Recently we took eight of our amazing students on a trip to the Grand Canyon to visit the beautiful waterfalls at Havasupai. The overwhelming beauty of nature and the challenge of physical exertion we experienced provided us all with profound moments of serenity, gratitude, and empowerment. Included below are a few videos of the students describing their experience while on this trip.

Watch Sarah discuss her experience at Mooney Falls.

Listen to Jade describe how she feels after overcoming the challenge of hiking out of the Grand Canyon.

Lastly, here is Laura telling us how tired and accomplished she feels after her hike out!

Please forgive the poor camera work, however i hope these videos capture the enjoyment we experienced while at the Grand Canyon. The students were able to learn how to have healthy fun, how to overcome challenges, and how peaceful nature can help us feel.

- Corey Hickman CTRS, MS

-  written by Jacob Grimm, BS, Science Teacher

“Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment,

I know this is a wonderful moment”

-Peace Is Every Step (Thich Nhat Hanh)

The principle of mindfulness is one that we teach and encourage the girls at Sunrise to use in their daily lives.  It is actually one of the guiding principles used in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).  Each girl  at Sunrise attends two DBT groups a week.  Mindfulness has to do with the quality of living that one brings to everyday life.  It has to do with being able to control one’s mind instead of our minds controlling us.

There are three specific parts to mindfulness practice.  These parts are observing, describing, and participating.  It is more than just relaxing or deep breathing. When we observe we simply notice what is there, when we describe we put words to what we observe and when we participate we find the moment and are fully in it. It is about learning how to see what “is” without taking a judgmental stance.  There is much importance around taking a non-judgmental stance.  We all are conditioned to place judgment on our observations and thoughts.  When we remember to take a non judgmental stance we give ourselves an opportunity to be kinder and gentler to ourselves.  When we are gentler to ourselves we are more open to allowing genuine healing to take place.

Practicing mindfulness is something that anyone can learn to do and anyone can choose to do in any moment.  Mindfulness helps us sit in the moment and fully appreciate what the moment may have to offer.  The reality is, “this moment” is all that we have.  When we feel that our emotions are taking over, mindfulness is needed in order to find balance again.

I encourage you to discuss mindfulness with your daughter and have her explain and share the different experiences she may have had with this fundamental skill.

- written by Michele Peterson, LCSW, Intensively Trained DBT Therapist

With up to 84% of all US teens using the internet to communicate, it’s the social applications of the internet that youth tend to access the most and that represents both the greatest opportunities for good and for harm. Since teens are the largest users of the internet, it’s easy for parents and educators to feel a few steps behind as we attempt to manage the internet hazards for the young people in our care. Following are a few of the hazards the internet poses along with some tips to help adults guide young people toward positive internet use.

INTERNET HAZARDS

Internet Use and Loneliness

Ironically, adolescents who use the internet to seek primary support during times of difficulty tend to experience more loneliness than other teens in crisis. Adolescents who spend a large amount of time maintaining relationships online are also more likely to have unrealistic perceptions about those relationships, which can lead to disillusionment, misunderstanding, and misperceptions about relationships in general. As a result, research is finding that adolescents who rely primarily on the internet to build and maintain relationships experience a decrease in overall psychological well-being. Adolescents who feel lonely and attempt to seek support online may exacerbate their loneliness.

Teens who access the Internet primarily for information, however, have less of a tendency to experience the negative drawbacks of the Internet. So the specific applications that teens utilize have a significant bearing on whether the internet is a positive or negative resource.

Predators

It is terrifying to think of your teen giving free access to your home to anyone who wants it. Unfortunately, this is exactly what many young people do every day by not filtering their online contacts and by providing personal information online. Lonely young people who do not tightly manage their social networks (e.g. Facebook account) can end up victims of cyber predators who use the internet to extract personal or family information, or to lure young people into dangerous face to face meetings.

Drugs/Alcohol and Internet Use

It doesn’t take much surfing to realize that no topic and no type of information is off limits online. Adolescents are increasingly using the internet to exchange information regarding drugs and alcohol. It has been reported that 10% of all exchanges between adolescents involves advice on how to take illicit drugs without getting caught. In addition, there are websites, blogs, and social networking pages dedicated to promoting teen use of illegal substances.

Future Opportunities

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens online can haunt a young person for years. In recent years, students have had their college acceptances retracted and jobs denied as a result of online postings that may have been from months or years prior. Young people have also been expelled from school and subjected to legal or criminal investigations due to what they considered casual or flippant communications online. The internet is a public place, so adolescents must be coached to publish information responsibly. Once comments, photos and information are online they can be impossible to retract.

Sources:

• Eijnden R. (2008) Online Communication, Compulsive Internet Use, and Psycholgical Well Being Among Adolescents: A Longitudinal StudyDevelopmental Psychology Vol. 44, No. 3, 655-665
• Subrahmanyman & Lin (2007) Adolscent On the Net: Internet Use and Well-Being Adolescence Vol. 42, No. 168
• Fritz, G. (2007) Teen drug use and the Internet: A parent’s Guide The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter August, 2007
• Sanders, C. (2000) The Relationship Of Internet Use To Depression and Social Isolation Among Adolescents Adolescence Vol.35, No. 138
• Dehue & Bolman (2008) Cyberbulling: Youngsters’ Experience and Parental Perception CyberPsychology & Behavior Vol. 11, Num 2

I hope you enjoy the post.

- written by Jack Hinman, Psy.D. – Clinical Director

I was so impressed by the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired designs creating natural light, and an overall Zen feel around the Menninger’s property.  They have successfully created a beautiful and peaceful space to do beautiful work, even when it is not pretty!  I found it interesting how a building design and décor alone can communicate such a tone of warmth, tranquility, and visibility.  The windows alone provided a literal transparency that might aid one to figuratively find light and clarity within themselves.  The 50 million dollar facility did not miss a detail with the monogrammed linens, the moving of tons (literally) of dirt to create a hilly and flower bordered landscape,  a salt water swimming pool,  an interfaith chapel adaptable to accommodate Judaism to Buddhist practices, a fitness center, extensive kitchen facilities, and calming sage green tones throughout.

Sunrise is not a 50 million dollar facility; in fact it presents in a simple, humble, homey way.  However, I believe our in- town location and interactions within the community speaks volumes.  We are located smack dab in the middle of Hurricane, Utah.  This enables us to be involved with a variety of local volunteer opportunities and recreational activities that sends a message that we do not need to hide while receiving treatment.  Our in-town location has multi- faceted purposes, but most simply it communicates that you do not need to be in hiding while receiving treatment; you are okay, encouraged, and supported inside and outside of the building.  A similar idea has been carried into the essays our girls write during the college admittance process.  Our students are proud to write about the hurdles they have overcome, the strides they have made and ultimately share the vision of the brighter future they are pursuing .  Not all that different than the way Patrick Kennedy candidly spoke during the Menninger’s open house of his mental health battles over the years.  He was inspiring to the point of stating that now is the time to put an end to the stigma around mental health as our service men and women are returning home and have limited access/ funding to seek needed psychiatric treatment.

There is a palpable warmth in the buildings of both Sunrise and Menninger’s and I think it originates from a variety of factors including devoted, caring employees down to the way the structure itself is presented.  To help unlock mind sets around mental health and treatment I think we all have the ability and responsibility  to present our experiences with mental and emotional health with this same flavor of acknowledgement, tenderness,  peace, and hope void of embarrassment, guilt, shame, or sadness. Often times when the focus is so heavy on determining fault this can limit the attention and energy spent on healing.

- written by Emily Phillips, Admissions Director

- written by David Prior, LMFT, Executive Director

“History is a kind of introduction to more interesting people than we can possibly meet in our restricted lives; let us not neglect the opportunity.” -Dexter Perkins

 I have always believed that the most fascinating aspect of history is studying the lives of those who have affected it or been affected by it in some way. It is fun to analyze their lives and find the similarities with ourselves or to find the catalyst for their passion.

 A student of mine has recently been studying Winston Churchill. She was excited to discover that he had his appendix removed, just like her! I told her about how he also suffered from depression like so many of the students at our facility. He referred to it as his “black dog.” Despite this adversity, Churchill held onto a hope that inspired a whole nation during their darkest times. Churchill sets a great example in not allowing our weaknesses to define us.

-Written by Liz Hess, Social Studies Instructor

Gerald writes about how letting go of fear and guilt and holding onto love is what will free us and help each of us find inner peace.  He gives 9 themes to live by in order to help us with personal transformation:

1. Peace of mind is our single goal.

2. Forgiveness is our single function, and the way to achieve our goal of peace of mind.

3. Through forgiveness, we can learn not to judge others and to see everyone, including ourselves, as guiltless.

4. We can let go of fear when we stop judging and stop projecting the past into the future, and live only in the now.

5. We can learn to accept direction from our inner, intuitive voice, which is our guide to knowing.

6. After our inner voice gives us direction, it will also provide the means for accomplishing whatever is necessary.

7. In following one’s inner guidance, it is frequently necessary to make a commitment to a specific goal even when the means for achieving it are not immediately apparent.  This is a reversal of the customary logic of the world, and can be thought of as “putting the cart before the horse.”

8. We do have a choice in determining what we percieve and the feelings we experience.

9. Through retraining of the mind we can learn to use positive active imagination. Positive active imagination enables us to develop positive, loving motion pictures in our minds.

After discussing preparation for personal transformation and inner peace the author gives some lessons for obtaining them. He discusses taking one lesson a day and focusing on it.  The lesson topics include; All that I Give I Give to Myself, suggesting that when we give love we grow more loving. Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness is another lesson, and seems fairly self explanatory, it does not suggest that it is easy only that it is worth it. I Am Determined to See Things Differently, Today I will Judge Nothing that Occurs, This Instant is the Only Time There Is, The Past is Over, and I am Responsible for What I See are also lessons for study and reflection.

If you are lucky enough to be attending family weekend with us this week you will likely be able to discuss these topics and go into more detail with them. I look forward to applying these topics and ideas into my own life as well as helping others do the same to have inner peace and joy in their lives.

- written by Marilla Leishman, CSW, Therapist

As a career educator, I have learned that we do not get to pick our students. We have to teach those we are assigned and we have to address the needs of the whole student. Our girls are unique in their learning styles, their experiences and motivations, their prior knowledge and their needs. Addressing the needs of all the students in the class can be difficult but it is also rewarding and exciting. Here at Sunrise Academy we have the advantage of combining basic living needs with therapeutic needs and educational needs. This helps us as teachers because we can concentrate on creating the best educational plan for each girl while supporting the other needs of each girl.

A big part of the individual education plan is really not individual. We stress the interdependence of learning here at Sunrise. Learning can not take place in a vacuum; it depends on others to help the process. Knowing this we do much of our work in small groups and ask each student to participate in peer tutoring. This increases the knowledge of all parties involved.

Recognizing that each girl is an individual and getting to know them as such is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

- written by Kathrine Whittekiend, M.Ed., Educational Director/Principal

Throughout my life, there have been many times that I have struggled to set appropriate boundaries with myself and with those around me. I found that the hardest people to set boundaries with were those who I felt were closest to me. What I soon began to realize as I was able to set boundaries for myself was that I was giving myself the respect that I deserved. I know that setting boundaries can be a very difficult thing to do for many people, even if it only requires one to say “no” about a very small deal, but in doing so it allows others to know where you stand and what will be tolerated.

I just recently had an experience where I was helping out a classmate with a paper. I was trying to stay professional but this classmate was taking it more to a personal level. This classmate began to harass me in person and also through text messages. I simply ignored his messages. The next day I went to class and he tried to speak to me, I ignored him once again as I did not want to make a scene in front of the class.  Class soon started and he began calling my name again. I turned to him and told him I do not have anything to say to him, and he does not have anything to say to me and to please not talk to me or text me.  I told him this is my boundary and he needs to respect that. He immediately got quite and had nothing to say.  I turned back around in my seat to see many eyes on me, including my teacher.  The courage that I had to do this in front of my whole class was tremendous.  I have not had any problems since I made him aware of my boundaries. In speaking with other classmates, there have been multiple occasions where he had been harassing others and I set an example to those around me that it is okay to stand up to someone who is crossing your boundaries.

Setting boundaries can be a very difficult thing to do; however, the courage and power that comes from setting a boundary only allows one to trust them even more.  Many of the students we have at Sunrise come to treatment not knowing what their boundaries are, or may not know how to set those limits and hold to them based on their past experiences.  I’m confident that through therapy with our clinically savvy team our girls will have the courage to step up and protect their own personal boundaries, whether that be with small things or the more difficult situations.

-written by Tracie Connors, Residential Assistant Shift Supervisor

1. The Hare is a Bully
Bullying needs to be a thing of the past.  If the hare were here today, he’d probably go on your Facebook page and get all of his friends to help him ridicule you.  Good thing we can learn to have a shell that can protect us from those things.  We have done some assemblies on the effects that bullying can have.   Don’t take after the hare.  Bullying is mean.

2. The Hare is Cocky
There is a difference between being cocky and being confident.  The latter of the two is what we try to teach our students to have.  We don’t want to be conceited because truly, no one is any better than anybody else.  Arrogance or conceitedness has more of a negative connotation to it.  Confidence, or even more importantly in our line of work, self-confidence is defined as “belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities” by dictionary.com.  If one lacks self confidence, all of the Hare’s of the world would kick us down and keep us there.  The bullying over-confident rabbit would rule the world, we can’t let that happen!

3. Some Distractions Can Hurt Us
There are many different versions of this story, but if the Hare hadn’t gotten distracted by taking a nap, or chatting with other creatures along his race path, he most likely would have won.  That would have been the more realistic version of this story.  The faster one should win, right?  Well, we all know we get distracted.  There are good distractions and bad distractions, it is up to us to determine which things we allow to distract us.  We need to be conscious of the distractions that will have a positive effect, or distractions that will have a negative effect.  If the Hare had merely been distracted by an untied shoelace, he would have tied it, his shoe wouldn’t have fallen off, and he would have gotten right back into winning the race he was so overconfident about.  Unfortunately for the Hare, that wasn’t his distraction.  The Tortoise was able to stay focused on his task at hand.  He was determined to do the best job that he could.

4. We Have Choices
The Tortoise could have walked away from the Hare.  The Hare could have chosen to not be distracted.  The Tortoise could have given up.  Choices are such a big part of our lives, obviously.  Sometimes we won’t know for a long time if the choices that we have made are the right ones.  I can only imagine how hard it is to make the choice to bring your daughters to us and trust us that we can help them in their lives to make better choices for themselves.  We will never be able to take away the fact that these young women are their own person and will make their own choices no matter how much they know.  Our hope is that we can give them the skills to make the right choices.  That they will be able to live a life worth living.  We care deeply for the girls that are brought to us and hope to help them as much as we can.

Overall, we can take what we want from the Tortoise and the Hare.  A lot of the times we won’t be able to even finish unless we have the support along the way.  It always helps to have our own cheerleaders to get us to the finish line.  We hope that we can help champion our girls and our parents to a happier and healthier life.

- written by Krista Nugent, MBA, Math Teacher

One of Sunrise’s values is Spirituality. Sunrise believes each human life is sacred. We believe our student’s spirituality – or sense of connectedness to something divine – is not only her essence of moral decision making, but can also give her genuine purpose in life.

It is important to support and nurture a child’s spirituality. This doesn’t mean it will be easy, especially if your daughter wants to explore different spiritual views than your own. Research has shown that parents are the most influential when it comes to their child’s spiritual development or lack thereof. When parents don’t support spiritual growth in their daughter then it may die off.  If this happens girls are at greater risk of substituting sexuality for spirituality. All too often, the spiritual and sexual are closely linked, especially in teenagers. At this age, girls are looking for deeper meaning in their lives in a romantic or sexual relationship. As this happens, girls are often disappointed as these types of relationships don’t fulfill the role that only spirituality can bring.

At Sunrise we try to foster each girls spirituality and help them define for themselves what this means in their life. Our girls have the opportunity to participate in yoga twice weekly to help get them connected to their inner self. Our girls also have the opportunity to attend church and bible study weekly to encourage a relationship with a God.

- Written by: Kim Smith, APC, Therapist/Residential Manager

- written by Corey Hickman, CTRS, Residential Director

Cutting or self-harming is nonfatal, intentional
self-injurious behavior resulting in actual tissue damage, illness, or risk of
death. Typically, the teen intention is not to die; however, teens that engage
in self-harming behaviors are at a higher risk of suicide.

These acts of self-mutilation are not a typical adolescent trend.

Acts of Self-harming

n Cutting with a knife or razor blade

n Scraping the skin with abrasive material, glass, or metal can

n Burning the skin with a lighter or cigarette

n Chemical burns

n Breaking bones

A 2006 research study indicated that at least of 46% of teens reported engaging in self-injurious behavior.  Unfortunately, cutting has been popularized by famous actors and by the current music scene. Princess Diana, Angelina Jolie, and Johnny Depp have revealed a history of self-harming. Your teen may even seek validation and encouragement of her self-harming from blogging on popular websites devoted to self-mutilation.

Why does my teen self-harm?

For a person who has had no experience with intentional self-harm it is confusing. Most of us avoid pain and seek pleasure. Self-harming typically acts as a form of emotional avoidance and escape from unwanted unpleasant emotions. It is often an attempt to drown out the emotional pain. Many teens report relaxation and numbness after self-harming.  Self-harming can also serve as a tool to express strong negative emotions towards others, or to attempt to elicit help from others.

Warning Signs:

n Wearing long sleeves or long pants or turtle necks when it is warm outside

n Leaving razor blades in bathroom or bedroom

n Attempting to hide scars, or other evidence of self-harm

n Displaying intense emotional expression

n Having difficulty expressing emotions appropriately

n Self-directed anger

If your teen is cutting it is most likely a red flag that there is something upsetting your child.

o Depression

o Anxiety

o Thoughts of suicide

o Experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse

o Substance Abuse

o Engagement in eating disorder behaviors

o Significant personality and relationships problems

Known Effective Treatments for Self Harm:

n Cognitive Behavioral Therapies

n Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

n Pharmacotherapy

- written by Dr. Jack Hinman, Psy.D., Clinical Director

Patience….. Is there anything more valuable to us when trying to connect to young people than to have the patience and understanding to see things from their point of view? Like getting to know a new puppy, a new student in school can feel disoriented and lost. This new place is not only scary for the young adult but also very lonely. When these feeling start to come out in behaviors of young adults their actions can seem very unusual for us. “Why would anyone act out in such a way”, can be a common question to the educators and staff alike at Sunrise Academy. It is only when we take the time to try and see things from their point of view that we really start to understand what could possible make a young adult act in ways they do. When we start to understand the underlying problems that have led up to their behavior, it allows us to ultimately have more patience with the student and their problem. Just like the scared little puppy that was lonely and needed attention and love to help him adjust to the situation, so too can a young adult need the patience and understanding of the Staff, Educator or Parent to help them adjust to a new situation.

- written by Jacob Grimm, Science Teacher

Before coming to work at Sunrise I worked at another facility whose main focus was addictions and recovery from substance abuse. Realizing that addictions can go across many different facets of a person’s life, including sexual and relationships, I used to do a weekly workshop on sexual/relationship addictions and based it on Patrick Carnes book “Out of the Shadows”. Patrick Carnes, PhD, is an expert in the field of sexual addiction in the United States.

Can you think of a drug that is  anonymous, accessible all over the world, affordable- usually free, customized to each individual and involves natural highs?  Some people say exercise, some say yoga and yet others find the answer I am searching for; sex/love/pornography.  These addictions are so addicting because of the reasons mentioned above. We have recently started a group at Sunrise that focuses on intimate issues such as these.

The brain naturally produces chemicals such as dopamine, adrenaline, endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin and nor-epinephrine, simply when fantasizing about relationships, sex, pornography. These particular chemicals are healthy and natural for people to experience, but they can also be addicting and a way to escape from less desirable feelings or thoughts.  The addiction process begins with a preoccupation, moves to ritualizations, then becomes compulsive and lastly leads to despair because one loses control over their behaviors/thoughts.

Giving the girls this information will help them become aware of what can happen when they let natural/beautiful behaviors get out of control. Women typically engage in behaviors that distort power or to gain control and attention and have core beliefs such as; 1. I am basically a bad, unworthy person. 2. Noone would love me as I am. 3. My needs are never going to be met by others. 4. Sex is the most important need or sex is the most important sign of love.  These core beliefs feed into the addictions and perpetuate the cycle if left unchecked. As similar to chemical or other addictions these behaviors serve as a way to self-medicate, to cope and to meet unmet emotional needs.

After getting an understanding of the affects of their behaviors we will work with the group members to help them understand how they can cope with their lives in more healthy ways. Finding positive outlets to get their needs met, such as; reading, exercising, journaling, group therapy, positive/supportive friendships, talking to counselors/sponsors, attending 12 step meetings specifically for women and practicing healthy sexuality rather than complete abstinence, will help the girls create healthy balanced lifestyles.

One of the goals for the group is to help the girls understand that relationships are stronger and longer lasting when they are built on friendship, common interests, and strengths rather than sex. One way that Carnes lists for people to determine if these may be issues for them goes with the acronym S.A.F.E. If the sexual behaviors are Secret, and not that we want them pubic, but if they cannot pass public scrutiny, they will likely create shame and send the individual back into the addiction cycle.  If the behaviors are Abusive to oneself or others, they will trigger the addictive system. If the behaviors are used to avoid Feelings and if the behaviors are Empty of a caring committed relationship. It is fundamental to have a healthy dimension of human relationships. Human beings, especially those with addictions, run a great risk by being sexual outside of a caring committed relationship.

Up to this point I have enjoyed being a part of this intimate group, helping the girls understand healthy sexuality and helping them see that they are important and special for more than just their bodies. It is my hope that we will provide these girls with the motivation, strength and ability to avoid these addictions and to handle them if they are already happening.

- written by Marilla Leishman, CSW, Therapist

Dr. Meeker reports different studies discussing the long lasting effects of fathers on their daughters. Initially, research focused more on the mother-child relationship. More and more research is coming out discussing the role of fathers. Dads got of the hook for sometime; however, we are seeing more and more of the long lasting effects fathers have on their daughters. Here are a few points from some of the studies that Dr. Meeker references.

 Toddlers securely attached to fathers are better at solving problems.
 Six-month old babies score higher on tests of mental development if their dads are involved in their lives.
 With dads present in the home, kids manage school stress better.
 Girls whose fathers provide warmth and control achieve higher academic success.
 Girls who are close to their fathers exhibit less anxiety and withdrawn behaviors.
 Girls with fathers that provide a high level of attention are more assertive.
 Daughters who perceive that their fathers care a lot about them, and who feel connected to their fathers, have significantly fewer suicide attempts and fewer instances of body dissatisfaction, depression, low self-esteem, substance use, and unhealthy weight.
 A girl’s self-esteem has been correlated to her father physical affection.
 Girls with fathers who are involved in their lives have higher quantitative and verbal skills.
 Girls with good fathers are less likely to flaunt themselves to seek male attention.
 76 percent of teen girls said that their fathers influenced their decisions on whether they should become sexually active.

We always need to remember that research reveals patterns and not necessary the gospel truth. The important thing to remember is that we can help insulate our developing daughters from the unhealthy influences of our culture. I can give you a laundry list of fathers that have highly engaging and positive relationships with their daughters and still experience significant struggles. However, we do have a large impact on our daughters. Our daughters take cues from us regarding boys, drugs, having sex, friends, school, and self-esteem.

Our relationships with our daughters even have a positive impact on us dads. Research has demonstrated that parenting may increase a man’s emotional growth and increase feelings of value and significance.

- Blog written by Dr. Jack Hinman, PsyD., Clinical Director

Growing up my family had the tradition of a red plate. A person would receive a red plate to eat from at the dinner table when they had accomplished something significant. Along with the red plate, at the start of the meal the whole family would lead a cheer of “hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray for Liz!” SOOOO cheesy, I know. But it still made me feel really good whether I was four or sixteen. It also made me feel appreciation from my parents and siblings and when I was cheering for them it allowed me to step out of my egocentric thinking for a moment and congratulate someone else on their achievements. Another tradition is one I shared with a roommate in college. Once a month we would go to Wendy’s and get french fries and Frosties then go to a car wash drive-thru and eat our Wendy’s and rock out to a favorite mix cd while driving through the car wash. Again, it was goofy but it was a good opportunity for us to catch up during a very busy time in our lives.

At Sunrise Academy, we’ve developed a few traditions of our own to commemorate big events in the lives of our students. Most of these occur at the time of graduation when they have worked incredibly hard for seven months to a year and half to make major changes in their lives. One great tradition is when a few staff and therapists kidnap the student early in the morning and take her to watch the sunrise and enjoy breakfast. This is a great chance for staff and student to reflect on her journey. Another favorite is when they get to choose their final activity for our PE class leaving teachers with a fun lasting impression of them (What?! You want to run TWENTY wind-sprints!). All of these activities allow our graduating student to feel appreciated by parents, peers, teachers, staff and therapists and it also provides the other students with a chance to congratulate someone else on their achievements.

Some other traditions occur throughout our students’ time here. One popular one is the summer camping trip where we take all the girls camping with their house for several days. Another tradition is weekly barbecues on Sundays. Watching American Idol or The Voice together during the evenings is another favorite. Students also participate in a soccer game every Thursday in P.E. This year we had our 3^rd annual Polar Plunge where students jumped into our freezing cold pool on a winter afternoon. All of these activities help us grow closer to one another by creating long-lasting memories and regular opportunities for communication and bonding.

However not all traditions are good. For example, growing up I also had the tradition of having a huge fight with my younger brother every Sunday afternoon, often provoked and cheered on by my older brothers and sisters. This did the opposite of keeping us together, it pushed us apart.

I hope we can all participate in traditions that will help us grow closer to those we care about. What traditions do you have in your families that keep you together?

- written by Elizabeth Hess, Social Studies and History Teacher

Dealing with teenagers is not always easy to have that daily communication.  Lets face it, we live in two different worlds.   Trying to get them to open up can sometimes feel like ripping a tin can open with your teeth!  Try to keep it Simple and have family dinners together and open the conversation with curious questions.  Consistency is the key here. Soon enough you and your teen will be looking forward to having dinner together!

- written by Debi Swaner, Assistant Shift Supervisor

To think it has been 2 years since graduating is just crazy, time definitely flew by, and while I hope all of you do fabulous while you are home, I would like to share some of my life and reality since being home. That I think could help coming from someone who has been in your exact position. Someone who knows what struggles you have been through. Someone that has had to stay away from home for months just like you.

“While I was at Sunrise I worked on issues like school, self-harm, anxiety, depression and, anorexia. Just like you I did not want to be at Sunrise, I cried for a good 2 weeks, you can ask any of the staff they will tell you! But after I got over that and accepted the fact that I was staying there I decided to dive into my treatment, I wasn’t going to waste 7 months of my life doing nothing. If I had to be there I was going to change, and do the things in order to help myself. I did very well while I was at Sunrise, I did everything I needed to and went above,  for once I didn’t lie my way through a program truly I wanted to change. I realized my choices, and made a life worth living for myself there.

Life is hard, the world is a scary place, leaving may seem scary, or it may seem so amazing. Either way you have to look at it in a careful way. Don’t be so afraid it sets you back, and don’t be so excited you think you won’t have to work as hard. Because I promise you will have to work even harder. Take things slow, day by day, be honest, and never let your fears get in the way of your dreams, and the future you see for yourself, because you are all beautiful inside and out and can do anything you set your mind to. And I believe in you, so when you don’t believe in yourself know that someone out there does. Sometimes all you need is a little reassurance, and love.”

-blog written by Brad Simpson, LCSW, Therapist and Aftercare Specialist

It is very interesting to me to see the amount of enjoyment the students get from looking back on the tense situations they have encountered while here at Sunrise. It seems to the students, in the moment, that they have no choice but to behave in a negative manner or exhibit a negative behavior. Sometimes even days after the triggering event has occurred, the student can still react negatively. It is only after their stay at Sunrise, I believe, that they master the skills to laugh at their past behaviors. On this particular occasion, on this Monday morning, I had a book filled with past experiences that had caused this particular student to make some very bad choices, and in turn have some very bad outcomes.  However, when I read the book to her on her graduation date and I was surprised to see how her attitude had changed. The behaviors were laughed at and recognition of just how far she had come in her therapy was acknowledged. The student was pleased that she no longer acts the way that she did in the previous months, and she made this conclusion in a humorous environment in front of all of her peers. I am very proud of the progress this student has made. It is only through the dedication of her therapists, staff and fellow students that this occasion has occurred. I am happy that I was a part of this student’s progress and I hope that I can be a part of many more like it.  To conclude, I would also like to congratulate this student on her hard work and achievement through our program.

- written by Jacob Grimm, Science and PE Teacher

According to the book “Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents” by Alec Miller, Marsha Linehan, and Jill Rathus, validation communicates to another person that their feelings, thoughts, and actions make sense.  A common misunderstanding of validation is that one might think that if we validate someone then we must agree with them.  If we get stuck in this misunderstanding then it makes sense that we may want to withhold the validation.  Quite the contrary, when we validate someone it does not necessarily mean that we like or agree with what is being said or done. When we validate others, there is an increased ability to carry on a conversation even if we do not agree with the other person.

Validating someone can be as simple as making eye contact or “staying awake” with another person.  Other ways to validate include:

1. Being mindful of nonverbal and verbal reactions
2. Look for a word that describes the feeling being communicated
3. Reflect what is being said back to the other person without judgment
4. Look for how one’s feelings, thoughts, and actions make sense.

The benefits of validating others can be incredible.  When we validate we show others and ourselves that we care.  We can experience conflict in a much more positive and productive way.  Validating shows that the relationship is important.  I hope that this information encourages those who read it to take inventory of how one can improve their ability to validate ourselves and others which will undoubtedly lead to healthier communication.

- written by Michele Peterson, LCSW, Intensively Trained DBT Specialist

Typically, Bipolar disorder is characterized by a combination of alternating depressed moods and mania. It is quite common for healthy teens to display mood swings and irritability. So how do you know if your teen has diagnosable symptoms of Bipolar disorder? It is vital for a licensed mental health clinician to determine if your child meets the criteria for Bipolar disorder. However, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms in your teen so and you and child can get the help they need.

Family genetic history has been seen to play a large role in the development of bipolar disorder. Evidence has revealed that a child with a parent of bipolar disorder is double the risk for developing mental concerns, the greater risk for develop bipolar disorder

The diagnosis of bipolar disorder is complicated and difficult because the symptoms often present themselves differently than in adults, and many symptoms of Bipolar disorder present similarly to ADHD.

Research has revealed that up to 67% of persons with bipolar disorder experienced the onset of the illness before the age 18.

Signs and Symptoms of Bipolar disorder in Teens
 Elevated mood to the point to be causing functional impairment
 Rapid or ultra-rapid cycling in mood ( shifting to normal positive mood to depressed to irritability in a single day)
 Acting too cheerful and excessively silly
 Elevation of mood is uncomfortable for others and unable to be redirected
 Intense irritability – increase in physical and verbal aggression
 Uncontrollable outburst and immature excessive tantrums
 Unhealthy teen grandiosity – periods of seeing themselves better and smarter than others, overly directing peers around, believing to have special abilities and talents, and/or elaborate plans for unrealistic projects
 Have periods of thinking that rules of nature and society do not apply to them
 Decreased need for sleep and difficulty falling sleep without feeling fatigued
 Increased sexual promiscuousness and interest
 Rapid Speech – frequently interrupting others – report racing thoughts
 Increased in risk taking behaviors – increase in substance abuse

It is important to help parents and caregivers to be able to recognize the differences between normal adolescent behavior and pathological behaviors of teens.

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Teens
 Medication – traditional mood stabilizers
 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
 Family based interventions
 Modifications in environment – hospitalization or residential care
 Altering Social rhythms
 Stabilizing sleeping patterns – circadian rhythm intervention

A multimodal approach (medication, behavioral therapy, milieu therapy, individual/family therapy) has been seen as to be effective in addressing pediatric bipolar disorder.

The lack of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of Bipolar disorder in children can often result in an exacerbation of symptom presentation and significant impairment in functioning as an adult. It is has been that known the 44% of children who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder have attempted suicide. This is double the rate with adolescents who have the diagnoses with major depression.

There is hope for your child if she or he has the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It has been known that appropriate treatment can lead to significant decrease in relapse and living healthy productive lives.

In Greek mythology King Sisyphus was required by the Gods to push a gigantic boulder to the top of a very high mountain. Each time Sisyphus reached the top of the mountain it would roll back down. Sisyphus would again begin to push the boulder up to the mountain top. Many of us have felt the unyielding burdens life has placed on us. The trials we face have left many of us physically, emotionally, and spiritual exhausted. We all have our own varying degree of hardships or boulders we need to push up a mountain.

As I think about life and the struggles our students have overcome, one characteristic stands out to me—Perseverance. Success is usually realized by persevering and by not becoming discouraged when encountering challenges. Paul Harvey said, “Someday I hope to enjoy enough of what the world calls success so that someone will ask me, ‘What’s the secret of it?’ I shall say simply this: ‘I get up when I fall down.’” Perseverance is a positive, active characteristic. It is not casually, meekly waiting or hoping for something good to happen or for things to change. Winston Churchill reminded parliament during World War II to never give up. Life does fling, and sometimes hurl, frustrations, discouragements, temptations, and disappointments but, we must never give up! This is the one message I want to get through to every one of our students at Sunrise—NEVER GIVE UP! Life will continue to throw us challenges however, we can overcome.

Written by: Kim Smith, APC
Therapist/Residential Manager