SUWS of Idaho is one of the longest running wilderness programs in the private, parent choice network of emotional growth/therapeutic schools and programs. For over 30 years, this program has been impacting the lives of troubled adolescents; breaking through the emotional barriers and allowing youth and adolescents the chance to gain tools to build strong foundations of hope for their futures.

We arrived on campus at 9am, realizing that the warm summer temperatures would soon be approaching and we would be visiting a group of students, close to high noon. We met with Executive Director, Kathy Rex, who has successfully run SUWS for 10 of the program's 30+ year history, and her team of therapists. They introduced themselves, each of their roles and some of the breakthroughs they've seen in the current groups in the field.

One thing Kathy stressed during our visit is that SUWS wilderness programs excel at addressing the underlying cause of negative, unhealthy behaviors and working through impasses brought about by internal struggles, rather than confronting outward behaviors only. Common behaviors, symptoms, and diagnoses that manifest negative feelings and beliefs include anger, defiance, manipulation, grief/ loss, failing in school, rebellion, generally being out-of-control, poor impulse control, drug/ alcohol use, and/or running away. In addition symptoms and diagnoses may include low self-esteem, ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders and/or attachment difficulties.

After our meeting in the office at headquarters we drove out to rendezvous with a group of adolescent girls. When we arrived, the girls had come out of their camp to circle up with us on the desert floor. It was quite a contrast, as we showed up looking all fresh and summery while the girls were desert worn with their long sleeve shirts and pants, sun hats and bottles of water. Their time on the trail was well-documented in their appearance, being covered in trail dust.

We sat and talked for a bit, each of us introducing ourselves, where we came from, how old we were, something we liked about the desert and something most people didn't know about us. As is common in the early days of SUWS, the girls who had just arrived within a week or so wouldn't make eye contact. They just started at the ground and said the bare minimum about themselves. They were negative about life in general but also about being nowhere in the desert. Those who had been there longer, though, were grateful for the peacefulness of the desert, for the beauty they experienced at sunrise, for the quietness and the lack of technology and distraction. All the girls agreed that the camaraderie was a bonus and the staff treated them very well. Most even admitted to discovering themselves in the desert and that it truly was a healing experience.

The day we visited SUWS was one of the hottest days I've ever experienced. The SUWS staff demonstrated their proficiency in managing their clients, with Mother Nature being a key piece of daily living in an outdoor treatment program. At 111 degrees Fahrenheit with wildfires in the surrounding area, it was truly impressive to witness the level of communication and planning capabilities of the staff. SUWS had logistics well in hand and fully planned out to keep both staff and students safe and well cared for. Field staff was aware of any changes in weather and adjusted the group's agenda accordingly. For example, one of the many regulations SUWS follows is when temperatures reach 90 degrees in summer, they stop hiking. Obviously they were on hiking restrictions the day we visited. Each group was settled in at their designated campsite, shaded in an area with two evacuation routes mapped out for each group of students.

Every day the students at SUWS have time for personal hygiene. They brush their teeth and clean off. Two days a week they are stationed at a campsite, where their days include structured therapy for individual and group sessions. They engage in hands-on therapeutic activities such as ropes course initiatives, equine therapy and service projects. They also work on primitive skills such as trap building and bow drilling (rubbing two pieces of wood together to create fire). During this time they may also enjoy a few minutes of free time to do laundry, write letters, play games and take a well-deserved shower. Every other week that shower is at base camp (office headquarters) where students come to work on ropes course initiatives or equine activities and take real running water showers.

At SUWS , the average length of stay for adolescents is six to eight weeks. Youth typically stay from 45 days plus. Each child/adolescent also has the opportunity to participate in Family Camp around mid-way through their stay. At Family Camp, about 4-5 families come out to the field for a 5-day immersion experience reconnecting with their child and learning about the changes the child has worked through. This camp is designed to give families a chance to experience the wilderness elements in which their child is already fully immersed. Students and their parents are guided on the journey that addresses specific treatment themes, supports long-term planning and provides a clinically supervised opportunity to reconnect.

The SUWS program is not easy, neither physically or emotionally. The kids don't like it at first; they're dirty, they're tired; but every single girl we met with appreciated the program, the staff, and the experience. Most of them appreciated the rewards that come from this experience.