Catherine Freer News

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• Catherine Freer Namesake Featured in Rock and Ice Magazine

  ALBANY, Ore. (Sept. 30, 2009) - The September issue of Rock and Ice Magazine features an article on Catherine Freer, the namesake of Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs, a company that provides therapeutic wilderness experiences to struggling adolescents.

  The author of the climbing magazine article, Rock and Ice executive editor Alison Osius, reflects on Freer's experiences and that in the 1980s she was recognized as one of the top female climbers in the country.

  Robert Cooley, Ph. D., planned to open a wilderness therapy program with Freer. This didn't come to fruition as she and her climbing partner died when a snow cornice they were apparently camped on collapsed and they fell 5,000 feet, leaving their tent dangling from the edge.

  Cooley went on to create an adolescent treatment program and named it after his friend and muse. Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs was established in 1988 and since that time the program has helped thousands of teenagers find sources of internal strength and to use that strength to addresses the issues that are causing them to struggle.

  "Catherine would have been the ideal wilderness treatment guide: a rock of strength, a model survivor of a hard life, warm and tender and accessible, incredibly physically competent and also emotionally aware and mature. She would have saved some kids by sheer force of personality, becoming a central beacon in their lives," Cooley explains.

  About Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs
  Catherine Freer operates wilderness therapy programs for at-risk youth. Each week, three staff members along with up to eight adolescent participants depart Albany for a wilderness therapy backpacking expedition. One staff member is a master's level therapist. During the expedition the adolescents' hike daily, participate in individual and group therapy, and learn new tools and healthy coping mechanisms for addressing emotional and behavioral issues.

  Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs serves approximately 300 adolescents annually. The employee owned and operated company was founded in 1988 and is licensed by the State of Oregon as both a substance abuse and mental health treatment program. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHCO) accredits the program.

  The company also operates Santiam Crossing, an outdoor therapeutic school and Oregon Transition Homes. For more information, please visit the web site at http://www.cfreer.com or call (800) 390-3983.

• Catherine Freer Announces Opportunity for Struggling Adolescent Girls

  ALBANY, Ore. (May 13, 2009) - Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs announced they are running two all-female wilderness therapy expeditions this summer. The expedition dates are June 21 and August 2.

  The all-female expeditions are designed for at-risk young women ages 13 to 18. The backpacking expedition focuses on issues specifically relevant to young women today such as body image, creating healthy boundaries, trust building, and how to develop healthy relationships. The expedition is led by three female staff, including a master's level therapist with drug and alcohol counseling, who resides in the field with participants for the entire expedition, not just two days a week which is the industry standard.

  The expeditions involve extensive individual and group therapy and substance abuse counseling. The girls will engage in activities such as backpacking, yoga, and meditation in order to build a strong sense of physical and mental health. They will participate in a three-day solo experience designed to allow them to practice the self-care skills they have learned and to give them time to reflect and process their emotional growth.

  About Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs
  Since1988, Catherine Freer's wilderness therapy programs have given thousands of at-risk youth the tools necessary to address the issues causing them to struggle. The Albany, Ore., based company operates 21 and 51-day wilderness therapy expeditions, Santiam Crossing, an outdoor therapeutic school, and Oregon Transition Homes. Licensed by the state of Oregon as a substance abuse and mental health treatment program, Catherine Freer Wilderness is also accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. For more information, please visit the web site at http://www.cfreer.com or call (800) 390-3983.

• Santiam Crossing Offers Adventure Summer School

  SCIO, Ore. (May 15, 2009) -This summer, Santiam Crossing School is offering an option to parents who have a child requiring credit recovery. Instead of having adolescents sit in summer school, parents may choose to send them to Santiam Crossing's Adventure Summer School, which combines experimental academics, outdoor adventure activities, leadership, and personal development training.

  Mother Nature has created the classroom for Santiam's Adventure Summer School. Students will be setting up camp in a variety of regions in Oregon including the coast, high desert, and the forests of the Cascade Mountains. Here they will be immersed in various outdoor adventure activities including surfing, climbing, and mountain biking. Academics as well as leadership and personal development trainings will be woven in with the adventure activities creating an experiential learning environment.

  During the four-week program each student will complete the requirements for .5 credits in each of the following subjects: Reading and Writing, Oregon Ecosystems, Personal Health, and Physical Education. Santiam Crossing School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and all credits are transferable.

  The summer school program is designed for high school students looking for a challenging and exciting summer experience and the opportunity to obtain academic credit. The program is not appropriate for students with behavioral or drug and alcohol issues. Santiam Crossing School does offer alternative services for this population.

  For more information on Santiam Crossing's Adventure Summer School contact Sarah Mack at 541-928-2749 or visit the web site at www.santiamcrossing.com/summerprogram.html

  About Santiam Crossing School
  Santiam Crossing is a therapeutic boarding school for struggling adolescents ages 13 to 18 that have completed a therapeutic wilderness program. The school offers academic credit recovery, is clinically intensive, has a strong family component, and an outdoor adventure curriculum. Here students can resume academic study while continuing to build on their treatment gains. The school's mission is to engage the whole child in an individualized program that addresses emotional needs, learning styles, academic history, and adolescent development.

  To learn more about Santiam Crossing visit their web site at www.santiamcrossing.com or call (800) 390-3983.

  About Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs
  As an employee owned and operated company, Catherine Freer Therapeutic Wilderness Programs has been providing adolescent treatment programs since 1988. The Albany, Oregon, based company operates wilderness therapy expeditions, Santiam Crossing School and Oregon Transition Homes. Licensed by the state of Oregon as both a substance abuse and mental health treatment program, Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. For more information, please visit the web site at www.cfreer.com or call (800) 390-3983.

• Freer Receives Governor's Award

  ALBANY, Ore. (Sept. 22, 2008) - Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs is the regional winner of the 2008 Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards in the Outstanding Youth Volunteer Program category.

  "Your volunteer service is an inspiration to others and exemplifies the very heart of our state. Thank you for all that you do to support Oregon's communities," said Oregon Volunteers! Volunteerism Coordinator Kate Budd.

  Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs was nominated by the Middle Fork Ranger District for their more than twenty years of service in Willamette National Forest. This year alone, Catherine Freer's adolescent participants and staff helped to develop a mountain bike trail, build a bridge, assisted with trail maintenance, stocked cross country ski shelters with firewood and worked on a number of other recreation projects.

  The Oregon Governor's Volunteer Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their dedication, commitment and determination in promoting and supporting volunteerism throughout Oregon with the purpose of inspiring individuals to make a positive difference and strengthening Oregon communities.

  "Service learning is a powerful component of our wilderness therapy program. We believe that participation in service learning helps young people make meaningful contributions to the environment and to their community. This then becomes an important as part of their recovery," explained Robert Cooley, Ph.D., Catherine Freer executive director.

  Catherine Freer operates wilderness therapy programs for at-risk youth. Each week, three staff members along with up to eight adolescent participants depart Albany for a wilderness therapy backpacking expedition. One staff member is a master's level therapist. During the expedition the adolescents' hike daily, participate in individual and group therapy, and learn new tools and healthy coping mechanisms for addressing emotional and behavioral issues.

  Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs serves approximately 350 adolescents annually. The employee owned and operated company was founded in 1988 and is licensed by the State of Oregon as both a substance abuse and mental health treatment program. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHCO) accredits the program.

  The company also operates Santiam Crossing, an outdoor therapeutic school and Oregon Transition Homes. For more information, please visit the web site at www.cfreer.com or call (800) 390-3983.

• Certified Alcohol Drug Counselors Abound at Freer

  We are pleased to announce that ten Catherine Freer staff members recently received their Certified Alcohol Drug Counselors (CADC) certification. To obtain a CADC certification one must have 150 hours of alcohol and drug education, take part in 1000 hours of supervised experience in addiction counselor competencies, and pass an exam. All Catherine Freer field staff are required to be working towards their CADC. Learn more about Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs at http://www.cfreer.com.

• OTH Taking Home the Ribbons

  The girls enrolled in Oregon Transition Homes (OTH) recently came away from the local County Fair with almost too many ribbons to count. The girls brought home ribbons for junior gardening, best no bake cookie, water melon eating, the busiest baker and more. OTH is designed for adolescents ages 13 to 18 that have completed a wilderness therapy program. These youth want to make healthy and appropriate changes, but still require support. If they returned directly to their home community it is unlikely that they would make appropriate behavioral changes. Oregon Transition Homes provide participants with the opportunity to live in an emotionally safe, highly structured, home-like environment. Adolescents benefit from living in a home where there are clear and consistent rules and expectations. To learn more visit http://www.oregontransitionhomes.com.

• Santiam Crossing Enhances Parent Services

  Now Offering Coaching Santiam parents will participate in three parent coaching sessions upon their child's enrollment. On these calls parents will learn how to become fully engaged in their child's treatment and discover how to best support their child. The certified coaches will also help prepare parents for their first on-campus visit with their child. We are partnering with Next Step for Success to provide the coaching. Learn more about Santiam Crossings parent program including the monthly parent weekend at http://www.santiamcrossing.com. Learn more about Next Step for Success at http://www.nextstepforsuccess.com.

• Taking Group Therapy Way Off the Beaten Path

  (April 2008) - University of Pennsylvania's alumni magazine recently featured an article entitled Into the Woods - Taking group therapy way off the beaten path, written by Catherine Freer's Coordinating Therapist Amy Cirincione, LSW, CADC-I, WRF. This article is an outstanding first-hand account of the value of wilderness therapy and is a great reference for parents who are considering a wilderness therapy program for their child. You can read the article at http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0308/elsewhere.html

• Santiam Crossing Turns Out Firefighters

  (April 2008) - Fire suppression techniques and wildland fire behavior are all part of the Introduction to Wildland Firefighting course being offered at Santiam Crossing School. Upon completing the class, led by two retired firefighters, students will receive a certification that makes them eligible to apply for forest firefighting jobs. In addition, students will earn academic credits for taking part in the class. This is just one example of the creative experiential curriculum at Santiam Crossing. Also planned this summer is a swiftwater rescue course, where the students will receive certification. To learn more about Santiam Crossing School at http://www.santiamcrossing.com.

• It's A Wrap

  (Dec. 2007) - Catherine Freer and a German television film crew recently completed filming a documentary which will air in Germany this spring. Eight German adolescents, three German speaking Freer staff, including a therapist, along with an extensive film crew set off on a 54-day wilderness therapy expedition. The first 21-days of the expedition were spent backpacking and the emphasis was on self-reflection. During the second phase, additional peer interaction was initiated and group work began. Group activities included rafting, horseback riding, climbing and service work.