Kade's Story

My seventeen-year-old son is currently at a therapeutic boarding school in Utah. He also recently spent time at a therapeutic wilderness camp. As a mother with no prior involvement with either, my experience with both has been exceptional.

Within one year, my son went from an A/B student involved in soccer, track, robotics, church, engaged with family and friends, etc to a D/F student, skipping school, not completing assignments, no longer playing soccer or running track, engaging in risky behaviors, behind the wheel of what should have been a serious car accident, etc. Also in that year, our once close and loving relationship went to one where he refused contact. Given the environment he chose to stay in, a psychologist even identified that if he was not removed, he could suffer irreparable damage.

With the help of our court system (If any reform is needed, it is certainly in our family court systems. Our children suffer greatly here!! This is where we should be spending our time and resources helping to protect our children!!!), my son was returned to my care but nothing traditionally thought of to support a child helped. Our well-known and well-respected therapist was also at a loss which gave me reason to turn to other options. I hired an educational consultant who helped me identify top-rated programs equipped with highly educated and experienced therapists and staff to support my son’s and family’s needs. It was with much research, time and prayerful consideration that I made the decision to send my son to a therapeutic wilderness program. I worked closely with the staff and program. My son and I wrote to each other and spoke with each other weekly. I participated in a three day experience in the wilderness myself gaining a first-hand look at what his life was like. He was there six months and the transformation was incredible (One obvious benefit being the removal of technology and the return to nature! In my opinion, there needs to be an adult version of therapeutic wilderness camp! Just think about the benefits of removing the harmful distractions of technology in the lives and brains of our young people today.) Most importantly, we started rebuilding our relationship.

I then made another informed, well-researched and prayerful decision to build upon his success in wilderness and enroll him in a therapeutic boarding school. My son has currently been in his program for a little over two months. We just finished our first parent week and our relationship is starting to feel “normal” again. My son is attending and engaging in school, his love of learning has returned, he is learning to make and keep healthy relationships, learning key social skills and participating in activities such as skiing, fitness, service projects, etc. We write to each other as often as we would like and have social and therapeutic calls weekly. Turning eighteen soon, my son is now planning for his future.

The decision to send my son to both a therapeutic wilderness and boarding school has made such a difference in our lives. It is because of these experiences that I have my son back and he is on the right track in his life. He is becoming a productive citizen capable of doing good things in society. Because of one worried mother and a team of dedicated therapists and staff, my son is better equipped to deal with life and the anxieties that inevitably come with existing in this world. These experiences has helped my son and my family heal in a way no other existing opportunity could provide. We should be supporting these programs, their amazing team and missions. These opportunities should be available to more young kids. Our American future would be brighter and more promising for generations to come!