WE ARE NATSAP March 2016

WE ARE NATSAP
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THERAPEUTIC SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS
Latest News from our Member Programs
March 2016
WE ARE NATSAP
NATSAP strives to keep all members aware of the events and accomplishments occurring
among our member programs. If you are interested in providing an article for the next
edition of We Are NATSAP, please contact Megan Stokes ([email protected]). Articles
should be around 450 words in length and please include photos. We are asking that you
please submit your article to Megan by May 20th.
Northwest College Support is excited
to announce the opening of ReSetTransitional Preparation!
ReSet is a highly-structured option
open to students enrolled at NWCS. This
option is a great fit for young adults who
need a step between residential treatment
and young adult transitional support.
ReSet is also a fit for young adults who
have been struggling in transitional
support and benefit from a period of
more structured living. ReSet includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Beautiful, fully furnished
5-bedroom house in Coeur d
Alene, Idaho
24/7 Support Staff onsite
including nights and weekends
Morning and evening group
meetings to meet therapeutic and
life skills needs
Daily participation in Northwest
College Support programming
Daily meal plan and group
dinners
Technology supervision and
regulation
Year-round, rolling admission
Flexible length of stay
To learn more about ReSet andNorthwest
College Support please contact Traci at
1.877.485.2776 or by email
[email protected].
IN THIS ISSUE
ReSet- Transitional
Preparation................................1
Williams House at Lindner
Center of HOPE...................2-3
A Holistic Approach to
Healing........................................3
Chrysalis is Grateful to Give
Back.............................................4
Northwest Academy is Rolling
Out the Pink..........................4-5
Menninger Treats Coexisting
Eating Disorder.....................5-6
Spectrum Awarded Residential
License....................................6-7
A Long Journey to a Great
Beginning................................7-8
Pioneering Wilderness
Therapy...................................8-9
Eva Carlston Academy
Combines Art and Nature....9
White River Academy Heeds
the Call of the Outdoors.....10
Trailblazers Helps Younger
Students Find Success...........11
Monarch School Students
Head to Yellowstone
National Park..........................12
1
NATSAP | 5272 River Road, Ste 600, Bethesda, MD 20816 | phone 301.986.8770 | fax 301.986.8772 | www.natsap.org | [email protected]
MARCH 2016
WE ARE NATSAP | 2
Williams House at Lindner Center of HOPE
Refines Programming to Allow for More
Customized Care
After 18 months of serving patients and families utilizing a unique model of comprehensive diagnostic assessment and
treatment, Williams House at Lindner Center of HOPE is enhancing its programming by refining its offerings to better
meet patients where they are.
Williams House offers a specialized and intimate setting within the Lindner Center of HOPE, focusing on intensive
assessment and treatment of patients, age 11 through 17, suffering with complex, co-morbid mental health issues. A new
14-day core program has a primary goal of completing an intensive assessment, determining an accurate diagnosis, and
planning the best next steps. The detailed but concise diagnostic picture, which may include the results of genetic testing,
informs the development of the optimal psychopharmacologic treatment plan.
Additional treatment weeks can now enhance the assessment, before or after the diagnostic period, depending upon
individual need and the recommendations from the Williams House clinical team.
In essence, the program is customizable around the core diagnostic assessment period to best serve patients and families.
The shorter diagnostic core and more flexible additional weeks will allow patients and families to get the greatest benefit
from Williams House, as they ready for next steps in treatment and life.
Serving Patients Ages 11 to 17 (18, if still attending high school) with:
• Mood Problems
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder/Anxiety Problems
• Disordered Thinking
• Disordered Eating
• Maladaptive Coping Skills
• Family or Relationship Problems
• Neurodevelopmental Issues
• Learning Differences or Problems with School
• Poor Response to Previous Treatment
• Substance Use Problems
Williams House, a private pay program, features:
• A quick and smooth referral and intake process.
• A safe and welcoming environment that meets adolescents where
they are.
• A highly credentialed treatment team, with access to 45 clinical consultants.
• Specialization in complex mental health and addictive disorders.
• An evidence-based compilation of psychological and neuropsychological testing.
• A comprehensive assessment resulting in a detailed but concise diagnostic picture.
• A structured milieu with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as a
foundation.
• A strengths-based approach to treatment recommendations and development of future focus.
• An educational component working closely with the treatment team and home school contacts.
• Parent and family involvement and education.
• Complete coordination of care.
• A network of HOPE for further treatment referrals for patients and families.
Call (513) 536-0537 or (888) 537-4229 now or visit http://lindnercenterofhope.org/residential/williams-house-adolescent/
for more information
Lindner Center of HOPE provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with
mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression
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MARCH 2016
Williams House at Lindner Center of HOPE
Refines Programming to Allow for More
Customized Care (Cont’d)
Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and
older, outpatient services for all ages including outpatient addictions services, diagnostic and short-term residential
services for adults and adolescents, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for
adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best
providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of
mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University
of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.
A Holistic Approach to Healing –
Connecting with Teens Through Music
T
een substance abuse is by no means a new problem: teenagers partake in risky,
impulsive behavior in part because their brains are not yet fully developed. As the
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) plainly states, “drugs can have longlasting effects on the developing brain and may interfere with family, positive peer
relationships, and school performance. Most adults who develop a substance use
disorder report having started drug use in adolescence or young adulthood, so it is
important to identify and intervene in drug use early.”
In order to effectively treat substance abuse, you must treat the emotional, mental
and physical symptoms of the disease. Like many recovery centers, New Beginnings
is rooted in the 12-step philosophy, which when practiced as a way of life, can rid
the need for substances and enable the teen to feel whole without the use of drugs or
alcohol. While we utilize numerous traditional therapeutic approaches along with the
12-step philosophy, we also utilize and integrate a variety of experiential therapy. This
holistic approach includes an on-site ropes challenge course and art therapy.
More recently, New Beginnings introduced music therapy. Music is incredibly
powerful when trying to reach someone on a more emotional level, particularly for
Nashville singer/songwriter
teens. Consistently throughout the past year, a recovering addict and singer/songwriter
Travis Meadows
from Nashville, Travis Meadows, has visited the center. Although Meadows has written
songs for top country artists, he has routinely made time in his schedule to spend time with our teens, performing songs
and sharing personal stories. During each visit, he shares songs he wrote about his recovery from addiction, relationship
challenges and life in general.
These therapy sessions often encourage patients to share thoughts that they may have been uncomfortable sharing before.
As a result of the newly introduced music therapy sessions, several patients have experienced major breakthroughs;
deeply harbored secrets that may have inhibited the treatment process have been released, which is fundamental for the
healing process. As the saying goes, “Secrets make us sick.”
While a rigorous program and strict adherence to rules can often be invaluable for teenage recovery, adding in a little
adventure, art and music can go a long way. Growth and healing are essential for the treatment process, but can sometimes
be found in unexpected ways.
www.newbeginningsteenhelp.com
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Chrysalis is Grateful to Give Back
By Julie Hughes - Adventure Director | Photos by Jeremy Meyer - Director of Operations
One thing is for certain at the Chrysalis School in Eureka, Montana, we value
the great outdoors and the healing properties found in nature. We are blessed
to have Glacier National Park right in our backyard and we make sure to
take advantage of having this premier national park so close to campus. Back
in 1999 our founders, Kenny Pannell and Mary Alexine, started an annual
tradition of hiking and performing service work in Glacier Park. They knew the
value of hard work and giving back to the land we love. This beautiful tradition
will remain and will always be a part of the Chrysalis experience. Corey
Hickman, the Executive Director at Chrysalis, has and will continue to roll up
his sleeves doing trail work alongside our students and staff members for years
to come.
The first half of the week the students perform trail maintenance and work alongside the “trail dogs” building turnpikes,
creating and clearing trails, help with lateral drain construction and repair, and build log wall retainers. It is quite a sight
to see the trail crew handing out pick axes, shovels and the like to our students to carry down the trail. Their eyes light up
and an excitement stirs in their souls.They head down the trail for a hard day’s work and return to camp exhausted, yet
stronger. They go to bed as early as they can because the next day brings more of the same. For months afterwards they
notice the trails they are hiking on, and the work others have done to create that trails becomes obvious. The girls often
point out turnpikes and lateral drains, and actually appreciate them!
The second half of the week the students get to explore some of Glacier’s 700 miles of trails! Some sit on mountain tops,
amazed by the scenery and proud of their new found skills. Others have long hikes that take them over mountain passes
with wildflowers of all color painting the landscape. We see mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk and a bear if we are
lucky; yet the all time favorite critter is the marmot. As we lay our heads down to rest as these beautiful visions dance
through our minds and find a special place in our hearts.
Here in our beautiful corner of the world, we are excited to explore and we are grateful to give back. A recent graduate
spoke of her Glacier experience saying, “I learned to value hard work, as much of our service was physically demanding;
cooperation, as much of our work couldn’t be done alone; and community service, as there is nothing that creates the
same type of joy.”
http://www.chrysalisschoolmontana.com/
Northwest Academy is Rolling Out the Pink
Northwest Academy is rolling out the pink for our female students in the form of a new fitness experience.
When asked about her thoughts on the new program student Laura shared, “It is an awesome new outlet for expression. It
is super empowering.”
What is this pink fitness program? It’s Pink Glove Boxing. The program is designed to deliver an amazing workout plus
an emotionally rewarding experience. The fitness world is overflowing with great programs, but Pink Glove Boxing
puts a great deal of focus on social and emotional growth in addition to physical well-being. Using the core movements
of competitive boxing, Pink Glove Boxing is a non-contact program designed especially for women who want to live a
healthy lifestyle.
“We are using Pink Glove Boxing to empower our female students to reveal their champion from within. The program
promotes emotional, mental and social growth, self-confidence, goal setting and goal getting, and helps our female
students find their voice,” explained Northwest Academy Addictions Specialist Mikki Proffitt, CADC, who facilitates the
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program. Proffitt is also a certified personal fitness coach.
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Northwest Academy is Rolling Out the
Pink (Cont’d)
At Northwest Academy, the connection between a healthy mind and body to overall success in life is front and center
every day. Personal Fitness is more than an academic credit; it is an important coping skill for lifelong management of
stress, anxiety, and many other mental health issues.
Therapy, class work, a nutritious diet, and exercise are part of every student’s daily
routine. Exercise makes the body strong and the mind sharp. Northwest Academy
provides a wealth of options for fun and challenging physical activity. Students utilize
our new campus Fitness Center and work with our personal fitness instructor who
initiates fitness goals by assisting students to strive for healthy lifestyle changes.
Northwest Academy’s beautiful location makes it possible for students to have easy
access to outdoor activities that most 16- to 18-year olds only dream of; skiing,
snowboarding, hiking, world-class river rafting, fly-fishing, mountain biking, lake and
paddle sports to name a few.
Physical exercise and healthy lifestyle choices directly correlate to mental wellbeing. The mind-body connection is an essential curriculum component at Northwest
Academy.
Northwest Academy is a therapeutic boarding school specifically designed to meet
the unique needs of older adolescents ages 16 to 18. The carefully designed structure
and curriculum enables students, often at-risk of not graduating high school due to
mental health, behavioral or substance abuse issues, to address the roadblocks that are keeping them from successfully
transitioning to adulthood.
Students at Northwest Academy repair their GPA, rekindle their desire to attend college, apply and are accepted into
college, and examine their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and the relationships and patterns between them. Students leave
Northwest Academy with a high school diploma in hand and the tools, motivation and confidence needed to steer clear of
roadblocks and follow a healthy path as a young adult.
To learn more about Northwest Academy visit their web site at http://nwacademy.net.
Adolescents with a Coexisting Eating Disorder
Receive Treatment at Menninger
Girls and boys who have a coexisting or underlying eating disorder now have a dedicated member of Menninger’s
hospital-wide Eating Disorders Service on the Adolescent Treatment Program (ATP) Team. Megan Ledet, LCSW, leads
body image and eating disorder-focused groups as well as consults with individual patients and provides guidance to
ATP’s inter-professional team.
With leadership from Eating Disorders Service Director Rebecca Wagner, PhD, Ledet and Menninger dietitians work
alongside ATP’s nursing leadership to establish a highly trained nursing staff capable of supporting adolescents during and
following meal times when they are likely to experience high levels of anxiety.
“We recognized that a large percentage of our patients would benefit from a measure of prevention, and a significant
portion of our patients require a more intensive intervention related to body image and disordered eating. We are thrilled
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Adolescents with a Coexisting Eating Disorder
Receive Treatment at Menninger (Cont’d)
to have Megan on our team,” said Elizabeth Newlin, MD, medical director of the Adolescent Treatment Team. “Not only
do the clinicians and nurses appreciate her support, but the teens really like her, too. In Megan’s work with patients, she
balances being playful and nurturing, which really seems to resonate with our population.”
Dr. Newlin said it is not uncommon for a teen’s primary psychiatric disorder to become entangled with and potentially
exacerbated by an eating behavior. “Our focus is to address the whole person and to ensure each adolescent’s total health
and well-being improves and can be sustained once he or she leaves our care,” Dr. Newlin said.
More about Our Program
The Adolescent Treatment Program (ATP) provides a structured, therapeutic inpatient setting in which adolescents, ages
12-17, with complex psychiatric disorders safely receive a comprehensive assessment by an inter-professional team that
includes psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, dietitians, master’s-level psychiatric nurses
and other mental health specialists. The most common presenting diagnoses are mood and anxiety disorders, emerging
personality disorders, and ADHD or other learning differences. Most often the teens are presenting with recent or ongoing
self-destructive behaviors such as illicit substance abuse, non-suicidal self-harm, suicide attempts and/or disordered
eating.
With its extensive clinical expertise, ATP’s inter-professional team stabilizes acute symptoms to identify core issues that
guide the next steps in treatment as well as the family work. The team offers in-depth assessments when an adolescent’s
diagnosis is unclear or when a second opinion is needed. The team administers extensive psychological testing, and
neuropsychological testing is also available.
http://www.menningerclinic.com/
Spectrum College Transition Program Awarded License
to Operate as a Residential Behavioral Health Facility
During the IECA National Conference, held November 4th-7th at Kierland Westin Resort, Spectrum College Transition
Program showcased its capabilities and offerings, as it is the only residential program in the State of Arizona, specializing
in a pure population of young men with Asperger’s Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.
“The IECA National Conference is a national organization dedicated to supporting Educational Consultants, who assist
families in locating day schools, boarding schools, wilderness programs, residential treatment centers, transition programs,
and colleges and universities. Spectrum College Transition Program was honored to be a part of the Steering Committee,
and assisting IECA in securing speakers, events, tours, and more. We are also a member of the Arizona Therapeutic
Schools and Programs Consortium, which held an incredible event at the Buffalo Chip Saloon for therapeutic educational
consultants!” said Robin Sweet, CEO of Spectrum.
Spectrum offered tours of their facility, which allowed consultants an opportunity to meet the staff, and chat with our
students, which is always entertaining! The tours assist consultants in better understanding a program’s
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Spectrum College Transition Program
Awarded License to Operate as a
Residential Behavioral Health Facility (Cont’d)
inner workings, when they meet the administration, staff, therapists, and students in person. According to Sweet, “The
conference’s location and timing could not have been more convenient, as Spectrum just received their License to operate
as a Residential Behavioral Health Facility and School!”
Spectrum has been in operation for six years, and has always catered to young men with Asperger’s Syndrome and
High-Functioning Autism. “We have a tremendous outpouring from parents with boys who want to attend high school
and college, but they are struggling socially, emotionally, and academically. Our focus is on families, who are simply
“fried”, and are out of tools and strategies to keep their family and marriage intact. These wonderful young men are
very complicated, and require a combination of academic, social, behavioral, emotional support, in order to become
functioning independent members of society,” said Sweet.
Becoming licensed allows parents the ability to submit monthly statements to their insurance companies for
reimbursement, if they have mental health coverage. With the Arizona Department of Education Approval, securing
Spectrum as a private residential school, it allows school districts the ability to place students, and they will cover the cost
of the program.
“We support our residents with Social Skills, Life Skills, Time Management, Organizational Skills, Health & Hygiene,
Fitness: Mind & Body, Therapy and Counseling, and Parent Coach Professionals work directly with our parents.
Spectrum’s staff focuses on assisting the students gain independence, so they can successfully transition out of the
program,” said Kelly Heikens, Clinical Director.
There is no lack of fun and entertainment for the young men who reside at Spectrum, as staff are always facilitating age
appropriate activities and events. “We have pool parties and BBQ’s! Spectrum has everything I could ever dream of,” said
Brett, who has been a resident of Spectrum since August 2015. “It’s an awesome school compared to the program that I
came from on the East Coast,” Brett explained that he has the opportunity to be involved in activities such as his favorite:
Go-Kart racing, as it is exciting and gives him time to enjoy his friends. “I think Spectrum is an awesome place, that’s all I
can say,” said Brett.
For more information, please visit www. http://www.spectrumcollegetransition.org, call 480.443.7331 or
email [email protected].
A Long Journey to a Great Beginning
Daniel is eighteen and graduated from Boulder Creek Academy in December. He’s confident. He’s got a dream. He’s on
his way.
“Before Daniel came to Boulder Creek Academy, I never would have believed he could be doing what he’s doing today,”
said Elizabeth.
“I think back and remember how scared I was to send my ‘little kid’ so far away to school. Would he adjust? Would he be
picked on? Would he be safe? Would I lose touch with him?”
Elizabeth was looking for a specific place; small, cozy, and individualized. It had to be away from the city; and the
internet, and the peers who seemed bent on showing Daniel everything but the right choices to make. Her educational
consultant recommended Boulder Creek Academy.
Elizabeth and Daniel made the trip from the Bay Area to North Idaho with guarded expectations.
“We really had no idea where Bonner’s Ferry was, and North Idaho seemed like the wilderness. Then we drove into the
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A Long Journey to a Great Beginning (Cont’d)
wondrous, unbelievable, beauty of their campus. I knew that it was the perfect setting— away from the
bullies and the distractions— the best place I could imagine for Daniel to get in touch with himself.
“I wanted a place where I knew my son would be safe, where he would have close supervision and guidance, where he
could learn and grow in a structured, caring environment.”
“I loved the staff. They were so caring, and they had the experience, the expertise and that
special something it takes to work with kids like Daniel.
“It was clear to me that my son’s need to improve and manage his social skills actually
trumped academics. Boulder Creek’s emphasis and expertise in both those areas were
important to making our decision, and as it turned out, the best thing that ever happened to
Daniel.”
At Boulder Creek Academy, Daniel spent his time gaining confidence and experiencing the
joy of accomplishment. He especially loved working with animals and building things.
“The staff at Boulder Creek brought home to me the differences in the way Daniel sees
things. He will always face some challenges socially; it’s who he is, but he has gained the
tools to deal with it. And I have learned how to communicate with him about that, and
understand what he’s going through. Now I better understand how to support him.
“It’s a huge deal for a mom when your son can catch-up to other kids and reach their dreams—even to know they can
dream is more than I once expected.”
After graduation, Daniel will pursue his dream when he attends the Northwest Railroad Institute in Vancouver,
Washington.
“It seems like half a lifetime ago that my son was flunking out, and out of control. Now he is a confident young man with
high self-esteem who has made me proud. Boulder Creek was a Godsend for our family.”
Boulder Creek Academy has spent more than two-decades focused on meeting the unique needs of adolescents ages 13 to
18 who are clinically complex and have experienced school failure and feel socially disconnected. The academy’s mission
is to support students in rediscovering their academic and social confidence. This is accomplished by reigniting our
students’ belief in themselves by utilizing time-tested and proven methods.
To learn more about Boulder Creek Academy visit http://www.bouldercreekacademy.com.
SUWS of the Carolinas: Pioneering Wilderness Therapy
in the Pisgah National Forest
T
he footbridge suspended on Paris Creek Road represents a paradigm shift for so many, whether the traveler recognizes
it or not. Unassuming in design and stature, this bridge is the entry point to SUWS of the Carolinas. SUWS was the first
established wilderness therapy program in the Pisgah National Forest. The basecamp sits in an idyllic setting surrounded
by roughly sixty square miles of the Pisgah. The course area offers a tremendous amount of diversity in terrain and life,
and attracts visitors who come to recreate with hiking boots, mountain bikes, fly-fishing gear, or other various adventure
based equipment.
Operating under permit from the United States Forest Service since year 2000, SUWS has a long history of working with
the US department of Agriculture to deliver therapeutic services. “The overall goal of the programs offered at SUWS is
to provide a life-changing therapeutic wilderness experience for young people who are struggling with a range of selfdefeating challenges. The SUWS program is the beginning of a lifetime of change, not a short-term
(Continued on page 9)
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SUWS of the Carolinas: Pioneering Wilderness
Therapy in the Pisgah National Forest (Cont’d)
adventure. Through the wilderness we empower families to discover their strengths to restore hope and foster growth,”
states Executive Director, Shawn Farrell. Typically expeditions last anywhere from seven to fourteen days before groups
are brought back to campus for several days to sleep in cabins, take showers, and continue to work on strategic goals and
outcomes. Groups are accountable for daily call in’s to the team on base, and never travel beyond an hour’s response
time of a first responder support crew. When students are faced with the challenges of the backcountry, and are allowed
to express themselves in a genuine and accepting manner, the results can be profound. In addition to the clinical work at
hand, students also practice a “Leave No Trace” back-country ethic. Staff and students work hand in hand to ensure the
land is utilized responsibly.
USFS representative, Linda Randolph is responsible for SUWS’ land usage permit and
shared the following statement: “SUWS of the Carolinas has offered countless numbers
of kids the opportunity to explore and experience the wonders and beauty of the Pisgah
National Forest. The experience offered at SUWS allows these kids to incorporate a
wilderness experience and values into their lives.”
http://www.suwscarolinas.com/
Eva Carlston Academy Combines Art and Nature
At Eva Carlston Academy we frequently take advantage of our location by exposing our students to a number of
National Parks in our area. Being able to get students outside is not just an opportunity to recreate, but it is also another
way that our treatment professionals can teach and support each young woman on her journey to overall health.
Getaways into the Wasatch National Forrest for afternoon hikes, or snowshoeing
this time of year, are frequent activities. However, some of our greatest
experiences occur during three different recreational trips that we take each
year. During these trips our students are able to see natural wonders that they
would likely not otherwise have the opportunity to see. Beginning in the early
spring and throughout the warmer months of the summer and fall Eva Carlston
takes students on trips to National Parks such as Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, and
Yellowstone.
Staying true to our fine arts tradition, we incorporate painting, sculpture, and
even performing arts into these trips as well. For instance, in addition to being
able to experience the success of hiking to the Delicate Arch, once our students reach the top they are able to reflect and
create a watercolor painting of the incredible view from the top. These experiences continue to live on in their own artistic
interpretation of the event.
In relating her thoughts about a recent trip once student shared what we hope all of our students can experience.
“The trip to Moab was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had because it showed me how to be more
grateful for the things, and nature around me. My favorite part of the trip was getting to know other girls, but also the
silent hiking. At first, I was hesitant because I am a very sociable person, but once we were in the ‘hiking mode,’ I really
enjoyed taking in the beautiful red/orange features around me. It was amazing sitting and painting the landscapes around
me when we were at Windows Arch because it was so peaceful to just sit and listen. The whole trip in general helped me
get more grounded within myself, but it also really challenged me physically and emotionally. I definitely would love to
go back with my family and friends to share the experiences I had at Eva Carlston Academy, with them.” –Marie
http://www.evacarlston.com/
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White River Academy Heeds the
Call of the Outdoors
Written by Nick Adams, Sovereign Health Group writer
The outdoors: A positive way to fill the void
An experience unlike any other. A new high to fill the void. Hiking, fishing, spending time in the wilderness to avoid drugs
and the crashing tide of mental illness. The fresh air can do wonders in more ways than one as students at White River
Academy are involved in outdoor activities throughout their term.
Call of the outdoors
White River Academy is a therapeutic boarding school for troubled boys ages 12 to 17, struggling with substance abuse
and interpersonal problems. Rearing and treatment are provided through mindful guidance, a formidable education
program and student-driven service projects in the community to promote positive growth.
The academy is not the first program to utilize the outdoors for educational experiences. The American Institutes for
Research conducted a study on 255 sixth graders and the benefits of spending a week with an outdoor-education program.
Teachers involved in the program reported students experiencing, “Increased confidence and self-esteem, positive
relationships among students, and reduced discipline and behavior problems.” Add to this, a 27 percent increase in
the students’ science scores. Nature, through first-hand experience, can help children and teenagers learn in a positive
environment.
The benefits of nature
Once a month, White River Academy boys embark on a weekend trip to a nearby state park. Recently, group leader, Loren
Pence, took the boys out on an excursion to the Lava Tubes west of Meadow, Utah. Pence describes these trips as the
boys’, “Opportunity to get away from what they would see as a monotonous routine from day-to-day life.”
Along with the excitement of being in open terrain, the hint of adventure in the fresh air and the promise of a “heart attack
on a plate” for breakfast as Pence puts it – with a laugh – the boys learn character building skills firsthand. Whether it’s
fishing for dinner or chopping firewood, teens “Overcome that physical obstacle and work together in order to get where
they need to be,” which further emphasizes the positive peer culture model White River Academy follows.
White River Academy expounds upon the natural challenges and mystical appeal of nature in their program with monthly
excursions, outdoor equine therapy and more. Getting teenagers involved in outdoor groups and activities is a refreshingly
ingenious and simultaneously unique modern treatment tool for rehabilitating from substance abuse and overcoming
interpersonal issues.
http://www.whiteriveracademy.com/
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Trailblazers at Trails Carolina Helps Younger
Students Find Success
T
rails Carolina, a wilderness therapy program for ages 10-17, provides younger students with programming specifically
targeted towards the needs of their age group. This programming for younger students, known as Trailblazers, offers a
curriculum, base camp programming model, and clinicians that are separate from what older students experience at Trails.
Trailblazers provides 10 to 13-year-old students with age-appropriate programming that takes into account the
developmental level of each student. This unique middle-school wilderness therapy program is divided into single gender
groups, allowing for a safer, more focused environment for all students.
At Trailblazers, the individualized curriculum allows students to work at their own pace with no set timelines. Throughout
the entire Trailblazers program, intentional playfulness is emphasized to create positive meaning in everything students
do. Most assignments for Trailblazers are experiential and art-based, geared towards working on fine motor skills and
basic communication with peers and adults.
Many Trailblazer students struggle with relationships because they’re still learning what it means to share, experience
reciprocity, be polite, and be respectful. Base camp programming for Trailblazer students creates many opportunities
where they can learn those skills in a very non-threatening way.
Working with animals, such as horses and therapy dogs, allows students to develop relationship insight and learn more
about themselves as individuals. Another aspect of base camp programming targeted specifically toward younger students
is learning in an experiential science classroom. In this non-traditional classroom setting, students spend time working
with rescue amphibians and reptiles from the local ecosystem. This experiential learning environment allows students who
prefer hands-on learning to thrive.
Trailblazer students are also offered a traditional learning environment. Being exposed to a traditional classroom setting
helps those students who struggle with learning in a traditional pedagogic style – an environment they’ll be confronted
with for the rest of their academic careers. Students learn how to cope with the anxiety and discomfort of being in a
traditional classroom by neutralizing their relationship with that classroom setting. This makes it easier for them to
transition into classrooms after they leave Trails.
The clinical foundation of Trailblazers is to offer students an experience that is nurturing, empowering, spirited, and
transformative. These four attitudes are what Trailblazers clinicians, who work specifically with the 10 to 13-yearolds, bring to the table. The Trailblazers clinical program makes sure the family is involved in the process at all times.
Individualized programming for Trailblazers students means that it should be individualized for parents of students.
Young students who come to the Trailblazers program are typically not engaged in their lives to their full capacity.
Trailblazers is based around the belief that the more moments of feeling capable students collect in their lives, the more
they’re going to love being alive. Every day and every week of Trailblazers is designed for young students to feel capable
again after many years of failing.
http://trailscarolina.com/
“Supporting Programs - Healing Families”
MARCH 2016
WE ARE NATSAP | 12
Monarch School Students Head to
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the oldest, most exotic, and arguably the most pristine national park in the United States.
It has been called the “Serengeti of the West” due the abundance and visibility of its wildlife, and it contains about 50%
of the world’s geothermal features. Advantages to viewing Yellowstone in the winter include drastically reduced visitor
numbers and increased visibility of wildlife. The winter conditions in Yellowstone allow students on a three-day tour to
experience an arctic environment in the lower forty-eight states. We see the most impressive parts of the park and learn
about the geology, ecology and history. Students come away with a comprehensive understanding of what they have seen
and a greater appreciation for the park and its treasures.
Our group enters the Western end of Yellowstone in a privately-chartered guided “snow coach” with our luggage and
Nordic skis in tow. Along the Madison and Firehole rivers we view wildlife, including bison, elk, trumpeter swans, bald
eagles, and bobcats. The snow coach stops at several prominent geothermal basins while our experienced guide describes
the park and its sights.
We stay in Old Faithful Village, which is located in the caldera of the world’s largest active volcano and offers typical
hotel amenities, including warm meals, comfortable study spaces, and an ice skating rink. The nearby interpretive center
contains informational exhibit, and an auditorium in which resident researchers and rangers offer evening seminars on
park-related topics. Over five miles of snow-covered boardwalks surround Old Faithful Village and there is no better
way to view the hundreds of spectacular geothermal features than from cross-country skiing these boardwalks. Pristine
backcountry features are located on single track trails away from the boardwalk, allowing students to get a private view of
remote features few tourists ever see.
Throughout the trip, students are guided and supervised by Monarch School’s own science teacher, Natty Role, who was
an interpretive guide in Yellowstone, and social studies teacher, Alysoun Johnston, with her decade of park experience and
related content knowledge.
The trip has special appeal to physically active students who are interested in science, history, and politics. Due to
the inherent risks associated with winter conditions, geothermal areas and close proximity to wildlife, students must
demonstrate an exceptionally high level of awareness and compliance in order to be eligible for the trip.
“Suggestions for the future: Longer! Longer! Longer! Trip should have been 6 or 7 days. Great trip, thank you so much.”
~ Monarch School Student
“Thank you! I certainly had a very good time and saw some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.” ~Monarch
School Student
For more information, contact Monarch School
www.monarchschool.com
Phone: 406.847.5095
“Supporting Programs - Healing Families”