September 28th, 2020
Purposefully Present (Pt. 1): Understanding Mindfulness & Interoception
Welcome to Open Sky’s “Purposefully Present” blog series! By sharing the basics of mindfulness practice, we hope to empower you to regulate your nervous system, center yourself, and be in the present moment. To kick off the series, clinical therapist Brian Leidal (adolescent boys and young adults) gives us an introduction to mindfulness and interoception. […]
September 25th, 2020
Back to School, Pt. 2: School Refusal and Truancy
School refusal, truancy, and motivation issues may be exacerbated by this most unconventional school year. In the following Q&A, clinical therapist Jonathan Mitchell addresses these topics. Whether your child is skipping Zoom classes, ditching in-person school, or consistently withdrawing from school and extracurriculars, Jonathan shares tips to help families during these unprecedented times. (If school […]
September 23rd, 2020
Moving Forward with Self-Compassion: A Q&A with Alumni Parent Tessa
Tessa’s young adult son was enrolled in Open Sky from November 2019, to February 2020. Through this experience and the time since, Tessa and her family have found new ways of practicing self-compassion and supporting each other through communication, emotional awareness, and living in the present moment. Below, Tessa shares what it was like for […]
September 21st, 2020
Supporting Young Adults with Gender and Sexual Identity Issues
One of the most important components of wilderness therapy treatment is creating an emotionally safe, open, and accepting space for students to truly be themselves—away from the pressures of school, society, and even family. This safe space is especially important for students exploring their gender identity, questioning their sexuality, or struggling with issues related to […]
September 10th, 2020
Helping Young Adults Navigate a Not-So-Normal College Year
(Note: We refer to “your young adult child” as they/them throughout the article. As you read, feel free to adapt the writing to the pronouns that your child uses.) Let’s imagine September 2020 without coronavirus. Football teams would be competing in front of packed stadiums. Music lovers would be dancing shoulder to shoulder at music festivals. College […]
September 8th, 2020
Back to School, Pt. 1: Navigating Virtual School with your Adolescent Child
It’s that time of year. School has started up again…but with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the start of the school year is anything but typical. With many schools moving to virtual school, parents are grappling with how to set their kids up for success: academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. In part 1 of our “Back […]