The Elijah Program's
Intensive Outdoors Wilderness Expedition

We are excited about The Elijah Program's Outdoor Wilderness Expedition which we are bringing to teenagers this summer. This is a three week therapeutic program which is very intensive for teens in trouble or need. It removes the teen from destructive environments, acquaintances and behaviors, and forces the teen to deal each waking moment of every day with new coping, understanding, and communication skills.

This year the expedition is open only to boys 11 through 17. DATE OF EXPEDITION: JULY 5, 2000 THROUGH THE MORNING OF JULY 26, 2000 (Tentative Dates).

We provide all of the clothing, equipment and incidentals that each teen needs. Additionally, a psychotherapist with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology will be on the Expedition from start to finish. The therapist will facilitate scheduled individual, group and family counseling sessions and any crisis counseling that becomes necessary.

We use the technology of computers, radios, cellular telephones and fax machines to maintain regular contact with the teen's parents/guardians throughout the expedition. This is an integral part of our program. Each teen receives one fax from the teen's parents/guardians each week. We want both parents corresponding, whether or not both parents are living together. Each teen sends one fax to each of the teen's parents/guardians each week. The fax from the parents to the teen occurs on Thursday, and the fax from the teen to the parents occurs the following Monday. We will work with the teen's family to secure a fax machine and the services of a local psychotherapist if they do not currently have either or both.

These faxes are critical to the program. Our re-integration task of returning the teen into the home is to get the parents and the teen to begin being open about mutual problems and behaviors that contribute to the problems, as well as learning new and better ways of relating. Every fax from the parents is taken to the individual teen, away from the group, and, assisted by the psychotherapist, the teen processes his overall feelings.

Many teenagers are having trouble because they either deny their feelings or don't know how to identify, express and deal with their own feelings. After the teen has processed his feelings about the fax, and then his thoughts (which are different from feelings) about the fax, then the teen is temporarily isolated while he writes about the fax in his journal: what it said, how he felt, what he thought, and his beginning or developing responses. That night, at the campfire, everyone takes turns reading their faxes to the group, and then gives his own verbal interpretation of his feelings, then his thoughts. The group responds to him, confronting his anger, denial, fear, joy, and the boy responds to the group. This also serves as an active teaching tool for using the appropriate language in speaking about his own feelings to the group, and for the group in responding.

After processing certain faxes, such as the impact fax from each parent telling the teen why he was sent on the expedition, as well as the final fax before expedition ends as loose ends are tied up and reintegration into the family (or post-expedition placement) is planned. Those who received faxes goes on a "solo", or isolated overnight experience to internalize and solidify lessons learned. At Sunday night's campfire, each teen reads his responding fax to the group, and receives input from his peers. We just insure that their phrasing fits the model of communication that we are teaching the teenagers, and the parents. Monday morning we fax the teen's response to the parents. On Tuesdays the therapist engage in 30-minute telephone "meetings" with both parents.

During the three weeks that the teen is on the Expedition, the parents are required to be participating in our Elijah Program with one of our Mentors (or an approved substitute program, or family therapist). Parents too, learn how to communicate better, and to parent more effectively. Please examine this program. It is unique in several ways. It is only three weeks long. Because of its length it may well be affordable by those for whom a longer program is not a possibility. It is extremely intense both physically and emotionally, however it does not exceed normal physical and emotional needs of today's teens. It addresses the teen's needs, and redirects anger, frustration and communication in productive and non-destructive directions. It help parents, at the same time, learn how to communicate in ways that will redirect their own anger, frustration and communication in productive and non- destructive ways as well, and teaches them how to maintain such communication with their teen when he returns home.

Please make referrals soon. Because this is a program with a specific start date and a specific stop date, we cannot take new teens once the Expedition is formed. We CAN, however, accept a large number of teens, which we will disperse throughout our program into several small groups. We are willing to speak by phone to referring professionals, agencies or parents in search for a solution to their Teen's needs.

Sincerely,

Phillip L. Blansett, Ph.D.

Director, The Elijah Program

Elijah Program's Outdoor Wilderness Expedition Initial Application

(Please include a $200.00 Money Order or Check registration fee with the Initial Application. The registration fee will be applied to the Teen's tuition/costs, although $100.00 is non-refundable if teen or parents elect not to participate in the program, or if the teen is not selected for the program.)

Return Form (with the $200.00 registration fee)

To: Phillip L. Blansett, Ph.D., Director

P.O.Box 148268

Nashville, TN 37214-8268

(615) 758-7568

www.serve.com/Blansett

Blansett@mail.serve.com

Teen's Name: Last __________________ First___________________ MI____

Address: _______________________________County:_____________________

City: ____________________________ State: __________ Zip:___________

D.O.B.: ____________ S.S.# __________________ Entering Grade:_______

Sex: _____

Home Phone #: _______________ Years schooling:___________

Father s Name: _______________________ Occupation:__________________

Home Phone #: _________________ Work Phone #: _____________________

Mother s Name: _______________________ Occupation: _________________

Home Phone #: __________________ Work Phone #: ____________________

Has Teen ever been suspended/expelled from school? yes___no___

Has Teen used Drugs/intoxicants/inhalants or failed a drug screen? yes___no___

Has Teen ever been arrested or held for questioning? yes___no___

If you have answered "yes" to any of the above three questions please explain on a separate sheet of paper. This will not disqualify the applicant, but is required information for us to have. I understand that The Elijah Program Outdoor Wilderness Expedition requires active participation by me and each member of my family. I further understand that there may be prescriptives assigned to me and/or other members of my family and I agree to accept and carry out the prescriptives as they are assigned to me. I understand that there are no refunds in this program, and that if I do not complete the program, or if any member of my family fails to complete this program, its prescriptives or recommendations, it will be reported to the individual or organization that referred me and/or my family member. I release and vow not to hold Phillip L. Blansett, The Elijah Program or any of its programs and/or agents, Counseling and Consultation Associates, or any of its officers or employees liable for any activity.

Each signature attests to the signer having read, understood and signer's agreement with the terms of this agreement.

Signatures:

____________________________________________Date______________ ___ (Parent/Guardian) Signature

____________________________________________Date______________ ___ (Parent/Guardian) Signature

____________________________________________Date______________ ___
(Teen)