Solstice East’s Adventure Therapy Director, Dan Horseman, recently partnered with Breakwater Expeditions to facilitate a week-long excursion down the Green River near Moab, Utah for students and their parents. As a residential treatment center located in western North Carolina for 14- to 17- year old female, transgender, and non-binary students, offering these annual overnight trips creates an opportunity for families to focus on connection through a powerful shared experience. 

“The Green River provides the perfect medium to explore, reflect, play, and connect,” says Horseman. “This year we had five families courageously decide to join this trip, choosing connection over the comfort and convenience of their normal lives. Throughout the trip, they were given opportunities to connect as they laughed, played, explored, and overcame challenges together.”

Covering about 45 miles through Labyrinth Canyon, the group spent five days and four nights on the river paddling from the flat desert all the way into the heart of the canyon where the walls skyrocket to almost one thousand feet.

One parent reflected, “The venue for this trip was very special… There is a peacefulness to the area that you don’t see often and forces one to step out of our comfort zones. It nudges you in the direction of being ‘present’. I will always cherish this opportunity and the time I was able to spend with [my daughter].”

About Solstice East

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for students 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 students succeed in multiple areas of their lives.