Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness changed my daughter's life for the positive. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness | 748 followers on LinkedIn. CHICAGO, Ill. (WBTV) Kathleen Reilly woke up in the middle of the night in late July 2012 to hear her dad say he loved her and that these people would take care of her now. They talk animatedly, exuding. Looking back, there were a few kids that went strait home from BRW. Existing parents are welcome to login to the Parent Portal to see updated photos from the field or to register and confirm a package delivery. Field Instructors provide verbal updates on student well-being at a minimum of twice a day, which are then considered closely by our medical coordinator and medical director. Our licensed therapists have a minimum of Masters degrees in their respective course of mental health studies. Its just its not normal. The facility advertises itself as a therapeutic wilderness program that aims to improve the lives of children and teenagers. Inspection reports from N.C. DHHS show Trails Carolina was cited for fifty deficiencies between 2010 and 2019, the last time an inspection was conducted. Her therapist, Ashley, provide her with great tools and kept us fully informed during our weekly parent update calls. do not let your kids go here there is better options. That summer I was angsty and defiant and did anything I possibly could to push people away, and yet, both staff and therapists loved me through it and that love was a very certain type of love I still haven't found anywhere else. The biggest difference we now see in our son he has his joy back and he is proud of himself for his hard work and progress! While these elements didnt widely exist at the time, many of them are now fundamental components of most therapeutic wilderness programs today. It was a super valuable experience for both our son and his parents. great work environment. Trails Carolina also declined to make anyone available for an interview but provided the following statement through a spokeswoman: Trails Carolina was founded in 2008 to help families and children who are struggling with significant mental health challenges. In reality they're greedy scum who want to milk you out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I learned that I had the the ability to be a stronger, more understanding, driven and empathetic person all along. These include food preparation, water collection, exercise (hiking, yoga or other activity), down-time and self-reflection, learning or academics, group discussion and future planning. The letter said the facility follows a six-day training program and attached a schedule outlining which activities take place on specific days. We are happy to work with parents, home therapists and doctors to understand existing diagnoses for each student in our care. There is SO much to be gained by sharing experiences & resources with one another and feeling less alone in this quest to create a better life for your child (and your family). He was a wilderness instructor at the notorious Aspen Achievement Academy, field director of Second Nature Unitas and co-founder of this program. Perfect, no, nothing is perfect, but we now communicate and we look and feel like a typical family with a child in high school. She then returned after a few months for 4 weeks. They are members of the latest crop of students at Redcliff Ascent, a wilderness program for troubled youth. They might not tell you that students future is their last concern -they want to glue broken families back together - but I'm walking about 60 steps a day at best these days. For many families, the cost of wilderness therapy is an important consideration when determining the best treatment program for their child. I didnt know where to go. These guys were wonderful! Blog: Treating Substance Abuse in Wilderness, by Bob Hennen, LCMHC, LCAS, Blog: Addressing Common Misconceptions about Wilderness Therapy. It would be too hard to cope going strait home; as most of the emotional problems exercised extensive therapy, it would be hard to continue therapy with a normal therapist. So if you want to sign on the dotted line and permit your child to be put through torturous hell, that will certainly leave them scarred for life, and resenting you, then you can't say you haven't been warned. I highly recommend. It was the perfect reset that we needed to figure out what to do and exactly what was wrong. It creates unique experiences and opportunities which instill true resilience and confidence. Email: admissions@blueridgewilderness.com. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is the leading full-immersion wilderness therapy program to integrate a family systems approach, whole body health and wellness, and holistic, assessment driven, clinical treatment for teens and young adults. It was only a matter of weeks ago that I was looking at the posts about Blue Ridge Wilderness while narrowing down choices for our child whose life was out of control. You spend hours aimlessly hiking and slaving away to cook in rusty pots and pans. We work with adolescents and young adults who face a range of challenges. We were extremely happy with the program, the approach, and the results. Unless its necessary, students remain in the wilderness until its time to transition to their next steps. Our goal in treating each client is to provide them the resources necessary for them to evaluate and live within their values and, ultimately, to thrive within themselves and their family unit. Membership with National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), Membership with Association for Experiential Education, Failure to Launch, Low Distress Tolerance, Identity Issues, Attachment, Social Challenges, Young Adult and Adolescent Therapeutic Program. Day-to-day activities such as food preparation, water collection, hiking excursion planning, for example, provide opportunities to engage in and analyze social interaction situations. A 10-mile section of the famed Northville-Placid Trail passes . Our number one priority is safety. For more than 33 years, Email: admissions@blueridgewilderness.com. When I was 17, I was one of them. While at Blue Ridge, our clients rediscover the pathways to their strengths and resilience through primitive living in nature while supported by experienced field instructors, skilled licensed therapists, and a healthy peer culture and community. We began to reset our communication patterns through writing letters, visiting him at the half way point, and camping out with him up at the end. Our Field Instructors ensure physical safety through strict protocols relating to weather awareness, facility checks, food and water preparation and collection, medical checks, self-checks and frequent communication with program administration and therapists. I know because I have have had both "good" and "bad" experiences at Blue Ridge. Today, Blue Ridge is proud to have blazed the trail in the efforts to assess and treat students on an individualized and family-systems basis, where the needs and backgrounds of each person are considered during every step of the process. So is our family. Thank you to everyone at Blue Ridge who supported me through my journey.. The Milieu setting, combined with individualized therapy and assignments, helps to build a foundation of healthy communication, improved self care, and consistent emotional regulation. For more information, please visit our Licensing and Accreditation page. This was one of the most difficult decisions in our lives and it definitely takes somewhat of a leap of faith but do your homework and ask for references and then talk to as many parents as you can. I have severe sleep issues. The statement also pointed to the string of annual inspections of Trails Carolina. Starting with the admissions counselor Danielle to her incredible therapist Emily and all the field staff, I can tell you they collectively gave me my daughter back. Your flight leaves in two hours.. Go to hell Second Nature. I had kids that were vocally suicidal. If appropriate, your students Primary Therapist may suggest your family participate in the Transition or Family Intensive programs before exiting BRTW. You helped yourself, and you still are to this day. For more information, please read more about Who We Help. Visit our Daily Life page for more information about the typical student experience, and our Health and Wellness page to learn more about our students diet, nutrition, mindfulness and physical activity. When I finally got through their program there was a transition camp for two days with my parents. That all individuals are driven by a desire to meet the needs of Love and Belonging, Power and Control, Freedom, Fun and Survival. Luckily, this psychologist recommended Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness to us, and the 11 weeks our son spent there were key in turning his life back in a positive direction (which took an entire year including a residential transition program after BRTW). 30525 United States. All Field Instructors are at least 21, and some have even been students in our program before. For research about safety in the wilderness therapy setting, visit our Research page. He is now home with us, and our family is so much better. The staff were nice but its not an excuse for their buisness model. It was hard for me to show my emotions. Our program is permitted by the National Forest Service, and holds academic accreditation from Cognia as a Special Program. Blue Ridge was a Huge help to our Daughter and our Family Jeff Scot and the staff at blue ridge supported and inspired me in a way that empowered me to take my own life back. Blue Ridge opened its doors in 2002 and is honored to be one of the most experienced and clinically sophisticated wilderness therapy programs in the country. Each of these organizations has its own set of requirements for the initial licensing/accreditation/permit/membership process, as well as baseline expectations to maintain them. Wilderness Jobs: Work outside at Blue Ridge - Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness UPCOMING 2022 FIELD INSTRUCTOR DATES: JULY 7TH-13TH **$1,000 sign-on bonus** Now hiring for full time positions Field Instructors Blue Ridge is proud to have developed a tight-knit community of highly-trained and compassionate wilderness professionals. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude. Contact with us. The woods gives you what you need. Trails Carolina is licensed by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services as a residential therapeutic camp. Yes, some challenges might not be appropriately treated through wilderness therapy. To this day the firm has a rating of 4.0 stars out of 5 and this score is based on 34 reviews. Look back on the decision, she would not send her daughter to Trails Carolina. Its beyond cruel: Inside an N.C. wilderness therapy program for teens, Teenager found dead after Lake Wylie search, Police: 16-year-old at center of NC Amber Alert found safe, Product Test: Lighting up your cooler this summer, Small Business Spotlight: Two Chicks Candles offers clean-burning candles, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. Our dedicated staff are with students to witness and provide support during their most difficult moments as well as their biggest accomplishments. There is a loving and supportive family connection among parents as well. Blue Ridge experience was really a turning point in his life. I honestly can say that Blue Ridge has changed my life forever. What does an average day look like at BRTW? I was on the edge of committing suicide I was hurting so much. I couldn't even sit for 45 minutes during class periods because my body has to hit the ground and reset my tendons that became like bones years after programs. Physical Therapy & Sport Medicine. Blue Ridge Cancer Care (BRCC), Oncology and Hematology Associates of Southwest Virginia (OHASV) is a private practice of physicians specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of medical oncology, hematology and radiation oncology. That comprehensive health and wellness (emotional, physical, mental and spiritual) is necessary to thrive. I would never believe it unless I lived through it. This kind of decision is gut-wrenching and you don't need to do it alone. I was drinking, smoking pot, and smoking electronic cigarettes. | Since 2002, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness program has helped young people and. We have seen a transformational change in him. Blue Ridge opened its doors in 2002 and is honored to be one of the most experienced and clinically sophisticated wilderness therapy programs in the country. Each day is different but there is a core set of daily camp activities that mirror basic life management skills in a non-camp environment. The first thing she did, she recalled, was reach for her phone on her nightstand. Our students often face the following challenges: Academic Frustration, Avoidance and Failure, Low Frustration Tolerance and Difficulty Delaying Gratification, ADHD, Developmental Delays and Learning Difficulties, Acute / chronic violence outside the home. Students often enter the wilderness . I have sent two of my sons here. When the primary therapist is not around, students are carefully monitored and supervised by a team of our professional Field Instructors. The skills and strengths I learned and developed in wilderness have helped me grow into the person I am today. As the single owner of the company, Dan can make financial and program decisions that are in the best interest of students without the burden of a Board of Directors. Among the violations were ten citations for improper medication handling and administration. Full Program Member. Blue Ridge is also participant of both NATSAP and OBH. Our Field Instructors participate in months of thorough training before they are qualified to lead a BRTW group. Georgia. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness (BRTW) founded in 2002 as a licensed wilderness therapy program that offers clinically driven wilderness therapy programs encompassing advanced therapeutic skills, a highly flexible nomadic wilderness therapy model, licensed wilderness therapy assessment and multiple treatment options for struggling teens ages . CLAYTON, GA, April 08, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness offers clinically driven wilderness therapy programs encompassing advanced therapeutic skill, a highly flexible wilderness therapy model, licensed wilderness therapy assessment and multiple treatment options for struggling teens ages 13-18 as well as young adults. Reilly said she felt traumatized by her time at Trails Carolina. The realization that my son needed professional help was debilitatingly paralyzing. But the problem was, you know, there are still safety measures in those sorts of environments. It is a remarkable program with extremely experienced clinicians and excellent and caring field and office staff. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. Blue Ridge was established in 2002 by owner and founder Dan McDougal. Each student has a primary therapist who works directly with the student and their family. "Being in the wilderness gave me space and time to think about how I was showing up for relationships in my family.". My daughter spent 78 days at Blue Ridge and if you ask her she will tell you it was the happiest she had ever felt in her life. At the same time, the inclusive structure at BRTW provided us with the support we needed to help our son help himself, and the transition of us going from being at our wits end to understanding how we can contribute constructively has been incredibly valuable. WHO WE HELP . Helping Youth Thrive through Wilderness Therapy, Wilderness Therapy for Young Adults Ages 18-30. The facility advertises itself as a therapeutic wilderness program that aims to improve the lives of children and teenagers. BRTW Focuses on the comfort and holistic healing of each student. We help students and families thrive. The staff at Blue Ridge also assisted us with photos, letters and a welcoming environment during a parent workshop and during a visit to the field to see our daughter during her stay. March 15th, 2023: Parents are increasingly struggling with anxiety and fear about sending their struggling adolescents to treatment. A second later, a man and woman came into her room dressed in a uniform. Experiential learning teaches students self-efficacy, resiliency, and emotional attunement, all of which are primary tools in post-camp success. I am now a sophomore in college perusing my love for dance and musical theatre. Each Field Instructor team consists of fully CPR and First Aid certified staff members, with at least one of them holding a Wilderness First Responder certification to appropriately assess any medical situations in the field. There was training but it was extremely minimal, he said. Phone: (540) 862-2400 He looked at me and said no, you changed your life. That moment will never leave me.. The wilderness 'therapy' that teens say feels like abuse: 'You are on guard at all times' From left: David Peterson, Ian Hawkins, Rowan Bissette and Nathan Mosher. We cant take credit for all of the healing, growth and transformation of the individuals and families in our program we provide the tools, but they put in the hours of self-reflection and practice. Very caring. Whatever your teen's needs or issues, BRWT provides compassionate and professional care. I would personally recommend going to a boarding school. 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