Supporting clients and families in the process of acceptance and charting a path towards healthier communication We often see a form of grief and loss taking place in times of transition to alternative educational settings. Specifically, we regularly speak with parents and students about letting go of the ideal image they wished they had with respect to neurotypical adolescent development and traditional academic … [Read more...]
Treating Self-Harming Behavior in the Wilderness
At this year’s Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Park City Utah, True North therapist Bo Bicknell MSW joined clinicians Emily Thelan (Chrysalis School) and Kendra Meiklejohn (Outback Therapeutic Expeditions) to lead a workshop presentation on treating adolescent girls who exhibit self-harming behaviors in the wilderness. Their audience included visiting consultants, wilderness guides, clinical directors, and other … [Read more...]
Spectrum of Care and Therapeutic Support for Adolescents
True North Wilderness Program is one of many forms of residential treatment that can guide individuals and families on a path to health and wellness. However, our therapeutic milieu and where wilderness falls on the overall spectrum of care is often unfamiliar and at times overwhelming for families to fully understand. Described here are the varying levels of care, from least to most restrictive and supportive. … [Read more...]
A Closer Look at Parent and Family Work
One of the most exciting and sometimes daunting elements of participation at True North is the Parent Program. Whether a family is new to treatment or has had previous experience, this is an opportunity to explore family dynamics and patterns and to engage in a parallel process with students. As families begin their work with parent therapists at True North, there are certain terms that are bound to come up. These … [Read more...]
Alumni Gathering: Boston 2018
When I made the transition from Administrative Assistant to Research and Alumni Coordinator last fall, I was curious what it would be like to spend more time connecting with True North families after graduation. One of the aspects of my work at True North over the past five years that has been the most rewarding is being able to offer support to parents and family members during the intake process and throughout … [Read more...]
Summer Activities in the Mad River Valley
As you arrive here in the Mad River Valley, the most prominent feature you cannot miss is our lush green mountains. We have an abundance of nature’s splendor, wide open vistas and breathtaking views as far as the eye can see. Do not miss the opportunity when visiting in the summer and fall to witness this stunning landscape. From the famous Warren Falls to the secret swimming spots only the locals know, we will let … [Read more...]
Preparing Our Students For Transition
Transitioning out of True North can be one of the most difficult tasks that our students take on during their stay here. Leaving behind friends and mentors, removing themselves from the quiet and serene wilderness, and departing from the structured environment that allows immense growth to occur, creates a stressful and exciting time for our students. We realize how difficult this time can be and have implemented a … [Read more...]
Finding the “Real World” in the Woods: Leaving Behind Social Media and Anxiety
As a student adjusts to life in the woods at True North, the often begin to have discussions about “the real world” and what they do “in real life.” They talk about favorite music, movies, and other media. In particular, they tend to discuss their lives on social media: “What’s your Twitter handle?” “What’s your Insta?” “What’s your Finsta?” (a ‘Fake Instagram,’ typically reserved only for close friends). This is … [Read more...]
“I just want my child to be happy.”
“I just want my child to be happy.” We hear this often from the families that we work with. It is a wish that on the surface, seems heartfelt and harmless. What parent doesn’t want their child to be happy? This is especially true for parents who have children struggling with anxiety, depression, or other personal challenges. For many parents who have been living with the pain of watching their child struggle to … [Read more...]
Preparing for Summer
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, Mud Season is Vermont’s unofficial ‘fifth season’, falling between winter and spring. Sunnier days, melting snow, and April showers cause New England’s rural dirt roads and hiking trails to become soft and mucky. Despite the inevitable muddy boots, the season is as much a sign of spring as green grass, blue skies, and chirping birds. Just as winter is fading away, … [Read more...]
Pack Weight
Pack-weight is an important consideration when hiking long-distances. Typically, aspiring thru-hikers start with heavy packs, and gradually we find ways to reduce our weight along the trail. When I set out on the Appalachian Trail my pack weighed 54 pounds! Little things make a collective difference. Pack weight determines how nimble and how lite we are on our feet, and eventually the most stubborn hikers begin to … [Read more...]
Winter Activities in the Mad River Valley
When you first arrive here in the Mad River Valley, it’s hard to miss that Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski areas hover above us. They offer the most obvious winter activity, but what if you are not here to ski? Luckily our unique local establishments offer everything from fine dining, to shopping, to adventures on Icelandic horses! What, in Vermont? Yes, the nearby Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm offers year-round … [Read more...]
Gearing Up: Winter in Vermont
“Dressed like onions” might sound funny when you think about our students and staff in the cold Vermont winters, but the phrase is actually an important principle in the year round outdoor-active community. The idea is to simply layer up when you are cold and layer down when you are warm to always find the most comfortable temperature for the activity you are doing. Whether it’s sitting around the campfire journaling … [Read more...]
Celebrating the Winter Holidays
Just a few days after the longest night of the year, the holiday season acts as a beacon of light to our True North family. This morning, members of our friendly staff worked together in the kitchen preparing a home cooked meal to celebrate the holidays. As they moved about indoors, the final snowflakes from last night’s storm danced their way to the thick white blanket that covers the rolling Vermont hills … [Read more...]
What to Expect at a Parent Workshop
A core value at True North is the importance of family. In support of our values, we are committed to family inclusion, especially when it comes to working together with the parents and guardians of our students. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback through the years related to the work that parents at True North have invested in, alongside their children, in a parallel process of self-discovery and … [Read more...]
The Impact of Wilderness Therapy on Academic Success
A question we often hear from families and students alike is, “How is fire making, building traps and hiking possibly going to help me in my life?!” As professionals working in the field of wilderness therapy, we have long seen how a few short intensive months in wilderness settings can have a positive impact on a student’s success in academic endeavors. However, understanding what actually goes on in wilderness to … [Read more...]
True North Celebrates Thanksgiving
As sunlight made its way to the floor of the Mad River Valley, and the students were just waking up, True North staff bustled around the kitchen of the Inn at the Windridge Winter Campus making last minute Thanksgiving preparations. Hens were cooked, stuffing was heated, gravy was poured and even handmade whipped cream with a touch of Vermont maple syrup was crafted. In the days leading up to this annual feast, … [Read more...]
What to Expect When You Arrive at True North
Walking in to True North is a bit like walking through a friend’s front door for a cup of coffee. Our office is home-like and staffed with people who know what you are going through. It is not uncommon for students or their families to be anxious when they arrive at True North. After all, nobody really knows what to expect because it’s a new experience for everyone… but not for the staff at True North. We have … [Read more...]
Braving the Wilderness: An Argument for Wilderness Therapy
In her 2017 book Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, writes, “What all wilderness metaphors have in common are the notions of solitude, vulnerability, and emotional, spiritual, or physical quest. Belonging so fully to yourself that you’re willing to stand alone is a wilderness – an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It … [Read more...]
True North Welcomes Dr. Alan Zaur as Medical Director
After many years of collaboration and consultation, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Alan Zaur has officially joined the True North team as Medical Director. As a local psychiatrist with over 40 years of experience, Dr. Zaur has always enjoyed his association with True North students, families, and therapists. In his role as Medical Director, he will consult on medical and psychiatric issues for students, meeting … [Read more...]
Senses Come Alive
Like all of the seasons in New England, Fall is a time for change. When the seasons change so do our behaviors and our senses perk up. These transitions can be a time to reflect on the previous season and get excited for the upcoming season. This is my favorite time of year to be in the woods of Vermont. Vermont is more than 75% forests and many of them are extremely wooded. As the leaves fall from the trees, the … [Read more...]
Neil Binette and Bogie Foden present on Research at Regional Conference
Course Leader Edward “ Bogie" Foden and Parent Therapist Neil Binette presented at the NATSAP NE Regional Conference in Kennebunkport, ME on September 27, 2017. They shared an enthusiastic review of the impact of parent and family therapy work during treatment in wilderness therapy, based on research conducted by Bogie this past year at True North as part of his graduate work at UNH. Students of wilderness therapy … [Read more...]
What to expect when you call an admissions counselor
As parents explore the True North website, they may feel overwhelmed with all of the information and confounded about how to make the best decision for their child. They may worry that calling an admissions counselor might confuse and overwhelm them further, or that they will just get a canned sales pitch. When a parent or student calls an admissions counselor at True North, they can expect to find someone who … [Read more...]
Parent Programming at True North
At True North, we place a strong emphasis on supporting parents at every stage of the program while simultaneously repairing, shifting or strengthening the relationships between parent and child. It is critical that we address the family as an emotional unit that impacts all members of the system. Students frequently report that as a result of their struggles, they have felt like “the problem” in their family, and … [Read more...]
End of Summer YA Journal
End of Summer YA Journal As the summer comes to a close, we begin to enjoy cool autumn nights and beautiful Vermont scenery before we prepare for the winter season. Simultaneously, we begin the process of reflecting on the summer, re-tracing our steps through the forests and lakes that we hiked, canoed, and climbed through all summer long. With this in mind, we look back at some of the expeditions that our Young … [Read more...]
