A large part of the residential treatment program at Solstice is experiential and adventure therapy. Each week our students have the opportunity to challenge themselves in new
and fun ways. While working hard in therapy on campus is great, getting out of the residential treatment setting allows our girls the opportunity to flex their therapy muscles while having fun, trying new healthy recreational activities and developing positive peer relationships. Read below to learn more about a recent outing one of our teams took.
A few weeks ago we took Winter team biking along the Ogden River Trail. This is a paved trail that runs for about 4 miles along the Ogden River through Ogden town. This was the first time on bicycles in quite some time for most of the team members. We began with the basics of sizing your bike, inflating tires and checking the brakes to see if they are functioning properly. After that we loaded up and headed to Ogden. Once on the trail we practiced braking and shifting and other basic skills. All of this is in preparation for a mountain biking trip that Winter team will embark upon in September.
The day started with dark clouds and the threat of rain. Despite the ominous weather outlook we decided to go for it, and we were glad we did. The day was perfect for riding, overcast and fairly cool. We stopped at several parks along the way. We ate lunch at a busy playground and the girls joined in with some local kids, pushing them on the swings and climbing the jungle gym. When we arrived back at the van we had ridden nearly 8 miles. Some were tired but all spirits were high.
Each week we take teams on off campus outings and adventures. Many times there are therapeutic moments, learning opportunities and challenges to overcome. While there were moments during this day where girls struggled and used skills to work through them, there was one theme that ran throughout the experience…FUN!
At the end of the day one of the girls said it best:
“That was so much fun, I want to do it again”
Sometimes just having fun and letting yourself enjoy the simple pleasure of riding a bike is therapeutic enough.
To learn more about how Solstice Residential Treatment Center uses experiential to help struggling teen girls, call us at 801-444-0794.
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