SUWS Adolescent and Youth Wilderness Program Announces New Family Camp

Five-day, mid-treatment family camp sends parents on a wilderness journey with their troubled teens.

Shoshone, ID (PRWEB) April 15, 2008 -- SUWS wilderness program for adolescents and youth ages 11 to 17 is rolling out a new five-day family camp for parents. Based on invitations from SUWS therapists, parents from across the country travel to Shoshone, Idaho, to get a taste of life in the wilderness.

"In the wilderness, teens learn dozens of new skills to improve their relationships," says Kathy Rex, Executive Director of SUWS Adolescent and Youth Programs. "But these skills have to translate into real life. At SUWS, we test the waters at family camp. During those five days, our campers are challenged and tested to make sure they understand how to apply these new skills to real-life family conflicts, all under the supervision of a trained therapist."

With nearly 30 years of experience working with families, we have learned what to do and what not to do

The goals of family camp are to help parents identify positive and negative family dynamics, use new skills to interact with their child, and see that their child is capable of great success when given the right tools. For some families, it is also an affirmation that longer term treatment is warranted for their child.

"By reuniting families halfway through the wilderness program, as opposed to solely at the beginning or end of camp, the child has time to gain a solid footing in treatment and identify his desire for change before reintroducing the family dynamic. Once the teen is completely engaged in the therapeutic process, parents can experience firsthand how the wilderness has changed their child."

So that parents are on the same page as their child, family camp begins with a workshop designed for parents only. Highly trained SUWS counselors direct therapy sessions and educational seminars that introduce parents to the therapeutic tools and approaches used by wilderness instructors in the field. "At the same time teens are growing and learning new skills, parents are embracing new ways to interact with their child so that the entire family dynamic improves," Rex explains.

During the next three days of family camp, parents set off on a wilderness expedition with their teen. Complete with camping, mild hiking, campfire cooking, and basic wilderness skills, parents experience firsthand what wilderness therapy is all about. Through a series of initiatives and exercises, students and parents find positive ways to communicate, relate to one another, and heal old wounds. In an intimate desert setting, families reconnect and set positive goals for a stronger, more satisfying relationship.

"The wilderness portion of family camp helps everyone experience the power of wilderness together, and to start fresh in a new, unfamiliar environment," states Rex. "Once the entire family is on the same plane, they begin to learn new skills and actually enjoy each other's company. For the first time, parents see that their child is capable of immense growth and change. They leave with their hope buckets filled to the brim with all of these new experiences."

On day five, parents spend the morning reflecting on the experience, preparing for their trip home, and firming up long-term plans for their child.

SUWS wilderness programs have always made family involvement a top priority. Through weekly phone calls, online parenting courses and photo galleries, family therapy sessions, weekly progress reports, alumni support, and aftercare recommendations, parents are included in every aspect of their child's wilderness experience. In addition to the new family camp, SUWS will continue to offer its overnight family workshop at graduation to keep putting new skills to the test.

"With nearly 30 years of experience working with families, we have learned what to do and what not to do," says Rex. "Based on our observations, SUWS staff has gone to great efforts to wrap its arms around the entire family, not just the child."

After conducting a pilot program with three groups last summer, parents have raved about family camp, reporting that the experience was incredibly powerful for their families. One parent said, "It was a wonderful experience and so meaningful to see all the kids so supportive of one another and so clear and grounded. It gave us a glimpse of why this program is so impactful. It was very helpful to be reunited with our son and have time with him with SUWS staff around." In the words of another parent, "For me, the entire experience, and people especially, was what I will always perceive as divine intervention. Thank You!"

SUWS offers therapeutic wilderness programs for boys and girls ages 11 to 17 with a focus on clinical intervention and assessment. Based in southern Idaho, the programs use the outdoors as an alternative to conventional treatment environments, while engaging students using traditional therapeutic methods. Since 1981, SUWS programs have provided guidance and support to thousands of misdirected and at-risk teens experiencing low self-esteem, defiant behavior, attention deficit, depression, substance abuse, and other behavioral issues.

SUWS is a proud member of Aspen Education Group, the nation's largest and most comprehensive network of therapeutic schools and programs. Aspen Education Group offers professionals and families the opportunity to choose from a variety of therapeutic settings in order to best meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen Education Group has been profiled by major news and television organizations around the world, including U.S. News and World Report, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and People magazine, as well as on CNN, ABC's 20/20 and Good Morning America, NBC's The Today Show and Dateline NBC, National Public Radio, and the syndicated television show Dr. Phil. Aspen is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For more information about Aspen Education Group, visit www.aspeneducation.com or call (888) 972-7736. For more information about SUWS and the benefits of wilderness therapy, please call (888) 879-7897 or visit www.suws.com.

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