Here is the second of two part series of my visit to Redcliff Ascent and their sister programs in January 2013.

Day 3 – Oxbow Academy and Discovery Ranch

From Redcliff we went North East. Next was a long, weaving drive through mountain valleys towards  Oxbow Academy which specializes in working with adolescent boys with sexually-inappropriate behaviors. Their two campuses provide the ability to support kids with unique needs rather than having just one big facility. It’s a deeply clinical program with the feel of a safe home-away-from-home. Erin Nester, Admission Director, drove me between the programs so we could talk clinical details about the program. Basically, these folks know what they’re doing and clearly help families that feel hopeless.

After meeting with some extraordinary young men from around the world with the backdrop of snow-crusted mountains behind them, Steve and I slid out the icy driveway and continued our trek North towards Mapleton, UT where, on the sprawling campus of Discovery Ranch, I presented to all the Redcliff sister programs on working with affluent individuals and families. From the moment I went through the front gate to the final good-byes with staff – I felt I had experienced a truly thoroughly-designed and supported residential program. Every detail had been thought of to fully engage adolescents in realigning themselves.

Day 4 – Discovery Academy

I was not prepared for the detail the owners took to preserve the church they refurbished into a cutting-edge therapeutic boarding school. The staff at Discovery Academy maintain important history for the surrounding town while providing cutting-edge therapeutic academic support. The academic professionals, the clinicians, the administrators – all of them, they all show a level of personal commitment to the kids and program at large. The kids that go here are clearly good kids that need a bit of structure, a bit of nurturing, and a whole lot of encouragement to transcend unhealthy patterns.

Summary

I can not recommend any dining options anywhere near Redcliff programs for those of you that appreciate a good meal. Options between some of the programs often pitted us between awkward Chinese food restaurants and the snack aisle in the strangely empty WalMart. And please, do not ask for Starbucks or good coffee. If you can’t bring your own, start adapting to Earl Grey for your morning fix since you’ll either be drinking the brown hotel swill or hot black tar at one of the prolific truck stops. But let’s be real, you’re not looking at a Redcliff program because of the food or drink choices. You’re here because you’ve got a child or adolescent that’s been acting out and needs help. If you’re considering a Redcliff program, you’ll do a bit of traveling … but the investment of time, money and energy will be well worth it. Redcliff and all their programs are full of passionate, thoughtful staff with a full array of behavioral and academic services for teens and their families. They are not perfect and struggle with similar issues effecting other programs. The big difference is their curiosity and sincere interest in being a truly learning organization.

Here is the full list of Redcliff programs: Redcliff Ascent, Discovery Ranch, Discovery Academy, Medicine Wheel, Oxbow Academy, Discovery Connections