Monday, December 23, 2013

Family Day!

Christmas time means family to so many people. We try to make it about family here at Turning Point. This year we invited all the parents to Turning Point to spend some time with their sons. 
The day started off with a parent group. The group's focus was on how the parents feel after their sons have sexually acted out. Rick read a letter from a former parent that detailed some of their frustrations and anger at their son for sexually acting out and changing much of their lives. Many in the group could relate to the feelings that this parent felt. It also gave the youth in the group the opportunity to see how their parents felt and how their sexually acting out may have changed their families' lives. 
After group we held a graduation ceremony in which two young men graduated from high school and one graduated the program. It was a perfect day to hold the celebration in which so many parents were present and hopefully can cheer their son on to do the same.
We were then treated to a fantastic lunch. Each quarter a teacher has a cooking class in which they spend the entire quarter learning how to prepare the menu for the parent day. This year it was Italian themed. It was great! 
Once lunch is over the parents have a chance to visit with their son, have a family therapy session, and a parent teacher conference. 

We are so thankful to have parents who support their sons. 


Saturday, November 16, 2013

Zion National Park

This past week we went to Zion National Park for one of our Intensive Therapy Days. We are so lucky to have this National Park and many others in our backyard. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors enjoying the scenery. The focus of the day was on The Optimist Creed by Christian Larson. I have copied it below. This is something that we hope to adopt here in our program as a way for our youth to live their lives not only while they are here with us, but when they leave. We wrote in our journals throughout the hike and discussed The Optimist Creed. We hiked an amazing trail and had a great time.

The Optimist’s Creed by Christian D. Larson
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you

C.D. Larson

Below are some pictures that we took throughout the hike. 











Monday, October 14, 2013

The "C" Overlook Trail

The past month in group therapy we have spent discussing the differences between being a victim and a survivor. We have been talking about how each of us have had bad things happen to us, but have we viewed it as a survivor or as a victim? What perspective will bring us the most happiness in our lives? 
We recently went on a hike on the "C" Trail. We hiked down the trail. We stopped from time to time to discuss perspectives, the big picture and gave the youth time to journal their own thoughts. We also spent time afterwards in group discussing what we had learned and some youth gained some great insight into themselves. 
It was also a great day to see the leaves changing and get some great pictures. 










Monday, September 23, 2013

Trauma-Focused Behavioral Therapy Training

Recently the therapists at Turning Point were able to attend the Trauma-Focused Behavioral Therapy Training that is sponsored by the Utah Children's Justice Center Program and Primary Children's Center for Safe and Healthy Families. This was a two day training that was filled with an amazing amount of information that the therapists were able to bring back to Turning Point to help our youth with the trauma they have witnessed and been a part of. This was a great training that taught relaxation skills, affective regulation, and cognitive processing to help with the trauma symptoms. The therapist were also trained how to help our clients complete a trauma narrative, which is great for the healing process from trauma.
This was a great training that will help us in treating our youth a great deal.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Another Youth's Perspective on Treatment

The following is from one of our youth that is preparing to leave the program and go home to live with his family. He has worked hard from day one and has put into treatment everything that he can.


Turning Point helped me with learning how to control my urges. They also helped me with recognizing what I did and how it has affected my victim and her family. What I learned is accountability and how if I take accountability it will show that I care about the other person. What I want to do in the future is be a heavy machine mechanic and have a family of my own. I want to be a person that everyone can trust. I want to have a nice home and car for my family. I really want to thank the staff and my therapist for sticking by me and helping me go through the program. They have helped me with past trauma and how my victim feels. they have helped my self-esteem and have been there when I needed help.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Guest Speaker

Today at Turning Point we had a guest speaker by the name of Kristyn Decker. She wrote the book:
Fifty Years In Polygamy: Big Secrets And Little White Lies
She shared a great deal with the youth about the sexual abuse she was a victim of during her childhood, and how that abuse affected her childhood, marriage, other relationships, and still affects her today.
It was a great experience for our youth to have and to help them gain the empathy that many of them need to learn to ensure they never create another victim.
I would encourage you to read the book.
Kristyn is an amazing person and has overcome so many trials and roadblocks in her life to get to where she is at.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Kolob Canyon Hike

Last week we went on a hike to Kolob Canyon. This is on the other side of Zion and if you have never been to Kolob, it is time to go. We went on a hike that had some beautiful landscape. It was called the Taylor Creek Hike. The focus of the day was change. What do you need to change in your life? What is holding you back from change? What are you willing to do in order to change? 
As we hiked with the young men we all pondered these questions. At each stop along the way we would have each of the youth think about one of these questions and then group the answers. All youth said that they would change what brought them to our program. We discussed what they could do at this time now to get out and get on with their lives. 
The youth also had a great time being out. It was beautiful weather and we all enjoyed it. Below are some of the pictures from the hike. 













Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Therapy Day March 27, 2013

This month's therapy day was a little different. March weather in Cedar City can be very unpredictable so we decided to stick closer to home. We started the day off with a great therapy movie entitled "A Long Way Home". This movie was about how sexual abuse can affect families when it happens within the family. Also discussed how life does not go back to normal just because the one who offended gets treatment. We had a great discussion afterwards and many of the youth shared their thoughts and feelings about the movie. We were able to discuss some of the fears that many of the youth have about going home and facing their victims.
Then we ate a fantastic lunch cooked by Joe. Shoyu Chicken and rice. It was so good, all the youth were begging for seconds and thirds!
Afterwards we had a talent show. I think that the talent show will turn into an annual event. Many of our youth were able to showcase their singing, ukulele playing, card tricks, and other talents. They were judged on their talent by our fantastic office staff, Necia and Beth. At the end we added up the scores and announced first, second, and third place. They were awarded prizes.
We also had a karaoke machine and let the youth sing that wanted to.

I am sorry that I did not get any pictures of the day, but at times it is difficult when trying to keep confidentiality.

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Therapy Day at Snow Canyon State Park

It was such a beautiful weekend, the weather was perfect, and we decided to get our boys out of the facility for the day and go to Snow Canyon State Park. We are so lucky to have such beautiful places surround us that we try to experience them with the youth as often as we can. We let the boys run around and have fun. We also have a theme for the day in which we ask the youth to think about as we hike or do whatever we do that day. The theme for this was a question that Dan (the therapist in charge that day) asked the boys. He asked them if they could envision their Utopia what would it look like, what would they be doing, how would they change what they are doing now, etc. After we would hike for some time we would then stop and process the question and talk about the Utopia that each person imagined for themselves. It was a great theme to discuss when we were surrounded by the beauty of Snow Canyon.  

 Here we are, the fearless leaders! From left to right: Tasi, John, Rashell, Gordon, Rick, Dan, and Dave. We really enjoy these days where we can get to know the youth on a different level. 
 Here we are hiking down the trail in Snow Canyon. 
 Some more of the beautiful landscape we were able to see on the hike. 
 Snow Canyon has some great hikes, and we were all in awe of the beauty. 
 The area in which we ate lunch. We always fix great food for the boys on these days. Yesterday on the menu was Rick's Famous Chili with scones. 
Last picture on the blog, more pictures of the great beauty that surrounded us on the hike. 

We look forward to each of these days and so do the youth. Can't wait to see what we do next month! 

Thanks for reading.