Joy & Sorrow: a paradoxical & purposeful relationship. I want to speak to the paradox and purpose of Joy and Sorrow. These two opposing emotions often exist at the same time. Did you know that? Think about it… It is all too present in this month of November for us in northwest Montana. For me…
Read MorePlay therapy? For teenagers? Play therapy is often thought to be an approach only for young children; however, this approach has also been found effective with adolescents, as well as adults. Play therapy utilizes a common language in which most of us have used to learn about ourselves and the world around us — Play!…
Read MoreThe first comment I typically get when I tell someone I am an art teacher is, “I can’t even draw a stick figure!”, or, “Teach me how to draw!” I became an art teacher to open my students’ eyes to a new world of wonder, creativity, and imagination. I became an art teacher to empower…
Read MoreEvery August, nestled on the shore of the beautiful Flathead Lake, is our annual mother-daughter retreat. It is a time and space created with the intention of connection, fun, being together, making new memories, and healing relational space. As a witness to the process, I stand amazed at the amount of courage that was required to…
Read MoreDr. Brene Brown has started an international conversation about shame, vulnerability, courage, and connection. If you haven’t heard of her work yet, indulge your curiosity with this link to her personal bio and website. She has semester courses online that are open to anyone interested in diving into the deep end of the pool of…
Read MoreLife gives us our fair share of lemons to decide what to do with them. Within the therapeutic residential setting we probably see a few more lemons, both those of our girls’ and of our own. The cliche, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” serves as a reminder that every challenge that comes our…
Read MoreWhy retreat with moms and daughters? Why not provide a more traditional experience on campus? The planning, costs and implementation of a retreat require commitment, yet we believe the benefits are immeasurable. It’s a sound investment of time and resource from our perspective. We know that girls surge forward in their journeys when families are…
Read MoreStudents who arrive at Chrysalis Therapeutic Boarding School with substance use or abuse as a part of their history are folded into to our Recovery Group. The group meets once a week for an hour and also attends weekly community based AA meetings. We are very excited about the Seeking Safety curriculum we have recently began utilizing with…
Read MoreLife is a mystery in all kinds of ways. It’s almost impossible to imagine, in advance, where we’ll land, to whom we’ll connect, to what we’ll be drawn, what we’ll accomplish, or who we’ll ultimately become along the way. There are surely hints and clues about these mysteries, many of which I suspect we often…
Read MoreStudent Responses to the Question: What are you grateful for? I’m grateful for my dad who has been there for me when times get tough. When he plays around with me and we go out to get ice cream shell and laugh about silly jokes. I’m grateful for my mom because she has not given…
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