Parents have an essential role in the treatment process. Each parent can have a direct and powerful impact on their child’s growth. For this reason, we require that at least one parent (or substitute parent) participates in the program. The family component has two main parts: ten Parent Group meetings based in Missoula or family sessions with a therapist in your home community and several days of family activities after the teenagers return from backpacking.
Parent group is a chance for parents and therapists to work together on creating a healthier home environment. If parents feel stuck and frustrated about what they can do to help their family or teenager, this is where they can begin to create solutions. In the group, parents will find support while they explore and enrich their parenting skills.
Family activities will begin after the youth return from the wilderness during the family reunion weekend. They will continue for the two weeks the youth are at the homestead and, for area families, the two weeks after the youth return home. These activities entail recreation, community service, and art projects and will be a chance for parent and teen to interact in new and positive ways.