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Bringing the Expedition Home: Incorporating Good Food and Exercise into your Family's Routine
by Catherine Freer Clinical Director Kevin Riley, LCSW, CADC

There comes a point on every Catherine Freer expedition, usually in the second week, when the young people start looking different. Our staff refers to it as the "spark" or "signs of life" or "seeing the light in your eye." The kids just call it "feeling happy." And as much as we would like to take full credit for creating this feeling through cutting edge programming and brilliant therapy, I am convinced that more than half of the credit should be given to the very basics of what the kids are doing physically and putting into their bodies on a daily basis. These are usually big changes from that to which they are accustomed.

First of all, the participants typically sleep 8-10 hours a night during the expedition. Most researchers recommend that adolescents sleep 8-9.5 hours, an amount that is not usually attained given late nights on chat rooms and early school starts. Second, the groups hike on most days in the morning and the afternoon. The physical exertion varies day-to-day depending on the itinerary and terrain but it is safe to say that it far exceeds a Saturday watching television or playing with an Xbox. Exercise produces endorphins, the bodies "natural anti-depressant", and may positively affect the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters.

Young people eat very differently during an expedition than they typically do at home. They choose from a variety of less "processed" foods like beans and rice, and whole grains like oatmeal. And they learn to make the food taste good without deep-frying or adding lots of sugar. There is considerable evidence linking highly fluctuating blood sugar levels with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Blood sugar levels become unstable not only with the intake of refined sugar but also with highly processed, high carbohydrate foods like white bread and some types of pasta.

Expedition participants drink very differently, as well. Along with missing their fruit loops and donuts in the morning, many kids often complain about not getting grande lattes and caramel macchiatos. Needless to say, anxious young people who have trouble getting to sleep do not benefit from their Starbucks runs and Mountain Dew binges. Being without caffeine allows their bodies to readjust to natural cycles of energy and attention. Moreover, excessive caffeine intake may interfere with the efficacy of anti-depressant medication.

On the other hand, insufficient water intake can contribute to mood disorders like depression and anxiety, create low energy and make weight loss more difficult. Staff on the expeditions are continually reminding the kids to drink water and there are expectations for minimum consumption while hiking. Often it becomes a joke on the expedition. Sore muscles? Drink water! Tired? Drink water! Attacked by a bear? Drink water!

Most interesting to us is a study that was recently published by the University of Illinois that demonstrated a reduction of ADHD symptoms by young people who were exposed to "natural settings" on a regular basis. Even 30 minutes a day on a green lawn or a city park was beneficial for children who suffer from ADHD. Imagine what 24 hours in old growth forest and panoramic vistas does for a young person struggling with ADHD.

Eventually, however, participants on a Catherine Freer expedition must leave the woods and return to more "civilized" setting. Unfortunately, it is not possible for most kids to continue with six hours a day of hiking. And at home, parents have much less control over what their children eat and drink throughout the day. That "relapse" or falling back into old behaviors and attitudes that you experience may have just as much to do with sugar and inactivity as anything else.

There are some steps that families can take at home to capitalize on the expedition experience help make lasting, positive changes in behavioral habits:

Check out your own kitchen - Take a look in the fridge and on the dinner table. Does your family eat a lot of fast food and sugary sweets? Ask your child to demonstrate a meal he/she made on the expedition. Can you organize a more regular family dinnertime at a table that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other "good for you" foods?

Include these changes in your recovery plan - Along with not seeing negative friends and attending counseling sessions, all young people leaving Catherine Freer should make specific commitments about how they are going to get exercise and good food. Families can follow up on these commitments when behavior starts to change.

Make it easy to exercise - Membership to a gym, rides to activities, or a new bike are some ways that family can support a young person continuing to get physical exercise.

Get outside! - Even a walk in the park or throwing Frisbee in the yard is helpful. If you are up for it, go hiking or camping and let your child teach you some of what he or she has learned.

Making real change is hard and some parents may wonder why they have to give up Twinkies just because their kid got in trouble. It helps to remember the look in their eye at the end family meeting when you knew something was different, something had changed, and how you can bring home some of the expedition experience to your home.

Kevin Riley, LCSW, CADC, has worked with adolescents and families for 10 years in many arenas including tutoring and mentoring in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, adolescent service trips to Nicaragua, and working as a family therapist in Seattle. Kevin began working with Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs in 2000. He spent two years as an expedition therapist before taking his current position as a clinical director. He received his MSW from the University of Washington. His clinical areas of interest include group therapy, family systems, and adolescent rites-of-passage.



Internet - Resource or Danger to a Child in Recovery
By Brian J. Bulemore, MA, CADC III, WFR

Not too long ago, checking up on your child often meant making sure your child was home on time and limiting his or her time on the phone that was plugged into the wall. In these days of lightning-fast technological advancements, keeping up with the myriad of ways kids are communicating can be difficult, even overwhelming, for parents.

The Internet and its monumental growth and place within our culture has spawned technologies such as chat rooms, instant messaging services, music downloading, file sharing programs, online journals (weblogs or "blogs"), and online social communities. The Internet has all of the characteristics of a virtual city or community-libraries, entertainment, arts, government, commerce, and great places to visit. And, like most cities, it also has places and people that one needs to be cautious and wary about.

Much of these new technologies are great tools that a large majority of people use in healthy and productive ways and are a significant improvement towards making people's lives easier and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, like anything else, these tools--when combined with less-than-healthy intent--can be put to negative uses, sometimes with very damaging results.

Adolescents who are struggling with issues such as addiction, low self-esteem, codependency, criminal behaviors, and unhealthy social relationships are at particular risk for using these technologies in ways that can place them at risk and can lead to increased problems and dangerous situations. For example, those with criminal or predatory intentions can target online social networks and teenagers may unwittingly reveal information about themselves or family members, which could result in either physical dangers or financial exploitation. Moreover, Internet gambling and sports-betting is also becoming more common among teenager computer users.

One particular site, MySpace.com, is estimated to have over 60 million members and is growing quickly, reportedly getting more "hits" per day than the popular search engine Google. There have been widespread reports of negative uses for this site, including things such as spreading negative rumors and engaging in threats and online "bullying" to increasing networks of substance abuse connections and drug dealing. Instant messaging services can be used in similar ways as can cell phones and text messages, offering a quick and "low-profile" way of communicating, often right under the noses of parents.

While these dangers are certainly real and of a serious nature, problems and negative issues can arise that are far less publicized. For a child newly entering recovery or a family attempting to foster and maintain healthy communication and improved behaviors in their child, these technologies can sometimes be a source of danger, putting stress on newly gained and untested recovery and relapse prevention efforts.

It is important for parents to be aware and to be monitoring their child's communication with others and to be active and involved in speaking about these issues. The approach of "Johnny's been on the Internet in his room for the past five hours without us checking on him" is definitely a recipe for relapse. Often we have had parents who have discovered that their child has used technologies like instant messaging, text messages, and online chat rooms in very negative ways. Specific structure and precautions in these areas will be helpful in increasing your teens chances of successfully maintaining positive changes following treatment or while in treatment.

Often teenagers will be resistant to parents being involved in this aspect of their lives, citing their "right to privacy". It is true that adolescence is a time of exploration and teenagers benefit from having some appropriate degrees of trust and autonomy; it is important to remember that limits and boundaries are necessary in this area in much the same way parents have specific rules around more tangible things such as curfew, schoolwork, peer relationships, etc. This, again, can be particularly important for those who are dealing with chemical dependency and various other issues associated with early recovery. A child in this position needs a parent to take a firm stance in this area and to have consistent involvement and dialogue. This can be a prime opportunity to practice communication skills and to engage in a healthy parenting relationship with your child.

A specific and consistent family agreement that applies appropriately to all children in the family will be very useful in structuring your child's time and use of the Internet. It is important to talk about trust and how it is a privilege (rather than an automatic expectation), which needs to be consistently maintained and demonstrated. This is especially true if your child has engaged in negative choices in the past-trust is slowly regained by your child showing success in following your rules. When you feel confident that your child has proven herself, additional privileges and trust can be given.

Here are some basic suggested guidelines that can help families create a healthy relationship with the Internet and other forms of technology.

  1. Talk with your children about these issues. Stay aware and interested in their exposure to new technology and take time to learn along with them. Be frank and open and let your child know that you are putting effort into this area and that it is motivated by love and caring, rather than a lack of faith.

  2. Understand the controls on your computer and Internet browsing software. Many systems and programs come with parental control settings as a standard feature. There are also ways of monitoring and checking the history of what sites and areas of the Internet have been visited by your child.

  3. Be reasonable and set reasonable expectations. Try to understand their needs, interests, and curiosity. Remember what it was like when you were their age to be curious and believing that you could "handle anything".

  4. Place your family computer in a "public" space in the household. This allows basic monitoring of your child's activities while online and be clear with them as to why this is important for the well-being of the family.

  5. Be open with your teens and encourage them to come to you if they encounter a problem online. If they tell you about someone or something they encountered, your first response should not be to blame them or take away their Internet privileges. Work with them to help them avoid problems in the future, and remember--how you respond will determine whether they confide in you the next time they encounter a problem and how they learn to deal with problems on their own.

  6. Investigate and research computer program software that rate web sites for content as well as those programs that allow parents to block the types of sites they consider to be inappropriate. Generally these programs can be configured by the parent to block only the types of sites that the parent considers to be objectionable. Blocking sites, preventing certain types of information to be entered, and keeping teens away from chat rooms or from e-mailing to certain addresses are all precautions that can be taken. Whether or not it is appropriate to use one of these programs is a personal decision. You'll probably need to explain to your teen why you feel this step is necessary. It is important to realize that filtering programs cannot protect your child from all dangers that may be found online. Remember, filtering programs is not a substitute for good judgment or critical thinking.

  7. Cellular phones often have many functions that can be utilized by parents to monitor and control activity. Family plans and limits on usable minutes and features can be important steps to providing structure in this area. Additionally, parents can utilize this to model healthy and considerate cell phone behaviors, such as appropriate times to answer and engage in conversations.

With or without filters, kids and their parents need to be Internet savvy and have good "online awareness". There is no substitute for regular connection and conversation about these issues. Many teens are often relieved that their parents are taking these steps and are actively helping them navigate many of the confusing things that can happen during adolescence (although it may be hard to get them to admit this!).

Families that are willing to discuss and tackle difficult topics such as this, before problems arise, will be better prepared to meet crises and issues that arise in your child's life and his or her use of technology.

Brian J. Bulemore, MA, WFR, CADC III
Brain began working as a lead field therapist for Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs in 2001 and moved into the role of supervising therapist two years later. Prior to coming to work at Catherine Freer, Brian worked as a therapist in a group private practice in Kalamazoo, Mich., treating adult and adolescent populations dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues. Brian earned his master's degree in counseling psychology from Western Michigan University in 1999. Brian's interests include caving, fly fishing, rock-climbing, skiing, reading, and music.