and the science behind the pandemic. Students analyze and interpret data on Covid spread from John Hopkins University. “I feel it is partly my responsibility, as a naturalist and science communicator at Trails, to work to impart only the facts of this pandemic to our students,” Steve said. Steve shares video clips related to the science behind Covid and the precautions folks on campus can take, like The Science Behind Facemasks or How A Virus Spreads So Easily. He then gives students time for discussion and also some reassurance.
“After viewing the video clips I take questions and work to reassure the students that the experts will get this under control and get us through this and that we can all play a part in getting to a cure faster by listening to and following the recommendations of those experts,” Steve said. Steve ends each discussion with an update on the search for a vaccine and/or a cure.
Steve and other Trails instructors are teaching students to “physically distance” rather than socially distance. “I use the term physical distancing because, while we need to be physically distant, we do not need to be socially distant,” says Steve. “Now more than ever we need the help and support of our friends, family, teachers, mentors, and therapists - just not as close as in the past - distant, but not disconnected.”
Trails Carolina will continue to monitor the pandemic and guidelines from local and federal authorities. As new information becomes available, they will adapt their strategy. For now, staff and students will continue to take precautions- staying “physically” distant, but still connected.
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.
Over the last couple of months, Ashcreek Academy has been implementing several changes that are beneficial for the students and the families. Clinical Director Dave Archer, LMFT decided that it would be beneficial to split group therapy hours and have one in the morning and one in the afternoon to enable the boys have time to reset in order to be better able to focus and get more out of the group therapy options. “One of our main priorities at Ashcreek is the continual improvement of our clinical services and meeting the individual needs of our students. By making these shifts, we are providing our boys with a more rich clinical experience that allows them to engage in groups in a more meaningful way,” Dave said. Staff has found that the boys have become more engaged in the groups and they seem to get more out of them as well. In order to not be repeating what they address during one session, four groups are now offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The four groups are Addictions, “Bridge-It”, Mind Over Mood, and Leadership.
The 'Addictions' group is not a typical substance abuse and addiction group. In this group, the therapists walk the boys through a variety of different possible addictions that they may have and the thinking processes that underlie them. The addiction could be to video games, pornography, or even exercise. The therapists use this group to help the boys understand how addictive thinking can be destructive and how to help themselves free themselves from, and avoid addiction.
The “Bridge-It” group was introduced by Executive Director Fotu Soliai, LCSW. This group focuses on helping the boys apply what they are learning at Ashcreek to their future lives at home. Ashcreek employees understand that clients' success doesn’t end with the Academy, and in order for the boys to be truly successful when they leave, they need to be able to carry what they learn with them wherever they go. This group is designed to help the boys create lasting change in their lives by aiding them in thinking about how the changes they are making now can help them as they build and maintain relationships at home and in their future.
The 'Mind Over Mood' group is focused on helping the boys work through anxiety and depression. Therapists use a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach to help the boys understand the underlying thoughts and beliefs that drive their anxiety and depression and to give them the tools (skills) to do so. Ashcreek boys often get caught in their negative thought patterns that exacerbate their depressive and anxious moods. This group was created so that they can learn to walk themselves through what they are feeling and come out in control.
Finally, the 'Leadership' group has two main goals: help the boys get into a positive mindset heading into the weekend, and teach them the basic principles behind leadership and responsibility. "Leadership," therapists employ positive psychology techniques to help the boys frame things in a more positive light. In this group they vote on the student of the week and the staff of the week, recognizing them with positive praise in the group. This encourages the boys to be good members of the community throughout the week, and in addition to that, the boys learn to become effective leaders and to take responsibility for their lives. Another goal of Ashcreek is to enable the boys to learn effective community living, and this group helps them understand how to do just that.
"We love the boys in our care and are determined to provide the best tools that we possibly can in order to set them up for success. We know that by employing these groups that we will do just that," said Crete Gallagher, Admissions Counselor at Ashecreate Academy
Ashcreek Academy is a home-like residential treatment center that works with male students ages 13 - 18. Ashcreek Academy focuses on the three C’s: Character, Challenge, and Community. Ashcreek Academy is located in beautiful Southern Utah and helps provide trauma-informed care through experiential modalities. Ashcreek works with the student to rebuild relationships with family and friends while carving a path for success individually. It is licensed by the State of Utah and holds a Joint Commission accreditation. For more information, please call 1-435-841-0704
Last year, when EDGE Advance expanded to serve young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other learning challenges, one of the first added positions was the Career and Social Engagement Coordinator. Tara Maloney was hired soon after to fill that position. Tara attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where she double-majored in Theater and Psychology, with a double concentration in Race and Ethnicity & Women and Gender Studies. Tara was awarded the Steen Fellowship Grant to open a free theater camp for children on the West Side of Chicago in partnership with a local Community Center. “It was an amazing opportunity - it really cemented my belief that learning by doing is the best way to go about life. I have held that true to my own life and try to take this approach with our students,” explains Maloney.
After starting at EDGE Advance last December, Tara immediately started an Improv group. She explained that when students first attend, there is usually hesitation and fear, but typically by their second group they begin to open up and after a few sessions, they are begging to play their favorite games. “Many of our students's on the spectrum shine in the improv group. One past student in particular sticks out. He was on the spectrum and often kept to himself in group settings, however, he loved playing the sketch games. He often came up with hilarious characters that had the entire group howling with laughter. Ultimately it gave him the confidence to interact more openly with his peers.”
As the Career and Social Engagement Coordinator, there is also an emphasis on community outreach - connecting EDGE students to the amazing opportunities Chicago has to offer. One opportunity that Maloney is particularly proud of is a partnership with The Miracle Center, a Puerto Rican theater company and community center located in Logan Square. Tara established an exclusive internship opportunity for EDGE students. With the necessities from the pandemic, many of these opportunities have been limited. But that has not stopped Tara in her quest to create career pathways. “In pre-pandemic times, I took the learning by doing approach with students by having them attend job fairs. I would host a skills group before and attend with the students as support. Since COVID-19, I have been learning by doing right along with my students." EDGE students have attended online job fairs and, while there are record-high unemployment numbers across the country, the majority of EDGE students who want jobs, have them.
Since COVID 19, Tara has started additional on-site groups: Career Skills, Project-Based Learning, and Social Process Group, in addition to the Improv group. All groups are activity based in order for the students to be active participants in their own learning. Career Skills is a curriculum-based program that hones skills, encourages personal exploration and culminates in a small group business proposal followed by the implementation of a group service project. The idea is for students to practice and understand the skills and talents they bring to a group, to then be able to take this new knowledge and implement it. Project-Based Learning Group is a student-led group in which EDGE students pick a long term project that everyone works on together. They submit a plan, adhere to a budget and time frame in order to complete it. Social Process Group is for students with ASD, NVLD or social anxiety. It is a place for EDGE students to process through social interactions that are confusing or did not go the way they intended.
EDGE Advance is a transitional program for neurodiverse (Autism Spectrum Disorders - ASD, learning disabled) young adults, located in Chicago, IL. Utilizing a clinically integrated coaching model, the goal of EDGE Advance is to create a path for emerging young adults to develop the habits and skills necessary to lead autonomous lives of purpose.
Foundations Asheville, a transitional community for young adults, is expanding their Independent Living programming. They will be adding a new transitional apartment space located on the property of one of their main houses. “Our entire program is structured to help prepare young adults to live independently and successfully,” says Zac Beyers, Independent Living Program Coordinator. “The addition of the new transitional apartment helps further support the development of independent living skills and provides a space for young adults to practice those skills.”
Once students have demonstrated an ability to maintain a balanced schedule and manage their responsibilities while living in the main houses, the team discusses their readiness to move into the independent living phase. Traditionally, students go directly from the group houses (where a staff member stays on site) into an Independent Living apartment with other Foundations students. Now, students will have the opportunity for an additional transitional step before getting their own apartment.
Prior to the Independent Living phase, therapists and students work together on a list of readiness milestones that each student should be able to demonstrate. The criteria include things like creating a balanced schedule, demonstrating consistent social engagement, following a healthy meal plan and creating a realistic budget. The criteria provide a good litmus test of where the student is functioning so that the clinical team and Life Skills Instructors can make a well-informed decision on whether the student is ready for the next step. With the addition of another apartment, therapists can adjust the criteria for students who may be almost ready for living alone but need some additional support.
Zac Beyers believes the addition will help staff better assess when some students are truly ready to live independently. “An extra stepping stone is vital for some young adults in the move from the main houses to Independent Living,” Beyers said. “Now with the more transitional apartment, we’ll be able to offer that.”
In the new apartment, students have the opportunity for daily check-ins with their life skills instructors. They continue honing in on their new skills, from grocery shopping on a budget to keep their spaces clean, while having their Life Skills Instructor nearby in the main house if needed. “We can go in there and observe the students exhibiting some of these functional living skills, give feedback, and create some goals to better prepare them for our true Independent Living apartments where there are no staff on-site,” Beyers said. “This makes us all feel more comfortable and sets them up much better for long-term success.” With more intention and focus given to the transition process, students who need it will be able to progress at their own pace and avoid the setbacks of switching to independent living before they are ready.
For more information about independent living programming at Foundations Asheville, call (828) 604-6570 or visit https://foundationsasheville.com.
Foundations Asheville is a program for young adults of all genders ages 18-24 who are struggling to find the motivation to launch into adulthood. Many of their students struggle with anxiety, depression, social skills, and learning difficulties. This program is committed to helping young adults develop and sharpen the skills they need to be successful in the real world. There is a focus on teaching students how to enter the workforce, develop vocational trades, and functional living skills. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Foundations Asheville gives young adults the opportunity to gain confidence, find their purpose, and learn useful skills that will help them navigate through the adult years.
(Logan, Utah) On September 15, 2020, Logan River Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary. Although modalities of treatment and programming have evolved over the years, one thing has remained the same: LRA has remained committed to providing the best possible care for the students and families they serve.
More than twenty years ago, five individuals came together, each with twelve to fifteen years of prior experience in the industry, to create a new program with a refreshing new approach. The goal was to develop a life-like program for students, in which they could experience a normal-looking school day, serve in the community, and enjoy exciting recreational pursuits all while receiving the necessary clinical help and attention they needed. Larry Carter, CEO and Founder of Logan River Academy, reflects on the last twenty years, “We wanted to establish a program that would be free from heavy corporate influence, while also maintaining a well-researched, therapeutic approach we all knew would work. This dream was the foundation of our decision to start a new program. Now, twenty years later, we continue to be amazed and proud of the success we have witnessed, as well as the 1,500+ young people we have served.”
Logan River Academy was established with the intention of providing the highest quality care possible. It was intended to be a life-like program large enough to provide all the resources necessary to ensure top-notch treatment, but small enough that even the CEO and founders got to know each of the students, and their families, individually. This formula has proven successful for hundreds, if not thousands, of students and the Logan River team looks forward to serving thousands more. “I am pleased to say that, 20 years later, we remain solidly committed to the students we assist,” says Larry, “Our goal to be a premier program based on these qualities remains as bright a passion as it did twenty years ago, and we will continue to position our work and effectiveness at the frontlines of adolescent care for the next 20 years”
About Logan River Academy
Established in 2000, Logan River Academy has 20 years of experience providing high-end therapeutic care for adolescents and young adults. Our goal is to help each student develop the necessary skills to live successful and fulfilling lives. We provide a sophisticated approach tailored to each students’ individual needs. Through the concerted efforts of the family, the treatment team, and an individualized treatment plan, we help our students down the path of developing lifelong healthy habits that will lead to their success and prosperity. For more information call (435) 755-8400 or visit our website at Loganriver.com.
This month, Trails Momentum celebrated three years of helping students overcome the challenges of young adulthood. Since their opening in 2017, Momentum has helped over 150 young adults change their lives through their hybrid wilderness program - Trails Momentum combines adventure therapy, comprehensive clinical programming, and academic opportunities for young adults. The program often provides a launching point for students who have struggled to succeed in life after high school. Upon completing Momentum, their graduates have successfully transitioned to study at 47 colleges and universities across the country.
“Three years ago, we gathered a handful of seasoned veterans to create an innovative, dynamic approach to working with young adults,” Executive Director and Founder Graham Shannonhouse said. “Our goal is to prepare our students for a new world with different challenges and many opportunities for success. We opened our doors and created a unique, young adult, hybrid wilderness program.”
Momentum helps young adults ages 18-25 learn the skills needed to thrive, through a combination of traditional therapeutic approaches and experiential learning. By building connections, learning to communicate effectively, and overcoming obstacles, students are able to return to their everyday lives with the tools they needed to succeed.
“At the end of the day, it’s the people that make the program so successful. Through each student’s hard work and dedication, they build independence and success at our program,” Graham said. “That success is guided by our fantastic staff who, day in and day out, forever impact the lives of young adults. This would not be possible without the selfless dedication of our team. I could not be more proud of the work the Trails Momentum team does every single day.”
Learn more about Trails Momentum by calling (828) 457-8852 or by visiting https://trailsmomentum.com/.
About Trails Momentum
Trails Momentum is an adventure-based outdoor program for young adults ages 18-25 who are struggling to launch themselves into adulthood. Students 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 skill development are seamlessly interwoven to maximize the transference of important life skills and address clinical and behavioral challenges.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery focuses on holistic healing and treating the whole person by putting clients’ long-term health and wellness at the front of treatment planning. And so, introduces Lifestyle Medicine.
Lifestyle Medicine is a science-based branch of medicine that dovetails with Foothills’ holistic model of care that addresses the root causes of difficulties in nutrition, physical activity, sleep, social connectivity, managing stress, and the avoidance of substance use and whose principles focus on how to prevent, halt, and even reverse a number of disease processes. With an expansive fitness center and the leadership of Jeremy Pettit, PA, an industry expert with over 20 years of experience and certification with the American College of Sport Medicine as a Health/Fitness Specialist and the Physician Assistant for Foothill’s clients, Foothills is teaching their clients about the key principles of Lifestyle Medicine. Each week a new principle of health and wellness is introduced in coordination with clinical counseling and integrated with other therapeutic approaches to allow for clients to leave the program with thorough knowledge of the most powerful, positive ways to impact their health.
Mr. Pettit has an inclusive understanding of clients’ nutrition, exercise, and medication regime and continues the mission and pursuit of operating a state-of-the-art multi-disciplinary model with a more sophisticated approach. This well-rounded, holistic model has allowed clients to receive the benefits of a fully encompassed health and wellness program that they can continue to utilize upon graduation.
“By utilizing the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine – managing stress, mindful eating, practicing good sleep hygiene, avoiding substance abuse, being physically active, and having strong emotional support systems built within your life, our clients are better prepared to utilize positive coping skills throughout their life,” says Jack Kline, MS, LCMHCS, LCAS, CCS, CTT-2, MAC, Founder. “This is a wonderful therapeutic modality for treatment and reversal of chronic disease and will help combat poor lifestyle choices.”
From the initial psychiatric visit to Lifestyle Medicine education and expertly guided clinical care, Foothills at Red Oak Recovery is committed to making a life-changing impact on the lives of those they serve. Foothills’ mission is to continue to raise the bar in substance abuse and mental health treatment and include evidence-based treatment approaches to provide comprehensive clinical care.
About Red Oak Recovery
Red Oak Recovery® programs are located throughout Western North Carolina and include clinically-driven and gender-separate trauma-focused mental health and substance abuse treatment for young adult men (www.redoakrecovery.com), young adult women (www.thewillowsatredoak.com), and adolescent boys (www.foothillsatredoak.com). Reach out to learn more: 866.457.7590; admissions@foothillsatredoak.com
Young adults with anxiety and depression aren’t getting the help they need. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 4.6 million young adults in the United States, ages 18 to 25, experience one major depressive episode annually, but less than half receive treatment. This year, the CDC reports that 75 percent of this age group is experiencing mental health symptoms as a result of the pandemic, making the treatment shortfall even more extreme. In an effort to bridge this treatment gap, Newport Institute, a series of mental health treatment programs for young adults ages 18-27, has opened residential treatment centers in the Greater Seattle Area, San Francisco Bay Area, and Greater Los Angeles Area. Locations are coming soon near New York City and Washington DC.
"Sadly, young adults lack treatment options specific to their needs, which results in many turning to self-coping in the form of self-destructive behaviors,” said Joe Procopio, CEO. “Newport Institute provides clinically sophisticated therapeutic services with a tailored treatment program for each client to help them achieve sustainable mental wellness and independence."
With the mission to empower minds and restore families, Newport Institute offers immersive, primary mental health services in gender-specific healing centers for young adults. Newport’s clinical model addresses the trauma and attachment wounds that lead to anxiety, depression and high risk of suicide, as well as co-occurring disorders such as substance use and eating disorders. A team of expert clinicians nurtures the physical, psychological, social, educational, and spiritual needs of individuals, from a foundation of compassionate care, clinical expertise, and unconditional love.
At Newport Institute, each client receives a tailored treatment plan that includes a variety of modalities. Clients participate in individual, group, and family therapy, while also spending time in learning labs with academic and career assessments and counseling, college courses and resume-building instruction. Life skills training covers financial independence, relapse prevention, and goal setting, while experiential therapeutic modalities include adventure therapy, art therapy, music therapy, yoga therapy, meditation, and more.
Newport Institute offers a full continuum of care, including residential treatment centers, Partial Hospitalization Programs, and Intensive Outpatient Programs. All programs are actively accepting new clients and work with all major insurances. Find out more at NewportInstitute.com.
About Newport Institute
Newport Institute is a series of evidence-based healing centers providing mental health–primary care for young adults from a foundation of compassion, clinical expertise, and unconditional love. With locations across the United States, Newport Institute offers gender-specific, individualized, and comprehensive treatment programs that encompass clinical therapy, experiential modalities, life skills programming, and academic excellence. Driven by research and outcomes, Newport Institute achieves long-term results through statistically significant improvement in levels of depression, anxiety, and overall well-being. Newport Institute’s primary mission is to empower minds and restore families.