| Provo Canyon School a residential treatment | | | | girls were able to see the result of being |
| facility owned and operated as a subsidiary | | | | out of sync in a group when you are part of a |
| of Universal Health Services, Inc, one of the | | | | rhythm and how at other times it is okay to |
| nation's leading hospital management | | | | strike out and be different than other |
| organization. Provo Canyon School specializes | | | | players, as in a solo that compliments the |
| in treating teen boys and girls with | | | | harmony. The students came back to the |
| emotional, behavioral and learning | | | | campus feeling rejuvenated by the experience |
| difficulties and have been unresponsive to | | | | and were very grateful for the experience. |
| outpatient counseling or previous inpatient | | | | There are plans to do another retreat for the |
| psychiatric or substance abuse programs. | | | | girls' campus again in the summer of 2007. |
| | | | |
| Dr. Russ Gaede, another one of out dynamic | | | | Dr. Gaede has also been part of trips where |
| therapists has done a great deal of work with | | | | he has taken his team of students up to the |
| youth before coming to Provo Canyon School. | | | | Provo Canyon Yurt for overnight retreats. |
| He received his Bachelor's Degree in | | | | Often, the students will snow shoe in for a |
| psychology at University of Utah and his | | | | mile and a half, gather wood, hike, play in |
| Masters in mental health counseling at the | | | | the snow and then settle for the evening |
| University of Phoenix. Dr. Gaede then went | | | | around a warm fire for a process group and |
| on to complete his Doctorate in clinical | | | | dinner. On the last trip they went on the |
| psychology from Forest Institute for | | | | students found an igloo that someone had |
| psychology in Springfield, MI. He is | | | | made, had therapy in the igloo and then set |
| certified in marriage and family therapy and | | | | goals for themselves to see what they wanted |
| has worked at residential treatment centers | | | | to work on. There were lots of positive |
| before coming and continues to teach at Utah | | | | comments, "it's beautiful out here, I wish I |
| Valley College in the behavioral sciences | | | | could stay longer," another student said, "I |
| department. Over the last four year he has | | | | learned a lot over the last two days, learned |
| taught intro to counseling, abnormal | | | | a lot about my team and my staff." One other |
| psychology, and theory of personality. | | | | student added, "I think what really stuck |
| | | | out was that there was such a thing as sober |
| Dr. Gaede shared several highlights from the | | | | fun." For many of the students in his team |
| past year with us, particularly his trips | | | | it was an awakening to the power of sober fun |
| with his team to various sites off campus. | | | | and gleaning joy and meaning from the |
| | | | elements of nature and connecting with |
| On one of the trips to Heber valley campus | | | | others. |
| last August, Dr Gaede took 10 girls for a | | | | |
| three day and two night retreat. While the | | | | Dr. Gaede also added that throughout the year |
| girls were there they did a service project | | | | him and his team go canoeing with the girls. |
| where they stacked wood for locals, they took | | | | The last trip they went about 2 miles down |
| part in making their own food over an open | | | | river, then had time to play in the water and |
| fire and were able to connect with the other | | | | have fun. It's a great opportunity for the |
| girls in a deeper way with the added benefit | | | | girls because they are learning to do new |
| of the great outdoors. They also took part | | | | things and actually work a canoe with two |
| in an art therapy project where they were | | | | people, because when you are rowing as a team |
| given materials to make their own journal. | | | | you need to figure out how to set a pace, |
| They decorated them with pieces of natural | | | | rhythm and direction together so that you can |
| objects and were then given assignments to | | | | get to where you need to. |
| help them process their reactions and | | | | |
| emotions from the trip. They spent some of | | | | More recent they went hiking up to the big Y |
| this exercise alone and other pieces of it as | | | | on the mountain right by Provo Canyon's Orem |
| a group. When this was finished they had | | | | Campus. "It's a pretty steep hike and it |
| their journals to keep and then formed into a | | | | took a while to get up there and we sat up |
| drum circle. This exercise was especially | | | | there and talked about the view and they also |
| important for them because they were able to | | | | realized that they have to work for it, both |
| learn about the importance of rhythm and | | | | to get on the trip and to climb up the |
| being in sync with those around you. The | | | | mountain. |