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Journey Experiences

Journey Experiences

Transform into a resilient and self-reliant leader! To do so, we have to navigate the journey of life – full of twisting and challenging routes, low valleys and high majestic alpine peaks. Therefore, it is critical to be well equipped to navigate these formable challenges which begins with personal self exploration. SOLE’s licensed adventure therapy program, SOLE Journey Experiences SM , provides such an opportunity – to develop essential skills while participating in intentional, novel, and empowering exploratory expeditions which address personal development needs. Afterwards, adolescent and adult participants are able to transfer what they learned to further integrate this growth-oriented development, fostering opportunities to sustain the work accomplished during their Journey Experience SM. Whether you are in search of a rites of passage, a thorough psychoeducational experience, or a life paradigm shift – SOLE Journey Experiences SM provide the spark and combustion to truly explore, achieve, and lead!

Overview:

As a licensed outdoor therapeutic program SOLE Journey Experiences SM provide individuals, parents, clinicians, education consultants, school administrators, schools, and/or programs an intentional and affordable option to other outdoor behavioral healthcare and/or clinically-based wilderness programs.

SOLE prides itself on designing and facilitating Journey Experiences SM which are grounded on evidence-based best practices and methods that often exceed industry standards.  This program is extremely effective and ideal for those interested in an individualized short-term intervention or outdoor behavioral healthcare program that:

  • Identifies and reinforces positive behaviors and outcomes
  • Extinguishes negative behavior
  • Provides an intentional sound short-term placement
  • Provides parents and professionals a preventative alternative before a long-term placement (7 weeks – 18 months)
  • Addresses neuropsychological deficiencies
  • Addresses maladaptive behaviors

Participant Profile:

Typical profile participants include adolescents / adults 14-25+ y/o who:

  • Exhibit difficulty processing a significant loss or traumatic event
  • Exhibit mood dysregulation (depression, anxiety, etc.)
  • Exhibit resistance, anger, defiance and/or oppositional behavior
  • Exhibit self-esteem issues
  • Exhibit a lack of self-confidence in social situations
  • Exhibit unhealthy behaviors/coping tools when dealing with adversity and/or to get “needs” met (i.e., isolation, lying, intimidation, justification, etc.)
  • Exhibit addictive thinking
  • Exhibit negative self-talk
  • Exhibit self-defeating behavior
  • Exhibit executive functioning deficits or learning differences which contribute to poor academic performance
  • Exhibit unhealthy family relationships
  • Exhibit poor peer relations

 

Goals & Objectives:

Typical goals and objectives addressed during expeditions relate to:

  • Leadership Development
  • Character Development
  • Executive Functions
  • Critical-thinking & Problem-Solving
  • Resilience & Flexibility
  • Communication
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Setting & Accomplishing Goals
  • Awareness & Ownership
  • Responsibility & Accountability

 

 

Our typical profile students are also generally higher functioning, and have the ability and desire to change, process, and connect through an expedition-based experiential learning framework.  Often the display individual creativity and intellect, and the ability to explore their role and responsibilities as an individual and as a member of a community while exploring concepts and skills related to leadership.

Because of our program design (expedition-based outdoor leadership model), we do not currently enroll individuals with severe clinical needs, including but certainly not limited too, current episodes of self-harm, suicide ideation, abuse of narcotics which requires detox, personality disorders, psychosis or other severe clinical needs.

Program Settings:

SOLE offers (3) distinct Journey Experience SM programs.  While each program possesses a similar program foundation and framework each offers their own unique opportunites.  Each program bases out of the beautiful mountains and watersheds of the Cabinet Mountains of Montana, however, can also be custom-tailored to location and duration for schools, programs, indidviduals and families in need!  Whatever your interests and needs please let us know how we can support you today!   While we utilize backcountry settings as our primary learning environment for this program we do offer hybrid options when designing SOLE Journey Experiences SM based on an individualized needs or specific interests.

SOLO JOURNEY EXPERIENCE SM

  • Typically facilitated utilizing a adventure-based backcountry format and design.
  • May or not be in crisis, however, could benefit from mentoring and support.
  • Focus on character development, leadership development, and technical outdoor skills.
  • Great for those that could benefit from an individualized program design (1:1 or 2:1).
  • Great for those that could benefit from less stimuli.
  • Great for residental programs that are looking for a “reboot” for their students.
  • Great for those that have not been to a traditional wilderness program and/or those that could benefit from living and traveling in a remote backcountry setting.

EXPEDITION JOURNEY EXPERIENCE SM

  • Facilitated utilizing a expedition format and design (e.g., peer-based and outdoor leadership).
  • May or not be in crisis, however, could benefit from mentoring and support.
  • Focus on character development, leadership development, and technical outdoor skills.
  • Great for those that could benefit from a group-oriented program design (2:4 +).
  • Great for those that have not been to a traditional wilderness program and/or those that could benefit from living and traveling in a remote backcountry setting.

HYBRID JOURNEY EXPERIENCE SM

  • Facilitated utilizing both backcountry and urban settings, and can be tailored to specific location (e.g., boarding schools in specific locations with land).
  • Focus on character development, leadership development, and often academic achievement.
  • Recommended for those that could benefit from continued support and/or re-direction but are relatively stable.
  • Often used in conjunction with our Solo Journey Experience SM program; as a stand-alone interim-care placement; or as an extension as individuals transition to their next placement.

Program Philosophy & Methods:

SOLE Journey Experiences SM are unique and successful because our program utilizes evidence-based philosophies and methods grounded on our organization’s novel experiential education curricula.  Upon enrollment our multi-disciplinary team works with clients and their families to individualize their SOLE Journey Experience SM based on specific needs by utilizing SOLE’s Hand of Support SM program design process.

Our intentional program design is effectively executed through our 4 Care Philosophy SMIntegrative Method SM, and Journey Experience SM experiential education curricula centered on the Eight Pillars of Executive Control (Cox, 2007).  We further underpin all programming by facilitating and processing through a productive v/s punitive approach. Additionally, we utilize socratic and other experiential education methodologies to deliver Journey Experience SM curricula. These mindful and thought provoking approaches culminate producing significant positive outcomes including, increasing learning comprehension and generalization to future settings.  These evidence-based approaches allow SOLE Field Instructors to establish and maintain an open and positive learning environment for participants, fostering a “brain-friendly” approach to address individualized clinical needs (if appropriate) and develop personal character and leadership through our unique executive functioning framework.  

Taking safety and risk management needs into consideration is a NUMBER 1 priority for our organization!  SOLE utilizes a multi-disciplinary team to design and facilitate each Journey Experience SM which includes highly trained, seasoned, licensed and credentialed administrators, clinicians, and Field Instructors who possess over 30 years in the fields of experiential education, special education, adventure-based education, adventure therapy, and outdoor leadership for the leading residential and wilderness therapy programs in the nation.  These individuals have served as administrators and frontline staff for some of the leading organizations and institution in the nation.  Learn more about our team here.

Furthermore, to ensure that we meet or exceed the standard of care in the industry our program adheres to an extensive Risk Management Plan (RMP) which is based on current evidence-based practices and methods. Additionally, our staff regularly attend and present at professional conferences to further expand and remain current. Development is also further supported through our quarterly in-service trainings and certification workshops for Field Instructors.  It is also important to note, our organization possesses professional liability insurance and licensure as an outdoor therapeutic program in the State of Montana.

Click on the tabs below for more info on our Journey Experience program!

We understand the financial challenges that come with getting the help you need, when you need it.  To help address this real need, we work with My Treatment Lender tooffer financing for our Journey Experience program.  They can provide your family the necessary funding when you need it most. Simply go to mytreatmentlender.com/sole to begin your application process today.

Are you ready to register?

Follow the simple steps below.

  1. Click on the button below and select “Journey Experience Enrollment Fee”.
  2. Complete your personal, participant and payment information.
  3. Complete and submit your Enrollment Fee payment.
  4. Complete student paperwork/contract and fax/email to us.
  5. Set up transportation and accommodations for the program (if necessary).
  6. Gather relevant educational assessments, counseling documentation, and psychological evaluations.
  7. Fax all documents in #4 and #5 to us.
  8. Complete final payment arrangements.
  9. Review personal clothing and gear list and complete.
  10. Pack and head out!