February Newsletter 2017
February Newsletter
   Change and growth are happening at SUWS. The days are slowly growing longer, and wildflowers are blooming due to the unseasonably warm temperatures. As the natural world around us shows signs of growth and the promise of Spring, we are also preparing for the change of seasons. In this issue of Words from the Woods, we unveil new and exciting developments in the program.
Thanks for reading.


Group Bravo announces Return of Field Supervisor, Jon Stang, LCSW



Please join us in welcoming Jon Stang, LCSW, as the Primary Field Supervisor for group Bravo. Jon’s group is primarily serving adolescent males 14-17 years of age. Jon is a familiar face to the SUWS family and served as the group Bravo’s Field Supervisor from 2006 to 2012. Jon excels in working with the “difficult to reach” young man. His typical students are  intelligent, but struggle in achieving the academic goals they are capable of achieving. Often his students can be described as “acting in” rather than acting out. Common diagnosis for his group include: generalized anxiety, depression, emerging personality disorders, ADHD, and certainly he is no stranger to dealing with difficult family dynamics. We are thrilled to announce Jon’s return and look forward to him accepting clients in the month of March.


Phoenix Outdoor Announces First Ever Female Adolescent Group


We are very excited to announce the addition of an adolescent female group for the Phoenix Outdoor Program. Since its inception, Phoenix Outdoor has served adolescent males with substance abuse and co-morbid mental health issues. Phoenix will continue the strong work with the addition of our first ever female group under the clinical supervision of Katherine "Alice" Cennamo. Alice comes with a wealth of experience in wilderness, and brings a passion for empowering young women while seeking healthier forms of coping, communicating, and forming relationships to Phoenix's robust treatment regime featuring: the 12 step recovery model, neuro-psychological education, and insight oriented psycho-therapy. Alice has been working with our clients for over a year already, and we are pleased to announce her new group! Please join us in showing your support for Alice and her passion for this work.
For those of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting her, be sure to say hello at the upcoming IECA Conference




SUWS Programming adds Autism and Spectrum Disorder Group for Adolescent Boys


Next month we are re-launching the Approach group for boys 14-17 years of age who benefit from a specific group setting to accommodate the needs of clients who present with traits of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Approach program is a unique treatment setting  that focuses on helping teens overcome their battles with behavioral issues that stunt their emotional and psychological growth. We work hands-on with each of our students as they push through their different challenges, many of which include the following: Avoidance behaviors, Emotional dysregulation, Overuse of technology, and Social difficulties. To lead this group, we are pleased to announce the return of another familiar face at SUWS, Taisir El-Souessi, LPC.  Taisir, served as the family program manager for SUWS, and is excited about creating a socially nurturing environment for our students. Paired with our staff trained specifically for Approach, our staff team is preparing to provide a program structure that encourages consistency and predictability. By getting involved one-on-one with our students, we can apply this type of skills-based curriculum in a setting where Approach students can flourish and succeed far beyond their own expectations. Due to the specific needs of this group, we will be very selective to ensure each group member is getting the individualized care they need to be successful. Please join us in welcoming Taisir back in the role of Approach Primary Field Supervisor. 

The Southeast Annual Autism Conference Returns to Asheville


On April 2nd and 3rd, SUWS of the Carolinas,Vantage Point, Brightstone Transitions, and Black Mountain Academy  are co-hosting the third annual conference for autism. SUWS pioneered the event in 2014 and we are happy to see the interest growing in regional acclaim. This year the key note speaker will be best-selling author, Liane Holliday Willey. She will be speaking from the perspective of females on the autism spectrum. This is an event to be attended by invitation only, please direct all questions to:
Josh Watson-801-819-2353 - jwatson@aspiroadventure.com
or
Jason Cox-336-971-3434- jason@brightstonetransitions.com



SUWS of the Carolinas  | 888-828-9770|  www.suwscarolinas.com