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Newsletter, November 2020

JBG November 2020 Newsletter


In this edition.......

  • Rise Up Academy: Winter is Coming 
  • Tutor of the Month - Mike Malone  
  • Student of the Month - Laurel Davidoff 
  • Wilderness Therapy 
  • School of the Month - Walnut Hill 
  • College of the Month - Providence College 


Winter is Coming!



Join Rise Up Academy for Winter Break

Rise Up Academy is a small group college readiness workshop and leadership seminar, conducted through Zoom. Students will learn critical skills to both prepare them for college life and help them to stand out in the competitive college application process. Through conversations about leadership, writing, wellness, and relationships, students will be positioned for success as they prepare for all of the changes that college brings.

One student who completed Rise Up Academy said, “I like that the classes are discussions, sharing ideas and not a lecture. I have a much better idea of what life in college is going to look like and how it is a step up from high school.” 

For more information, contact sarah@jbgeducationalgroup.com
 


Tutor of the Month
Mike Malone


Mike is a life coach, associate marriage and family therapist, and associate certified professional clinical counselor based out of Santa Monica, California. His professional style is best described as clinical coaching, where the foundation lies in identifying and aligning clients with their ideal self. This starts with activities of daily living as simple as making the bed to career, educational, and life counseling. Mike believes that if clients identify they are living within their values, they will be able to connect with their true self and start to live their ideal life. 

What Mike loves the most about his job is watching his clients identify and live out their purpose. It’s the most rewarding career imaginable as he gets to share in the success of another individual while they begin to live their best life. JBG is thrilled to have Mike as part of our team! The enthusiasm and commitment he brings to each client meeting ensures the success of everyone involved. The expansion of JBG is due in part to him and we could not be more proud!


Student of the Month
Laurel Davidoff

Laurel currently attends Weston High School in Massachusetts and is a talented leader and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community both inside and outside the classroom. Laurel has even developed a curriculum for both students and faculty to support a more inclusive environment. They have also made great accomplishments as a singer, actor, and set designer.

Laurel has been working with JBG since the winter and worked diligently on all of their college essays this summer. In fact, Laurel rewrote the common app essay three times to ensure it encompassed their true voice and finished with an outstanding example of their personality. Laurel did not accept mediocrity but pushed to create a beautifully written piece. Like all of their endeavors, Laurel has been dedicated to the process from start to finish. We recognized it was a true partnership of mutual respect for Laurel and their tutor to work together towards a shared vision. We are proud to have Laurel as a client and wish them the utmost success in college and beyond.



Wilderness Therapy: Is it Worth it?
By: Jillian Goldaber

 

 

Wilderness therapy is a very popular mental health treatment strategy for adolescents struggling with maladaptive behaviors. These therapy programs combine traditional therapy with challenging experiences in an outdoor wilderness environment and are aimed at addressing problem behaviors by fostering personal and social responsibility of the individual along with their emotional growth. This type of treatment provides long term, intensive, and often specialized care that helps young individuals reset and learn new coping strategies. Most wilderness therapy programs send individuals out in groups, so they experience the challenges of the new environment with others. The group sizes vary depending on the program. Wilderness therapy typically involves a change of environment, challenging experiences, healthy relationship development, therapy, and teaching of healthy coping strategies. About 80% of teenagers who attend wilderness therapy transition to a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center for a year or longer after they complete wilderness therapy. There are more than 1,000 outdoor behavioral healthcare programs in the United States that serve more than 10,000 clients and their families each year (Ma, 2017).

A typical wilderness therapy program has the goals of therapeutic assessment, intervention and treatment of problem behaviors, safety and stabilization, and lasting change. These programs do a great job of addressing underlying issues in the individual, helping the adolescent develop healthy coping strategies, and instilling the individual with a more positive sense of self and hope for their future. Typical steps in a wilderness therapy program start with a rigorous assessment of the “problems”. This intensive process allows the young adult to talk through their issues in real time and helps them develop strategies that are more productive and appropriate. Another part of wilderness therapy is focusing on the individual’s identity and self-esteem. Through challenging outdoor environments, individuals build success-oriented identities and increase their self-concept, hope, and self-confidence while improving both interpersonal relationships and social skills. Many wilderness therapy programs do not allow individuals to have access to technology, so participants can be fully present with their group, group leaders, and other members of the treatment team. This pushes individuals to confront their problems head-on by limiting their ability to hide behind or distance through technology.

Wilderness therapy is still seen as a controversial treatment option. There is little evidence that it is more likely to lead to short-term progress in children when compared with therapy offered near or at home, which is typically less expensive. There is also not much scientific evidence supporting the addition of a “wilderness” component to adolescent therapy. Because there are only a few studies demonstrating adolescents benefit from placement in residential settings, programs are rarely covered by insurance. A typical wilderness therapy program costs between 500 and 600 dollars a day in addition to an enrollment fee of several thousand dollars. With some insurance companies, it is hard to receive reimbursement. This forces families to consider whether it is worth spending money on a treatment center instead of utilizing therapy near home. How do families know it will work? Why won’t insurance cover it? This is why many adolescents who partake in wilderness therapy do so after not finding success through traditional therapy.

Countering the limited statistics supporting wilderness therapy, however, are countless testimonials on how completely it can effect change in hopeless situations. The benefits  – including improved mental, emotional, and behavioral health – stretch from self-identity development to repaired family relationships. Professional organizations in the field of wilderness therapy are committed to accreditation, best practices, effective treatment, and building programs on evidence-based research. Although the idea of wilderness therapy may seem avant-garde, the average American adolescent is two times more likely to visit the emergency room than are residents of a wilderness therapy program (Ma, 2017). In a statistical meta-analysis that reviewed 197 studies related to adventure therapy (including wilderness therapy), reports supported the conclusion that the short-term effect of adventure therapy is greater than alternative therapy and no treatment. The Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council (OBHC) has conducted its own studies on clients’ emotional and behavioral progress post-outdoor therapy. These studies found that significant improvements were made during outdoor treatments and that these changes remained one year after discharge. OBHC interviewed a random selection of participants following wilderness program treatments: 83% reported they were doing better, 58% reported they were doing well or very well, 81% rated outdoor behavioral health programs as effective, and 17% identified they were still struggling (Ma, 2017).

So, is wilderness therapy worth it? As with any program, there is no guarantee it will work for everyone. Wilderness therapy, as a relatively newer model, has less research and – partially because of this – can be expensive. Many wilderness therapy programs also pair each adolescent with a licensed professional, supported by a team of professionals focused on caring for and supporting the individual. These caregivers range from therapists to seasoned group leaders. If regular therapy is not effective, wilderness therapy may be the next best option. Nobody can pinpoint the best program for every need, these and other healthcare professionals can provide information with which you may educate yourself and make the best decision for you and your family.


Private School of the Month
Walnut Hill

 

Walnut Hill School is an independent boarding and/or day school for the arts located in Natick, Massachusetts. The progressive mindset on campus encourages students to boldly embrace creative thinking, curiosity, and active citizenship. The students are surrounded by supportive peers and masterfully-trained teachers, who come together in the tight-knit community to help grow the artistic leaders of tomorrow. 

The rigorous curriculum at Walnut Hill teaches careful observation, critical thinking, and a desire for deep and enduring understanding. It offers students an opportunity to study their passion, whether that be dance, vocals, visual arts, an instrument, etc. The balance of academic and arts classes is what builds their students to be well rounded and determined to achieve their dreams.


We are growing and are hiring tutors!

Do you know someone who is talented, motivated, and would be a great addition to the JBG family?
Spread the word!

We are hiring academic, essay, and SAT/ACT preparation tutors!

JBG is looking for an intern!

Do you want an opportunity to learn, work, and gain a valuable experience? JBG is looking for a high school intern. Responsibilities include writing and composing monthly newsletters, managing social media accounts, and organizing files. The once-a-week internship would be for 2-3 hours depending on the student's schedule. It looks great on college applications and resumes and will give you valuable experience for future jobs. 

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      College of the Month
              Providence College


Providence College is a private Roman Catholic university with 4,735 undergraduate students. It is located minutes away from downtown Providence, giving students access to a wide variety of activities. A strong liberal arts education is provided to PC’s students through small class sizes and cozy facilities and, therefore, a close student-teacher relationship.

Current students say “PC is 'fantastic' at setting up students with internships that lead to future jobs, and professors place a high value on experiential learning: getting involved with the community and taking advantage of opportunities to work and serve in the greater Providence Community. As for student life, students receive ‘the best of both worlds", having access to both a beautiful campus and a vibrant city. Additionally, students are very involved in clubs and intramural sports. Everyone is friendly and inclusive, and “the common experience creates strong bonds among the student body.”

Quote of the Month

"Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence." - Abigail Adams


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