Transition
Reunite in the wilderness
When your child’s stay in the wilderness is drawing to a close, your family may have the option to participate in the Transition Program. The Transition experience is a unique, intimate, family-oriented process. It’s a time to reunite, reflect, celebrate, prepare, and simply be together as a family in a safe, intentional environment.
During the Transition Program, your child will demonstrate their wilderness, communication and relationship skills by setting up your site, making your fire, cooking your dinner, and tending to your needs. In addition to spending time with your child, your primary therapist will facilitate a family therapy session, which provides opportunities for you to showcase the skills you've acquired while engaged with the Family Program.
Students either go home or to aftercare when they leave Blue Ridge. We designed the Transition Program to support the process of leaving wilderness by creating a secure, regulated space for your child to:
- Reflect upon their stay in the program
- Consider how they want to interact with their future
- Reunite with their family
- Step into a leadership role and make healthy choices on their own
For students, the Transition process is a mystery; they might overhear some whispers about it during their stay, but they’re not quite sure exactly what to expect when they come to Transition Camp. This is intentional- Generally, we don’t know exactly what is going to happen next in our lives, so Transition is similar to a dress rehearsal, where your child is stepping into something new without knowing exactly how it will turn out.
When students come to Transition, the days spent there are designed to prepare them for their family’s arrival. Once the family has arrived, each day consists of typical camp chores as well as special groups and activities. These are designed by Transition Staff to help families practice therapeutic tools together, discuss their values, and ultimately reunite in a way that encourages vulnerability- before students are reintroduced to all the hustle and bustle of the “real world”.
Transition is a special opportunity for families to witness their child’s new skills. This includes bow-drilling, cooking, fire-tending, setting up camp, and so on. Families also get to witness their child’s emotional growth; often, Transition provides a glimpse into students’ ability to practice assertive communication, relate to boundaries in a healthy way, and analyze their choices from a place of accountability. We hope to see you there!
