Reset Summer Camp for digital detox has a few openings in its 4 week-long session from June 3 - July 31. This program is for teens (12 - 19 years old). The summer camp is located at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. Founded in 2018, Reset is the first of its kind, offering a clinical, therapeutic summer camp program for teens suffering from excessive screen-time overuse, social media, and gaming addiction.
"Many of our campers struggle with attending Reset, however, after a couple of weeks, they begin to adjust back to the kids they were before their tech addiction," says Michael Jacobus, Executive Director, and Founder. Since the pandemic began, screen addiction has gotten worse with kids relying even more on their digital community for education and socialization. It has led to ever-increasing isolation.
Reset offers a 4-week summer camp program that includes group and individual therapy, life skills, and good old-fashioned summer camp fun. Campers arrive by car or by air to the Santa Barbara airport or LAX airports. Campers share dorm room accommodations that are meant to simulate college/apartment-style living.
The camp ends with a Family Workshop Weekend beginning at 2 pm on Friday, July 29th, where campers' parents attend group workshops, and therapy and take part in interactive programs with their kids, all designed to rebuild and strengthen the family unit.
For more information about the Reset Summer Camp or to begin the application process, visit us at: www.resetsummercamp.com
About Reset Summer Camp
Reset Summer Camp was founded in 2018 and operates 4-week programs on university campuses. The program is geared toward middle and high school students (and their families) who need more therapeutic intervention and digital detox than is available in the home environment. All programs conclude with a Family Workshop weekend and eight (8) weeks of follow-up and coaching. Participants typically struggle with unhealthy screen-tine overuse habits and online gaming addiction including; social media, streaming, porn addiction, Snapchat/Instagram dependence, depression, thoughts of self-harm, and anxiety.
Integrated Interventions, a premier therapeutic program for young adults 17+ in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and New Braunfels, Texas is pleased to introduce Angus Beaird as Program Director at their Texas location. Angus Beaird comes to Integrated Interventions with decades of leadership experience in various capacities from hospital functions, clinic management, and combat operations in the US Army. Angus is passionate about helping others reach their full potential and creating systems for success. He studied Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is a certified Master Resiliency Trainer where he taught competencies such as Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Optimism, Mental Agility, Strengths of Character and Connection to soldiers, family members, and Department of Army civilians.
Asking Angus about what he is excited to bring to the team Angus said, “My educational background being in Industrial and Organizational Psychology gives me the tools to not only understand human behaviors but also understand, refine, and improve internal operations. Additionally, I have over 20 years of leadership experience and will work tirelessly to constantly improve our processes and structure in order to produce the most favorable outcome for the students.”
Angus’s extensive experience, organization, and passion to help others live their best possible lives makes Angus a strong addition to the Integrated Interventions’ Texas team. In his spare time, Angus likes to spend time with family, learn new things and practice Krav Maga training.
About Integrated Interventions:
Integrated Interventions is recognized as one of the fastest-growing programs in the country due to their success and unique approach to transitional therapeutic treatment. Integrated Interventions offers custom-fit programming for individuals, utilizing one-on-one mentoring and community immersion to integrate a healthy life balance along all lines and levels of development. Integrated’s custom-fit programming allows them to serve a wide spectrum of individuals and offers diverse levels of care, including a “traditional” residential option, independent, and transitional housing all based upon the needs of the person. Integrated Interventions utilizes custom-fit care for their student population, with each individual on their own path to recovery and independence.
For more information check out Integrated’s website at IntegratedInterventionsLLC.com or contact info@integratedinterventionsllc.com
Crossroads is pleased to welcome Samantha Casey and Chloe Brzycki to its leadership team.
Sam Casey has held leadership positions in the behavioral health field for over 12 years – most recently serving as a Program Director for a treatment organization with multiple residential treatment programs in Maine. A dedicated compassionate professional who develops strong and productive staff teams, Sam leads a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, nursing staff and client care associates at the Back Cove Women’s Residential Program in Portland, ME that serves women in treatment for co-occurring eating disorders and addiction. Sam holds a degree in forensic psychology and is an accomplished photographer and artist.
Chloe Brzycki joins the Crossroads leadership team as the Director of Admissions. Since 2015, Chloe has led clinical operations for outpatient treatment centers and residential programs throughout the state of Maine for clients with traumatic brain injuries. Chloe has built and managed referral relationships with medical and behavioral health providers throughout New England and is responsible for overseeing all admissions to Crossroads to ensure clients, families and stakeholders are informed and communicated with in a timely manner. Chloe earned her Bachelor of Science from Ferrum College in Virginia and moved to Maine with her family in 2015.
About Crossroads, located in Maine
Crossroads, a nonprofit in Maine, is a fully accredited addiction and behavioral health treatment center located in Scarborough, Maine. It is a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) since 2016. Clients engage in evidence-based, gender-responsive treatment to build the skills and strategies necessary to support long-term recovery. In addition to treating co-occurring substance use disorders, the facility also addresses mental health and eating disorders for more comprehensive and individualized care. Specialized programs are available for pregnant women and new mothers, as well as family and friends. Crossroads supports clients in remembering who they wanted to be and getting a fresh start through a substance-free lifestyle.
When a new student arrives at 63 E Lake St. for their first day at EDGE Learning & Wellness – a Chicago-based transitional living community for young adults – meticulous planning goes into ensuring their arrival is easy and that they feel welcomed into the EDGE community. While most would expect this level of planning and care to go into welcoming a student to the community, the EDGE team also dedicates a substantial amount of time into preparing parent(s)/caregiver(s) for their young adult’s first day.
In fact, parent coaching at EDGE starts from the moment a student is accepted into the program. Brian McKenna, LCSW, CAADC, who has over 30 years of experience in behavioral health and is one of EDGE’s founders, serves as the program’s Parent Services Coordinator. Through the parent coaching program, McKenna maintains regular bi-weekly appointments with parent(s)/caregiver(s) throughout their young adult’s stay at EDGE.
Parent coaching is individualized and tailored to the specific goals of each parent/caregiver, but McKenna emphasized that it was important all parent coaching – regardless of a parent/caregiver’s end goal – begins with the understanding that “Parent coaching isn’t about trying to ‘fix’ a kid. I’m not trying to teach them [parents/caregivers] some magic or miracle parenting tip, but instead teach about being with their kid, understanding their kid, and parenting from a compassionate standpoint. Being ‘fixed’ feels horrible, but being understood? It feels wonderful.”
McKenna has applied his strength-based parent coaching approach since EDGE’s inception in 2011, pointing out parents'/caregivers’ strengths and encouraging them to build upon those strengths, while also providing suggestions for behaviors they may need to shift or alter for a healthy relationship with their young adult.
One concept McKenna particularly enjoys educating parent(s)/caregivers(s) on is ‘pink flags.’ “Pink flags are those subtle signs that may tell you something is brewing and to be more preventative. They’re not always obvious.” McKenna explained that as parent(s)/caregiver(s) learn to identify pink flags, they’ll hopefully be able to stop these flags from turning red or having to go into full crisis mode.
When a student’s time at EDGE is complete, McKenna feels confident parent(s)/caregiver(s) have the tools needed to help them reach the goals they set when their young adult started at the program.
“We’re never just looking at the time frame of when a student is with us at EDGE, but long-term.” McKenna often has parent(s)/caregiver(s) consider questions like, “What does this relationship look like a year from now? Three years from now?” Focusing on long-term goals allows parent(s)/caregiver(s) and their young adults to more easily navigate any short-term challenges they face.
EDGE Program Director Brittany Tolar, LCSW, provided additional insight into the impact of parent coaching. “Collaborating with families is a crucial part of EDGE’s model, as it allows us to coach around long-standing relationship dynamics and communication patterns. It’s great to watch parents progress over time and integrate the coaching by expressing their needs, wants, and boundaries in new and productive ways.” Tolar also has frequent contact with parent(s)/caregivers(s) via monthly family calls where students and their families collaborate under Tolar’s guidance to work on their group goals.
EDGE strives to not only help each student grow independently, but to also help their parent(s)/caregiver(s) grow along with them. Providing adaptive and thorough parent coaching allows EDGE to better meet that goal and help family relationships flourish.
About EDGE Learning and Wellness Community
EDGE Learning and Wellness Community is an accredited transitional living program located in Chicago, IL. EDGE offers therapeutically supported residential and non-residential options for post-treatment young adults. The participants, ages 18 -24, are striving to excel academically while creating a life of balance, joy, and wellness.
PIVOTPoint, a therapeutic adventure provider, announces two new programs to help those in recovery and those historically considered to be “at risk.” Both programs focus on dynamic, experience-based learning for youth and adults, anchored in the transformative power of the outdoors.
The first program, “Experiential Apprenticeship Program,” focuses on the individual, offering a mix of goal setting and accountability, communication, and self-regulation skills combined with high-end, custom furniture job-training. The second, “Your Program,” delivers clinical coaching support to parents and the entire family system while those directly enrolled in the outpatient program work on individualized service plans and co-created goals. PIVOTPoint partners with local, vetted supportive housing organizations in the southeast region, so its programs can enroll individuals with the added assurance of stable housing services.
One mother of a recent graduate said, “What an amazing gift PIVOTPoint is giving to these kids. I have seen my son blossoming this past month in ways I have not seen in the past. It's a huge difference we are seeing in him.”
The activities developed for these programs are pulled from a 200-page curriculum of experiential activities PIVOTPoint is creating, the result of a research project conducted with the support of Vancouver Island University students through a virtual internship multi-year project.
For more information about the two new programs at PIVOTPoint contact Matt Nannis, Executive Director at matt@pivotpointwnc.com, or visit pivotpointwnc.org/programs.
PIVOTPoint
Founded in 2017, PIVOTPointoffers fundamental elements of immersive wilderness therapy programs delivered in a private-pay, outpatient model for people ages 14 and up. PIVOTPoint is leading the way in specialized adventure programming, creating blended offerings which support the family system, providing one-on-one life skills coaching, offering supportive housing and helping participants develop job skills through an apprenticeship model. PIVOTPoint also offers subsidized experiential programs for Buncombe County Court and Treatment Diversion participants; in 2021, 65% of all county diversion graduates were PIVOTPoint clients.
Aspen Network added another beautiful home, allowing for six (6) more young adults (18 - 35 year-olds) to join the Orinda, California community. Aspen Network welcomes all genders to the community and provides a safe space for young people who are feeling lonely and frozen in their lives. This new home is an opportunity for the growth of young adults who may be neurotypical with psychological weaknesses or have neurodiverse profiles. All the homes are in the same neighborhood, allowing for the clients to forge their own path within an intentional and inclusive community and practice “adulting.” The young adults who are part of Aspen Network reconnect and experience success in making and keeping friendships and pursuing their academic or life goals, such as going to school or getting a job.
The staff consists of educators, therapists, graduate students, and registered nurses; the combined skill set of Aspen Network’s employees is substantial and both directors are onsite frequently, living in the same neighborhood. The staff has expertise in handling many levels of psychological fragility and academic struggles, executive function deficits, and loneliness. Meg Fields, RN, Psy. D., the Director, writes of the program: “Aspen Network has lots of success helping young people finish associate degrees and transfer to four-year universities. Aspen Network can also be a great gap year or gap semester, assisting clients with obtaining employment and/or attending school. Aspen Network’s mission is self-discovery and growing self-esteem through the clients’ proud accomplishments, with support from peers and the personalized community of staff.”
For more information about the Aspen Network or to inquire about space, please call Meg Fields, RN, Psy.D. at (925) 262-3135 or visit the website aspennetwork.net/.
About Aspen Network
In 2010, Meg Fields, RN, Psy. D., and Michael Fields, RN, created Aspen Network, a community for young adults whose struggles were invisible to many. This community is an opportunity for young adults to find their passion, return to school, or succeed in "adulting" without the direct assistance of their families. The profile of the community ranges from neurotypical with psychological problems to neurodiverse. The homes are embedded in Orinda, CA and the average length of stay can vary based on the young adult and their goals. Aspen Network is not a treatment program, it provides services on an as-needed basis.
Integrated Interventions, a premier therapeutic program for young adults 17+ in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and New Braunfels, Texas is delighted to welcome Rick Westby, MS LCPC as a Program Therapist at their Idaho location.
Rick Westby is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, as well as a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Rick has spent his career dedicated to the mission of helping others find real solutions to their life struggles. Rick’s passion for helping others led him to start an integrated behavioral health agency serving adults, young adults, and children in the early beginnings of his career as a counselor. Soon thereafter, the agency grew to include more counselors, creating a network for the community in Arizona that had previously lacked the resources.
Rick has a tremendous skill set working with individuals by developing relationships, being attuned to clients needs, and setting people at ease. Commenting on what he looks to bring to the Integrated Intervention team, Rick stated, “I create safe spaces free from judgment. I am adept at helping people solve problems in a way that's supportive of their values and goals. I'm able to help people see how their ways may not be serving them, and help them write new stories.”
Since joining the Integrated Team, Rick has been successful in creating an engaging therapeutic environment and building rapport with the Integrated student population within their homes, and at the Integrated Wellness Center. Working alongside Integrated’s Clinical Director and the Idaho leadership team, Rick has strengthened the therapeutic services offered at Integrated Interventions, particularly with their student population who struggle with Substance Use Disorders.
Now back in his home state of Idaho, Rick likes to ride his motorcycle, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with his growing family.
About Integrated Interventions:
Integrated Interventions is recognized as one of the fastest-growing programs in the country due to their success and unique approach to transitional therapeutic treatment. Integrated Interventions offers custom-fit programming for individuals, utilizing one-on-one mentoring and community immersion to integrate a healthy life balance along all lines and levels of development. Integrated’s custom-fit programming allows them to serve a wide spectrum of individuals and offers diverse levels of care, including a “traditional” residential option, independent, and transitional housing all based upon the needs of the person. Integrated Interventions utilizes custom-fit care for their student population, with each individual on their own path to recovery and independence.
For more information check out Integrated’s website at IntegratedInterventionsllc.com or contact info@integratedinterventionsllc.com
Amanda Thomas, MPhEd, LMFT, founder and owner of Integrative Approach, is announcing a new Advanced Training with Jim Thomas, LMFT: 'Being an Attachment Therapist Advanced Training'. This training is hosted by EVNSQ in Salt Lake City, Utah. It runs from Wednesday, September 7 to Saturday, September 10, 2022.
Over the 3 days of training, professionals will earn 24 continuing education credit hours focused in attachment neuroscience theories didactically and experiential learning to best develop the adult learning needs of the small, intimate learning community. This training is the level 2 training and is available for people who have completed the Level 1 "Being an Attachment Therapist" training. The trainers will dedicate three days to working with reactive and difficult clients and families. Those interested and qualified can register here.
The primary instructor is Jim Thomas, an internationally renowned trainer, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Jim, also 32 plus years sober, has extensive experience as both clinician and administrator in residential programs. Together, Amanda and Jim have completed multiple training events for professionals working in residential and addiction programs affording them the ability to apply attachment theory and heal relationships.
Integrative Approach has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.7010. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Integrative Approach is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
About Integrative Approach
Integrative Approach is a premier clinical concierge company providing professional mental health and addiction consulting services via support to families, adolescents, young adults, and privately held family businesses throughout the country. Based out of Sandpoint, Idaho, and founded in 2007, Amanda L. Thomas, MPhEd, LAMFT also has a private clinical practice.
Integrative Approach is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.7010. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Integrative Approach is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Contact
Not even a third of the way through Season 2 of the Success is Subjective podcast, Joanna Lilley of Lilley Consulting and host of the podcast announces that Success is Subjective has officially launched on Patreon as of June 6, 2022. A podcast that is recognized, appreciated, and downloaded by thousands across the country is ready to shift to being listener-supported. Patreon will allow subscribers to get behind-the-scenes videos of interviews, and be acknowledged for supporting the message that Success is Subjective broadcasts - that life isn’t linear, and success is what you make it.
“The podcast really started as a passion project, and now it’s taken on a life of its own. When I started these interviews, I understood the influence it could have on changing the narrative around what’s accepted when launching into adulthood. I’m pleased with how well it’s been received. Now, I’d like to see it stand on its own feet, separate from Lilley Consulting, if possible. There are so many more stories that need to be shared, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to my consulting practice,” Joanna shared, candidly.
Since launching in February 2020, Success is Subjective has been downloaded over 10,000 times. To date, 133 episodes have been published with another 50 already recorded or scheduled to be recorded. No single story is alike.
For those curious about where to find the most recent published episode, it can be found on all podcast playing platforms: Amazon, Apple, Audible, Google, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio. All episodes are also available on the Success is Subjective website.
About Lilley Consulting:
Since 2016, Lilley Consulting has been helping families and young adults find treatment options during a time of transition or crisis. Joanna dedicates herself to working solely with emerging adults who unravel before going to college, when they land on a college campus, or right after college graduation. Young Adulthood can be messy, but it doesn’t have to be if you find the best treatment resources at the time that you need them.
ROOTs opened on June 14th 2021 and is excited to be celebrating its one-year anniversary. The team has been humbled by the experience as well as the trust given to them by families, therapeutic educational consultants, and program colleagues alike.
In a year's time, the ROOTs community hosted 5 family workshops, and 6 parent intensives and celebrated 16 clients as they followed their journey beyond ROOTs. Volunteering with the Summit County Community Garden, skiing at Park City Mountain Resort and Woodward, paddle boarding and sailing on the Jordanelle Reservoir, climbing at Momentum, and hiking and mountain biking the Park City trails are only a small snapshot of what the year has held. This year Park City and the Wasatch Mountains have offered ROOTs a treasured space of growth and healing.
ROOTs was founded with the intention to be a place of healing for the whole community. Executive Director and Founder Kami Black, LCSW shares “Within a healthy community, we are all given space to show up as our true selves. When the entire community of clients, families, and team members are committed to their own growth we have the opportunity to access one of our most important strengths as a program.” The origin of ROOTs was many years in the making and the past year has embedded the fundamental core of the program into an incredible foundation.
Roots Transition
ROOTs Transition is a residential treatment center in Park City, UT working with girls ages 15-18. ROOTs serves clients with a history of trauma and mental health challenges. Using a variety of therapeutic approaches ROOTs helps clients and families heal and move forward with clear goals and renewed hope.
At Trails Carolina, geocaching is a great metaphor for life. When a compass (or GPS) reading is wrong by a few degrees over a long distance, students can find themselves wildly off course. However, when a student catches it early, it may only mean they need just a couple degrees of change to reach their goal. This activity helps demonstrate to students that success in their own lives can be just a few degrees of change away.
Trails Carolina, based in Western North Carolina, is a wilderness therapy program for youth and adolescents ages 10 to 17 specializing in clinical sophistication, extensive family involvement, and intentional transitions. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity where participants use Global Positioning System (GPS) and other navigational techniques to hide and find containers called "geocaches". Geocaches are placed at specific locations all over the United States and then marked by specific coordinates that can be tracked. Currently Trails Carolina has six caches located on the Shuttleworth property for students to find.
“Geocaching is a great way to get our youth students engaged in hiking and excited to strengthen their map and orienteering skills, which later becomes extremely useful when they are on expedition week and backpacking,” explains Executive Director Jeremy Whitworth.
Like most activities at Trails Carolina, other by-products of geocaching include spending time in nature, slowing down the pace of life, which in turn reduces anxiety and stress, and reflecting on their experience. Geocaching is also a unique way for students to leave a concrete mark in the world. With each cache having a ledger to sign upon completion, they add their name to the growing list. For many students, this is a creative way to prove something to the world and enhance their own sense of accomplishment and significance.
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, intentional transitions, academic engagement, natural horsemanship, and mindfulness. 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.
Shortridge Academy is incredibly proud to have reached its 20th year of nurturing the cognitive, emotional and social development of its students. As the landscape of therapeutic schools and programs continues to evolve, Shortridge remains committed to providing adolescents a therapeutically supportive, educational environment where strengths development is central to residential life.
Shortridge is quickly approaching enrolling its 900th student; the staff and faculty recognize the significance of this special accomplishment.
“I am tremendously proud of all the students and families who have worked hard to improve their relationships, to face personal challenges with courage, and to create healthy choices for their futures. For over 20 years, Shortridge has always been about relationships and I want to thank the many colleagues, friends, students, and families who have contributed to the school’s important mission." - Adam Rainer, Founder.
Shortridge faculty and staff are proud to celebrate the graduating class of 2022. This May graduation was the largest in the school’s 20 year history. Ten Program graduates and six high school graduates were celebrated in person by parents, fellow students, and Shortridge staff in a formal cap and gown ceremony on the beautiful 300+ acre campus. Graduates were recognized for their hard work and perseverance through a challenging time including a pandemic and much cultural and political unrest.
Of the high school graduates, college acceptances include Fordham University, High Point University, American University, University of Vermont, James Madison University, Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, Indiana University, and the University of Arizona. Of the program graduates, school acceptances include the Dublin School, Kent’s Hill School, Mercersburg Academy, and Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
“Graduation is very special to all of us in the Shortridge community. It’s a time to celebrate the journeys and successes of our graduates and their families. It is also a time to express gratitude to our families, who entrusted our school with the care of their children; to the Graduates, for their contributions to our community and school; and to the Shortridge staff, for their passion and commitment in supporting our students and school mission.” Mik Oyler, Head of School
For more information about Shortridge Academy, please contact Katie Rainer or Olivia Therrien in Admissions, at admissions@shortridgeacademy.com, call (866) 828-9243, or visit ShortridgeAcademy.com
About Short Ridge Academy
Shortridge Academy is a private co-ed Transitional Boarding School, founded in 2002, emphasizing challenging yet supportive college prep academics within a therapeutic community. Located in southeastern New Hampshire with close proximity to both the seacoast and the mountains, Shortridge’s setting and Positive Youth Development model provides students with an ideal environment to further develop their sense of self and strengthen family relationships in an intellectually stimulating learning environment reflective of a traditional boarding school.
blueFire PulsaR, an innovative and comprehensive wilderness and adventure-based program for young adults aged 18 to 28, has named Jake Tucker, MA, LCPC, as their Clinical Director. Jake has been working as a Primary Therapist at blueFire for 2 years with the PulsaR young adults group.
Jake is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. He has worked with children, adolescents, young adults, and their families for the last 15 years. Jake is a registered Supervisor with the state of Idaho and enjoys providing support and supervision to all clinicians seeking clinical licensure as well as LPC or LCPC degrees. Jake believes that building relationships is extremely important when working with clients and for that reason he approaches everything from a relational person-centered perspective, with an emphasis on emotional awareness and connection.
Jake practices EMDR and Brainspotting and emphasizes mindfulness for clients who have experienced trauma or related issues. Additionally, he has pursued advanced training in attachment issues, Emotion-Focused Therapy for couples and families, the Community Resiliency Model from the Trauma Resource Institute, and The Anatomy of Peace with the Arbinger Institute.
The PulsaR program is a multi-faceted approach in the wilderness that gives young adults the chance to build important life skills and work towards achieving goals. Away from the temptations of technology and negative influences back home, blueFire clients have the opportunity to look inwards and focus on building the skills that will lead to success back home.
To learn more about blueFire PulsaR visit https://bluefirepulsar.com/ or call (844) 413-1999 for more information.
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.
Engage Young Adult Transitions of Cedar City, Utah, a therapeutic community founded in attachment principles is pleased to announce its opening June 20th. Jack Hinman, Psy.D. along with his team are excited to be accepting applications to join their first cohort of young adults.
“We are so excited about what Engage Transitions will be able to offer to young adults in need of support, connection and meaning. We are building this community around our desire to be a safe space for young adults to explore by offering consistency and a variety of opportunities to engage in life. We are thrilled about our upcoming opening day!” -Brea Bernarducci Director of Student of Life
Engage was created for the young adult who is seeking help with anxiety, depression and a phase of life challenges that are rooted in attachment and relational trauma. Living in an engaging community is the path to health and personal success.
Engage’s team of therapists, WholeFit life coaches, a nurse practitioner, personal trainers, and dietician clinically support the young adult’s comprehensive treatment plan while they are residing in their own apartment. Engage’s therapeutic team guides the young adult in experiencing stronger connections and developing newer responses to familiar relationship challenges.
Engage’s mission is to create a secure base for their young adults to continue their journey in seeking safety, self-discovery and growth in a real environment. On day one, the young adult transitions into Engage’s active and supportive daily routine built on principles of connection,health, and developmental growth with the intention of the young adult to move into their own healthy lifestyle. The healing nature of the young adults' meaningful connections with their therapists, WholeFit coaches and the Cedar City community provides the therapeutic opportunity to revise ineffective working models.
Engage’s team is excited to welcome young adults ages 18 to 26 to be part of a robust therapeutic community. For further enrollment information please reach out to Jack Hinman at 435.703.1189 or jack@engagelifenow.com
About Engage Young Adults Transitions
Engage Young Adult Transitions is a therapeutic environment located footsteps away from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, and minutes away from the mountains. Engage’s purpose is to provide therapeutic support for young adults struggling with attachment distress, and relational trauma that is often creating emotional and relational challenges. These challenges may be depression, anxiety, loneliness, and lack of purpose. Engage’s therapist and certified life coaches are driven by principles of attachment while understanding the developmental needs of young adults. It is through Engage’s therapeutic guidance and life coaching one can better experience stronger emotional connections and develop new responses to familiar relationships challenges.
Paradigm Treatment, a short-term residential treatment program for teens and young adults focused on assessment and stabilization, is expanding their programming to offer quality mental health treatment to a larger population. Paradigm’s goal is to provide lasting efficacy, empowering their clients to build and hone the skills needed to lead meaningful, productive lives. To that end, Paradigm will be opening a new young adult residential mental health treatment center this June in San Rafael, CA, helping to meet the mental health needs of this underserved population. The new site is currently accepting applications for young adults, 18-26, experiencing moderate to severe mental health issues.
Paradigm’s newest location, on a private estate 20 miles north of San Francisco, is a refuge, conducive to rest and reflection, surrounded by the stunning seascapes of Marin County. The center is licensed for 6 clients, affording an optimal staff-to-client ratio that ensures the needs of all residents are met. The San Rafael program is Joint Commission accredited and currently in-network with insurance providers MHN, Anthem BC/BS, and Kaiser allowing more families to take advantage of the intensive and individualized care.
Per Paradigm CEO Dustin Wagner, “A key focus for us is to increase access to treatment among young adults 18-26, as traditionally this group has been underserved. The historical assumption has been that transition and upheaval takes place in the teen years and ends before young adulthood. However, today’s young adults find themselves in an equally challenging position and state of flux. As they continue to evolve from adolescence into adulthood, with the additional burden of mental health issues, managing the mounting pressures of impending adulthood becomes overwhelming. This is why we like to use the term ‘emerging adult’, coined in 2000 by psychologist Jeffrey Arnett. We are really serving emerging adults, and with this new location in San Rafael, we are helping to narrow the accessibility gap.”
Skilled medical, clinical, and psychological staff are committed to supporting each client, and from the very minute a client enters the program they are assigned a team that is specially assembled to meet their personal needs and goals. Our focus is on helping clients build meaningful skills to handle whatever comes their way after they complete the program.
For more information about the new San Rafael location or any other questions relating to Paradigm Treatment, contact Carrie Weatherhead at cw@paradigmtreatment.com.
About Paradigm Treatment
Paradigm Treatment a short-term residential treatment center focusing on assessment and stabilization, has been helping teens and young adults with mental illness for over 12 years with Joint Commission-accredited treatment. Our medical and clinical teams delve deep to address the root causes of the struggles that young people face in today’s always-on yet disconnected world. We work closely with youth and their families treating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, mood and personality disorders, bipolar disorder, and light-to-moderate co-occurring substance use disorder. Certified teachers address academic issues so that students may resume studies after residential treatment. Experiential approaches like mindfulness, yoga, and meditation empower clients to transform their lives in authentic, sustainable ways.
Red Mountain Programs, which include Red Mountain Colorado (for teens aged 14-17) and Red Mountain Sedona (serving young adults aged 18-28) are therapeutic mindfulness-based community-integrated residential treatment centers. The Programs are excited to welcome Tom Williams as their new Director of Outreach.
Tom has been working in the mental health field since 2015, where he started as an admissions counselor for a wilderness therapy program in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He is excited to start working with Red Mountain Programs and helping students; “There’s nothing more special than helping someone find peace and happiness in their life. I couldn’t be more excited to connect families and professionals to Red Mountain Programs, where through sophisticated and thoughtful clinical work, young people can finally begin to heal.”
Red Mountain Colorado was founded to help struggling teens work through behavioral and emotional challenges. We empower teens to build healthy coping skills and habits that they can use to work through the challenges they face and create a happier life. Learn more about Red Mountain Colorado program at: https://redmountaincolorado.com.
In the spring of 2022, Pure Life Adventure announced the opening of an additional adventure therapy program geared towards adolescents aged 15-17. The program was launched with a group of four (4) adolescents who have found the adventure experience engaging and cultural immersion impactful.
In this program, students participate in outdoor adventures that test their emotional resiliency and build their confidence as they try (and succeed!) at learning new things as they are immersed in a new cultural environment. Those who decide to attend Pure Life’s adventure therapy program can expect a busy and engaging 80-90 day stay in Costa Rica where they will learn to surf, whitewater raft, backpack, experience cultural homestays, participate in local service projects, and equine therapy. Each session will also involve parents with weekly calls, check-ins with field therapists as well as an in-person parent visit to Costa Rica.
Through this new adolescent program, Pure Life could extend the same life-changing benefits that they currently offer to their adult clients, to a younger age group. Andrew Taylor, the founder of Pure Life Adventures, had always known that adventure therapy could help a wide range of individuals, but it wasn’t until COVID hit that work slowed down enough for him to fine-tune a therapy model specifically designed for 15 to 17-year-olds.
Now that the program is officially launched, with its first year well underway, Pure Life is now accepting students into their new adolescent programming. The current adventure therapy model is fitting for all those who are seeking a unique therapy experience for life-long changes. In fact, their model is so well organized and relevant that Pure Life is able to coordinate with local high schools back home to help transfer their learning abroad into high school credits.
Since its inception nine years ago, Pure Live has been 100% focused on helping young adults and adults facing very real challenges create lasting change. While young adults have been the focus of Pure Life since the onset, they have always seen a great need for therapy for all ages. Taylor said, “We get many phone calls from referral partners and parents asking if we can take adolescents, and now we can.”
Because Pure Life Adventure’s bicultural team provides a therapeutically sophisticated and holistic approach, they can help adolescents with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of motivation, executive function deficits, trauma, and substance abuse. It is a proven model, fitting for all those who are seeking a unique therapy experience for life-long changes.
For more information about Pure Life Adventures adolescent or young adult programming contact Andrew Taylor, (801) 896-9490 or visit the website purelifeadventure.com.
About Pure Life Adventure
Pure Life Adventure uses researched-based techniques with integrated therapeutic models throughout its adventure therapy program. Pure Life’s adventure therapy program, based in Costa Rica, works with struggling young adults to build self-efficacy, teach healthy coping strategies, behavioral and emotional regulation, leadership skills, and life skills that will allow participants to become independent, productive, and successful adults. For more information about Pure Life’s adventure therapy model and admission process, please visit http://www.purelifeadventure.com
A new season is evidenced when the move to the summer course area happens. Bill Wimberg, Elements Field Director reported last week, “Hey, it’s that time! Logistics are set and we are moving to the mountain range beginning Monday, June 6”.
“Within operating an outdoor program on federal lands comes the responsibility of paying permits and the opportunity to collaborate with those managing our federal lands”, says Andrew Powell, owner and CEO. Powell continues, “we are fortunate to operate on two very different, adjacent course areas, providing a warmer and drier desert climate in the winter and a cooler high-elevation range in the summer. Coordinating our permits with two separate agencies and teams is well worth the effort when it gives our clients and staff a much more temperate space to share their outdoor living experience.”
Elements operates in the Wasatch Plateau section of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, which stretches from central Utah to southeastern Utah and into Colorado over 1,413,111 acres. The forest is managed for multiple uses such as range, timber, minerals, water, wildlife, and recreation. The canyons, mountaintops, fresh grassy meadows, lakes, and streams of the Manti-La Sal National Forest have welcomed and provided space of healing for eons of time.
“Annually we meet with land management representatives to discuss challenges, review our specific policies and to demonstrate a transparent commitment to partnering as responsible stewards of the land we utilize”, adds Karen Scrafford, owner and Program Director. “In this we are also synchronizing safe and appropriate timing for moves between our two-course areas”.
The Elements’ Adventure Team enjoys hosting weekly activities of fly fishing, rappelling, climbing, paddle boarding, and other low ropes activities on the summer course area. This vast space, varying from 7,000-to-10,000-foot in elevation, contains majestic high elevation lakes, diverse vegetation, near-vertical bluffs, and site of scenic and geologic interest. It also boasts some of the top-rated fly-fishing spots in Utah.
If you would like to visit, in person or virtually, or get more information about Elements contact Brandi Bradbury at (435) 231-3961 or Brandi@ElementsWilderness.com.
About Elements Wilderness &Elements Traverse
Since 2008, Elements Wilderness has been providing a specialized therapeutic intervention for adolescent boys aged 13-17. We at Elements envision a world in which everyone has the skills and support necessary to live a full and healthy life. Through innovative therapeutic and psychiatric intervention, a comprehensive outdoor living experience complete with expeditionary backpacking and adventure programming, a robust family program involving the family at every step, and evidence-based substance abuse treatment, we strive to provide our clients with intervention, treatment, and assessment. Elements is licensed and supervised by the State of Utah Department of Human Services and accredited through the Outdoor Behavioral Health Council and the Association for Experiential Education. For Young Adult wilderness therapy clients, there is Elements Traverse based in central Utah.
Angie Shockley, CEO and Founder of Q&A Associates family of programs and Dianne Kosto, CEO and Founder of SYMMETRY Neuro-Pathway Training are combining their expertise for a four (4) day 'Awaken Your Soul' experience through a combination of modern technology and ancient wisdom. This intensive experience is perfect for adults who have experienced trauma and may be continuing to struggle even though they have tried traditional treatment approaches. Combining Neurofeedback and shamanic healing will give participants a unique opportunity to improve their quality of life. There are only twelve spots available for this experience being held on Hilton Head Island, November 30 - to December 3, 2022.
In addition to being the CEO and Founder of Q&A Associates, Shockley is the Owner and Founder of Living Mindfully Aware and has been a Certified Shamanic Practitioner for many years. She is also a Certified Teacher of the Medicine Wheel, a journey for transformational healing. Shockley became interested in energy work and indigenous healing as a young professional working in the fields of education and therapeutic treatment.
Kosto began her career in the Neurofeedback field as a "Mom on a Mission" to help other families avoid the trauma that her family experienced because of her son's brain dysregulation. After seeking advice from professionals for many years with no luck, Kosto was introduced to Neurofeedback and used it for her son. She knows that it saved his life.
To get more information or register, visit https://livingmindfullyaware.com/awaken-your-soul/
As part of First Light Wilderness Therapy's commitment to cutting-edge trauma treatment, the program proudly announces that three members of the clinical team have recently participated in and completed their level 2 Brainspotting training. A powerful, focused treatment method, Brainspotting works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional pain that may be stored in the body, trauma (either verbal or pre-verbal), dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms. Brainspotting locates points in the client's visual field that help to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. As a simultaneously diagnostic and treatment method, Brainapotting is enhanced with Biolateral sound, which is deep, direct and powerful. Discovered in 2003 by David Grand, Ph.D., Brainspotting is internationally recognized as an effective treatment for acute trauma, anxiety and dissociation.
First Light Wilderness's clinical team utilizes a variety of trauma-responsive treatment methods, including CBT, DBT skills, Brainspotting, HeartMath (physiological coherence), EMDR and carefully designed programming to assess and provide interventions for young people that get to the root of trauma in order to treat and heal rather than avoid. Clinical team members participate in ongoing trauma-focused trainings, and completing Level 2 Brainspotting training allows for additional modalities of care for those clients that may benefit from this method of treatment.
First Light congratulates therapists Mycala Cherry, MS, APC, NCC, Kayla Davenport, MS and Kathleen Jamila Minnifield, LAPC, NCC for their completion of level 2 Brainspotting. First Light's Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Consultant, Steve Sawyer, LCSW, CASC, stated, "I am extremely proud of First Light's commitment to excellence in trauma treatment through participation in trainings and achievement of certifications such as level 2 Brainspotting. The team's ability to effectively provide treatment to an acute clientele, with a level of sensitivity and willingness to help resolve trauma that has gone unprocessed is a testament to their desire to impact long-term treatment outcomes." For more information on the research and case studies demonstrating the efficacy of Brainspotting, please visit: www.brainspotting.com/about-bsp/research-and-case-studies/.
About First Light Wilderness Therapy
First Light Wilderness Therapy is a trauma-responsive wilderness treatment program based out of Dahlonega, Georgia. Serving adolescents ages 12-18, First Light's goal is for every student to achieve meaningful change by creating an environment where joy is re-discovered and nurtured, where adventure leads to self-discovery, and where relationships heal and grow. Set in the serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains, First Light's field area is nestled in the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forest and is sprinkled with miles of clear-running streams and rivers, making it an ideal setting for evidence-based outdoor behavioral healthcare. Learn more at www.firstlightwilderness.com.
When the COVID pandemic created barriers to meaningful employment and volunteer work for many of the staff assistants at Ramapo for Children’s Staff Assistant Experience (SAE) program, a few resourceful people decided to take things into their own hands – literally.
And so the thriving partnership between Ramapo and Adaptive Design was born.
Adaptive Design Hudson Valley (ADHV) is an organization that imagines and builds adaptive equipment out of trifold cardboard and other recyclable materials to provide greater accessibility and quality of life for the elderly, children, and adults with disabilities, and even pets. When Ramapo’s Interim Executive Director Jenn Zanger had the brainstorm for the organization to set up shop on Ramapo’s campus, a new world of hands-on vocational training opened up to the young adults in Ramapo’s SAE program.
“We knew we needed to create a more robust slate of vocational programs on campus when opportunities to participate with local businesses declined,” said Zanger. “Adaptive Design provides a unique work experience in its opportunity to scaffold up real work skills while also building the social-emotional competencies that come with understanding a client’s needs and generously creating adaptive equipment just for them.”
Staff assistants discovered creative strengths and tangible skills while designing and building an array of useful and essential equipment, such as wheelchair trays, foot stools, table stands, seat risers, iPad holders and cat scratchers, all out of cardboard. They learned the precision of careful measurement, cutting, edging, taping, and how to use a hot glue gun. “It’s a joy to watch these young adults fully engage and progress with this new set of skills,” said Greg Dette, ADHV Director, “and for many, this process has provided a vocational breakthrough.”
The fruitful collaboration has emerged as a twofold success as local schools and community organizations benefit from the newly designed products donated and delivered to their doors. Rhinebeck’s Chancellor Livingston School received seat wedges and footstools, Anderson Center for Autism welcomed table stands and seat risers, Ulster County SPCA was able to offer new cat owners a cat scratch box to take home with their adopted kitten, and nine older adults were thrilled to receive customized wheelchair trays that literally changed the way that they could participate in their daily life.
“This has truly been one of our most effective and rewarding partnerships,” said Zanger. “Perhaps most importantly, our young adults are empowered and gain confidence when knowing the work of their hands has played an integral role in helping others.”
Ramapo for Children’s Staff Assistant Experience (SAE) is a year-round, residential, transition-to-independence program for young adults with social, emotional or learning challenges. This immersion program engages participants in workshops, therapeutic support groups, clubs, classes and other activities, helping them develop social, vocational and life skills in preparation for next steps in college or employment.
Passages Alaska is just a flight away. One of the misconceptions is that Alaska is "so far." Prince of Wales Island, where Passages Alaska is located is a short flight from Seattle. Prince of Wales Island is a southern location in terms of Alaska, therefore, also allowing for warmer weather patterns year-round. There are three ways on and off the island so there is always a way to get to and from.
It is less than a two-hour flight from Seattle to Ketchikan. The Ketchikan airport is small and so easy to navigate. Island Air Express is a charter airline that flies right into Klawock, Prince of Wales Island, which is the home base for the program. It is located 30 feet from the baggage claim area of the airlines coming in from Seattle. It is a five-minute walk from picking up a bag to getting on the plane to the island.
The other two ways of connecting with the island are the charter float plane or the large island ferry. The float plane is a scenic way to travel, as it flies a route that is directly over the beautiful islands and ocean. The ferry is the most scenic and dependable way on and off the island. It is an amazing three-hour float on the water way. It is a large ship that has a cafeteria, a seating area including booth and individual seating, a cafeteria and a car/truck parking area below.
The travel to the operating area is not complicated nor long. Once on the island the students are fitted with top-of-the-line gear. They are welcomed as part of the team and it’s a short, beautiful boat ride to join the group. All in all, it’s a smooth trip from wherever the person is coming to Seattle, Ketchikan and to the group. The timing is similar to traveling to a program in the contiguous US, but Instead of driving out to the “field” from the airport there is a short flight and a boat ride.
For more information about Passages Alaska or the adventure high school Skookum House contact Sean Tomkinson, LCSW, owner + operator at Seant@passagesalaska.com or visit passagesalaska.com/
About Passages Alaska and Skookum House
Passages Alaska is a unique wilderness therapy program in Southeast Alaska serving adolescent males and young adults aged 18-28 in gender-specific groups. As participants come into the Alaskan Wilderness the coastal waters offer a fresh perspective and a new path. Hands-on therapeutic interventions include paddling, whale watching, fishing, primitive skill building and service to others. Extensive therapy and coaching is built in for those with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and failure to thrive.
Skookum House is an adventure high school with educational support designed to keep students engaged, active, and progressing toward graduation. Skookum House is for high school boys who have not been able to thrive at home or in a virtual school environment. Students may choose to use their home high school platform or another virtual platform. While living at SH, students will benefit from a more normalized social life, participate in outdoor Alaskan adventures while learning unique, confidence-building skills, and gain a respect for serving others.
The Clinical Team at Equinox RTC, a residential treatment center for teen boys ages 14-18, has begun the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) training process. At Equinox it is important to the Clinical Team that they keep up to date on current clinical training models so that the team can provide the best treatment possible.
NARM is an advanced clinical training for mental health professionals who work with complex trauma. NARM is a cutting-edge model for addressing attachment, relational and developmental trauma, by working with the attachment patterns that cause life-long psychobiological symptoms and interpersonal difficulties. These early, unconscious patterns of disconnection deeply affect one's identity, emotions, physiology, behavior, and relationships. Learning how to work simultaneously with these diverse elements is a radical shift that has profound clinical implications for healing complex trauma. As such, NARM is positioned to become an invaluable treatment option for the Trauma-Informed Care movement as professionals gain a greater understanding of the nature of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
The Equinox Clinical Team traveled to Austin, TX at the end of May to begin in-person therapist training. The NARM Therapist Training is advanced clinical training for the healing of complex trauma. Enrollment is open to licensed psychotherapists, counselors, social workers & other licensed mental health professionals who work with complex trauma.
“It was extremely rewarding to further our training on complex trauma through NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM),” says Clinical Director Dr. Mike Feeney, “Equinox is unique in its focus on Relational Trauma, which includes grief, loss, and attachment. We provide clinically intensive treatment for boys struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use and abuse, learning disabilities, and other emotional and behavioral needs. We look forward to completing our training.”
The Equinox Clinical Team will be completing the NARM training throughout the remainder of the summer.
About Equinox RTC
Equinox RTC is a leading residential treatment center for boys ages 14-18. Equinox is unique in its focus on Relational Trauma, which includes grief, loss, and attachment. Trauma, Loss, and Attachment, providing clinically intensive treatment for boys struggling with anxiety, depression, substance use and abuse, learning disabilities, and other emotional and behavioral needs. Equinox offers a combination of clinically sophisticated support with a whole-person approach including adventure therapy, a health and fitness 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.
Young men at Triple Divide Lodge, a residential program with a wilderness influence, find no shortage of solid food options during their stay at the program. Jeff Brown, affectionately known as Chef Jeff, is a master of creating foods that are appetizing while also being nutritionally sound. Too many residential programs focus only on the immediate substance issues instead of holistically looking at the case with mindful nutrition.
“I don’t want what we serve to be some ‘institutional’ type menu. I try to create a balance of food I know our guys will eat while exposing them to new things. Every group is unique which keeps me on my toes adjusting the menu. By creating things from scratch, I make better tasting food that is higher quality.” - Jeff Brown
Chef Jeff is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and has worked in several different culinary traditions with many awards to show for it. He not only has 30 years of experience in cooking but in teaching others how to cook as well. He loves getting and keeping people informed and involved in cooking. He strives to adjust people’s perceptions of food and demystify what makes food delicious and still healthy. Chef Jeff’s culinary creations receive such a great reception that his dishes get regular features on Triple Divide Lodge’s Instagram page; be sure to check it out to see what is on the menu next.
Executive Director Patrick Hawkins says, “I see guys eating vegetables and enjoying them - that says it all about what he’s preparing”.
To learn more about Triple Divide Lodge, visit https://www.tripledividelodge.com/ or call (406) 296-5776.
About Triple Divide Lodge
Triple Divide Lodge is a 90-day combination residential and wilderness therapy treatment program for adolescent males ages 14-19. Young men enrolled in the program have a history of substance abuse disorder and possible co-occurring disorders. Our model assists clients to overcome their substance use issues by getting outside of their comfort zones and experiencing the growth the wilderness inspires.
Emerald Arrow, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness’s young adult program, offers young adults ages 18-29 opportunities to explore capacities, build confidence and develop healthy connections to self and others in an immersive wilderness environment. This summer, Emerald Arrow at Blue Ridge welcomes Bob Hennen, LCMHC, LCAS to the team as a Primary Therapist. Working alongside Primary Therapist Anne Wilzbacher, LMHC, Bob will support young adults and their families throughout their wilderness experience, facilitating individual and group therapy and preparing students to embrace emerging adulthood in lasting, sustainable ways.
Anne shares, “Emerald Arrow is approaching 4 years of supporting young adults and their families, and I am so grateful for all that has evolved and developed in that time. We are now in a place to expand our services and reach more young adults and their families. We are so excited that Bob has joined the clinical team. He brings extensive and unique clinical experience which will only enhance the work we do with young adults. I look forward to witnessing all that Bob will be contributing to make EA more rich in the quality of work that we provide. The experience is truly unique and deeply integrating for the students that are here.”
Bob specializes in the treatment of young adults with substance use and mental health concerns, especially those with multiple treatment attempts, persistent mental health conditions, ambivalence around substance use, and strained family relationships. He has extensive experience working with individuals grappling with identity development, healing from trauma, or who seek a deeper understanding of themselves. Bob draws from techniques and theories ranging from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Reality Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Harm Reduction and Developmental Therapy. He joins the Emerald Arrow team with 9 years of experience facilitating group therapy, psychodrama techniques and relapse prevention therapy within groups.
Bob describes his therapeutic approach: “My approach is a relational one — I meet people truly where they are, and I have a profound belief that all people are totally capable of healing, however that may look for them. I hold high expectations for the depth and extent of work that my clients are capable of doing and I tend to push people in a compassionate way towards personal growth.”
Prior to Emerald Arrow, Bob worked as both a therapist and as a clinical director in outpatient and residential substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment programs. In addition to young adult treatment, he also has experience in the assessment and treatment of impaired medical and legal professionals, as well as individuals with severe persistent mental health conditions with co-occurring substance use.
“I was drawn to wilderness therapy because of the emotional, spiritual and physical healing that can take place in the wilderness. Because of my own personal connection to this environment, bringing my clinical expertise to this field makes perfect sense,” explains Bob.
Emerald Arrow: A Bold Path is a Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness program for young adults. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Emerald Arrow provides a safe, holistic, and clinically sophisticated environment for struggling young adults to reflect upon themselves, their family systems and their futures, and to work through challenges in an immersive wilderness environment.
Other Parents Like Me, an online subscription support community, is now offering free Thursday Night Speaker Talks. Previously accessible to members only, meetings are now open to anyone via oplm.com/upcoming-speakers/. These weekly events feature specialists from various levels of adolescent and young adult therapeutic programs, TEDx speakers, wellness professionals, and parent coaches, who share expertise and dispense guidance for audience members.
Attendees of the Thursday Night Speaker Talks are able to pose questions through Zoom’s chat features and interact directly with professionals. Previous speakers include the co-founder of Summit Achievement Wilderness Therapy Program (ME), Dr. Will White, as well as the author and co-founder of Evoke Therapy Programs (UT), Dr. Brad Reedy. These interactive events are held from 8-9:30 PM EST. With registration, participants have the ability to interact anonymously to ensure privacy.
To rewatch a 'Speaker Talk,' you must be a paid subscriber of Other Parents Like Me. Payment options available are $100 monthly or $1000 annually. Membership includes extensive offerings such as daily support groups, blogs, and the Resource Hub. One member shared, “I always feel calmer and more empowered after a meeting, from the topics and reminders to focus on my own path as a way to help my child.”
To sign up for a 7-day trial, visit https://oplm.com/register/.
About Other Parents Like Me
Other Parents Like Me (OPLM) is a female-founded online platform and virtual community, designed to create a safe space for parents, providing guidance as they move from a place of crisis to healing. We currently feature over 15 live support groups per week, guided exclusively by our trained Peer Parent team members. Also included in our membership is complete access to the robust Resource Hub, dynamic Speaker and Expert Panels, and a comprehensive support directory of vetted professionals and organizations within the mental health community. Other Parents Like Me (OPLM) helps parents know they are not alone. Hope and healing starts here.
Following Your Path, a new journal designed for students returning home from treatment will be available on June 13th, 2022 through the Solutions Parenting Support website. The journal is specifically created for students who are returning home from wilderness therapy, therapeutic boarding school, or residential treatment. The 6-week journal will help students continue in the newfound skills developed during treatment while assisting them in navigating the often-challenging times that arise in the transition home. The daily journal provides inspiring insights and specific prompts that will help a student continue to increase their self-awareness, gain insight into the new environment of home, and truly find the approaches needed to sustain all the investments they have made.
Solutions Parenting Support and their dynamic team of parent coaches who have each spent many years as therapists in wilderness therapy, therapeutic boarding school, or residential treatment, providing direct client care to the students and their families who have embarked on their therapeutic journeys. With the extensive experience that the Solutions Parenting Coaches have both during treatment and over the last 11 years in assisting families in the transition home, the team at Solutions has developed Following Your Path, a journal specifically for students returning home.
Jen Murphy, M.Ed., LPC, co-founder of Solutions Parenting Support said “There are many tools that the treatment environment provides a student that increases their self-awareness while providing them daily practice to experience the positive effects of healthy habits and routines, the power of making and following through with commitments and benefits of mindfulness techniques that really work. The challenge on the transition side of the support is the difficulty in following through in what they experienced that worked and this is where our journal is going to help. It will help students to continue to dig deep, be reminded of what is in their control and be encouraged to continue to invest in themselves, reminding themselves daily just how capable they are.”
'Following Your Path Journal' will be available for purchase on June 13th, 2022 through the Solutions Parenting Support website or call (970) 819-7013.
Note to Parents/Families: 'Following Your Path Journal' is a resource you can provide to give immediate support to your child upon returning home.
About Solutions Parenting Support
Solutions Parenting Support, LLC is a nationally recognized parent support and transitional program assisting families during and after wilderness therapy treatment and/or residential treatment programming. The Solution's team is supporting parents and families in the United States and around the globe. The team of parent coaches and transitional specialists are family systems focused, licensed professional therapists and/or licensed social workers with a combined 40+ years of experience working in wilderness therapy programs, varying levels of residential treatment programming, and transitional support.
Hampshire Country School (HCS) students, ages 10-14 completed a three-day, two-night bike and camp adventure on Cape Cod in late May. Throughout the year, students have built skills in biking with an emphasis on communication to minimize risks. In addition to riding for fun, students, buffered by faculty, used bikes for transportation to and from educational resources on the Cape, including the Museum of Natural History, Nauset Lighthouse, and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Shifting to more experiential methods and embracing a weekly outdoor learning day have been consistent goals throughout the 2021-2022 school year. This trip allowed students to combine several strengths and interests with the challenges of large group camping. Students were also able to choose their level of challenge by opting in and out of some of the biking to manage the number of miles they committed to. This served to expand each student’s perception of what they are capable of well beyond where they began the school year, a challenge for HCS students who often enter HCS with little to no distress tolerance.
Early in its 74-year history, it was typical for an HCS student to complete a longer multi-day excursion or adventure during the year. Students of that era were also more well-versed in outdoor adventure skills. Our current students not only live in a more screen-oriented world prior to HCS, but this particular group of students has had fewer opportunities for off-campus exposure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. HCS will definitely continue to embed these experiences into their school year program.
Hampshire Country School (HCS) is a 10-month boarding school in southern New Hampshire for high-ability, neurodiverse boys enrolling in later elementary or middle school. HCS offers understanding, light-heartedness, and structure to educate boys in a family-style, supportive, and collaborative learning community. For more information: http://www. hampshirecountryschool.org