Theme:  Experiencing Healthy Intimacy

Thursday

8:30 AM - Parent Breakfast (CALO Conference Room)

     Please join us for a hot breakfast in the conference room with other parents as we discuss the retreat

9:00 AM - Parent Seminar – Landon (CALO Conference Room)

     Persogenics: recognizing, appreciating, & embracing differences

10:15 AM – CALO Staff & Students Depart  

Caleb, coaches and students leave CALO for Windermere in CALO bus

10:30 AM – Pack, Gather and Load  

 Parents, clinical, & leadership staff load gear in vans and personal vehicles

10:45 AM – Travel to Windermere

11:45 AM – Arrival & Briefing

   Briefing in the multi-purpose building

12:15 PM – Check-In

   Families check-in to lodging units

12:45 PM – Lunch

1:15 PM – Therapy Activity

2:45 PM – Family Time

5:30 PM – Dinner

6:45 PM – Parent Support Groups

   6:45 PM – Student Activity

8:00 PM – Campfire

9:30 PM – Family Time

   Families together inside lodging units

10:00 PM – Lights Out

Friday

7:30 AM – Breakfast

8:15 AM – Briefing

8:45 AM – Family Therapeutic Activities

1:00PM – Check-Out

1:30PM – Lunch

2:00PM – Slide Show, Feedback, End

2:45PM – Load Up 

Parents, students and coaches on bus and personal vehicles

3:15 PM – Departure

Parents and students not returning to CALO leave Windermere

CALO bus leaves with students, staff and parents returning to CALO

 Lodging Information

Family Lodging Unit

• 3 beds in each unit (1 full size mattress and 2 bunk beds)
• Running water
• Restrooms
• Showers
• Electrical outlets
• All guests must provide their own linens—sheets, pillows, blanket, sleeping bag, etc.

Clothing/Gear List

• Hat/Beanie
• Sweatshirt
• Rain jacket
• T-shirts
• Shorts
• Socks/Shoes
• Sandals
• Underwear
• Long pants
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant
• Lip balm
• Toiletries
• Flashlight
• Wet wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Appropriate Swimsuit
  • Women—conservative one piece
  • Men—conservative
• Towels
  
  • Bath
    
  • Face
  • Water activity
• Bedding
  • Pillow
  • Sleeping bag and/or sheets/blankets
• Sleeping attire
• Camera (confidentiality restrictions)
  • Only pictures of your student and/or staff (no other pictures of students)
    
• No pocket knives
  
• No weapons, fireworks, matches, etc.

CALO doesn’t enroll students into our program, we enroll families. The family is an integral part of the treatment and healing process for all our students. As the primary attachment figures our parents/guardians play an active role in the treatment team and their child’s progress. At CALO, we strongly encourage our families to be on our campus at least every 6-8 weeks (more if possible and clinically appropriate) for individual family coaching visits. During these visits, as well as during family therapy sessions, family relationships and parenting are directly coached. Families are interactive in our milieu and participate in many of our experiential activities such as recreation therapy and canine training/therapy. Our leadership team, our therapists and our residential coaches are all part of this process. Attachment parenting is modeled and parents are directly coached on how to utilize and implement therapeutic touch, coaching and rhythm control in the home as it is utilized within the CALO program. Our campus is open to our families during “family time” and we invite our families to participate in their child’s treatment and healing process.

Family time is from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM Monday thru Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Families are welcomed and encouraged to be on campus during these times. These times are set in such a way that we respect our students’ privacy in the morning hours as they are preparing for their day and in the evening hours as they are settling down and preparing for bed. The clinical staff and support staff at CALO are prepared to offer assistance to parents during these times.

As you consider placement for your child consider the active role you will play in this process. At CALO, playing an active role is an expectation of all of our families.

We recently returned from what we have been referring to as our 100 mile bike ride.  Our goal on this trip was to push students outside their comfort zones and squeeze them to find out what was inside.  We were incredibly impressed with the positive attitudes and good team work demonstrated by our students.  While only a handful of students were actually able to complete the full 100 miles, every single student gave this challenge all that they had and they worked hard.  During this trip we introduced a concept of “Work Hard, Play Hard.”  I have seldom seen a group of students grasp a concept so quickly and naturally.  While riding bikes our students worked and pushed themselves beyond their limits.  Once we arrived at camp the majority of the students were helpful and happy and played like little kids at a playground.  It helped that we actually were camping in play grounds along the way.  Multiple staff talked about how they were impressed with so many of the interactions and ability our students have to form sincere and enduring relationships.  The following is a quote from one of the coaches who lead a group of boys who named their team “Humble Gumble.”

“Humble Gumble as a group made sure that this experience was about the process and not the task. More...

For months our students have been talking about the growth zone during recreational therapy.  The growth zone is an uncomfortable, progress inspiring place just outside the comfort zone, and right before the danger zone.  Students have had the privilege to feel the growth zone during physical activities such as the mile run.  As they race around the track trying to beat their best time it is tempting to stop once your lungs start burning and your legs get tired.  The truth is that if you don’t push through that discomfort, you will never build the physical tolerance needed to improve. 

Sometimes growth hurts a little bit, and that is a good thing.  Therapy follows a similar pattern.  It is comfortable to sit in an office with your therapist and talk about superficial topics that require little vulnerability.  Unfortunately this will never help you come to a greater understanding of who you are, and what you are worth.  The process of trusting another human being with your sincerest fears and opinions can be quite terrifying.  It hurts to take that kind of emotional risk.  Again, the wonderful truth is that if you will push through that discomfort and take those emotion risks with safe individuals, you will build the emotional tolerance to improve and increase your own self worth.

We are very excited to announce the upcoming parent retreat on May 13^th – 14^th.  During this retreat families will have opportunities to explore their own growth zones and discover opportunities to strengthen and build relationships through experiential therapy.  We invite all parents of current students to plan on attending our first ever parent retreat and experience the increased intimacy within a family that comes from spending time and working together.  We hope to accomplish great things during this two day retreat and look forward to seeing you there.

Two months ago CALO students were given the challenge to do something difficult; to be totally selfless and invested in the well being of someone in need. Throughout the holiday season they spent their recreational therapy time planning different activities to benefit people in need.

 After much discussion our girls decided to sponsor 15 children without families at the Evangelical Children’s Home (ECH) in St. Louis.  They chose to work with these children because of the similar pasts they shared and the connection they felt.  They could relate to some of the feelings and emotions that accompanied their circumstances.  Through the organizational efforts of numerous service projects, and with the support of many families, friends and community members, our girls raised enough money to purchase 15 duffel bags and fill each one of them with gifts, clothing, treats and supplies to bless the lives of these children in need. Tears were shed and stories were exchanged as we traveled to ECH and delivered our care packages. 

 Our boys also wanted to serve a group of kids that they could relate to.  They worked hard to purchase entertainment materials for the children at the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home in St. Louis.  After holding a raffle drawing, shoveling snow from driveways, and requesting the support from family members and local community members, our boys were able to replace televisions and purchase Rock Band and other Wii accessories for foster children who had been taken out of unsafe living situations and were living in a full lock down facility waiting for the state to find safe opportunities for them to succeed.  It was truly amazing and inspiring to watch our young men interact and spend time with others.  The selflessness of their service was evident as they helped kids in desperate and cheerless situations forget about their pain and sadness for just a few short hours. More...

Parents,

Get your calendars out because I am pleased to announce our 2010 New Parent Orientation and Parent Seminar schedule. 2010 will mark the third consecutive year CALO has hosted these opportunities for parents and once again we feel like we have an attractive schedule. We know most of you need plenty of advance notice in order to make arrangements to join us so we wanted to put these dates in front of you now.

On each of the dates below we offer a New Parent Orientation which runs from 12:30 - 2:00 PM in our conference room. This is typically designed for newer parents but all parents are welcome, especially those wanting reminders or a "tune-up." Parents are encouraged to get lunch from our cafeteria between 12:15-12:25 PM before joining us for this lunch and learn where you will learn more about our model, how to work with your therapist, how to navigate your journey through residential treatment at CALO, typical cycles your student will experience during treatment, and be introduced to our Aftercare and Transition program opportunities. This is also a great time to mingle with other parents.

Our Parent Seminar is designed for all parents of CALO students and is scheduled from 2:30 - 4:00 PM in the conference room. Parents are engaged in interactive learning experiences and dialogue to facilitate insight and greater family connection. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Winter * Friday February 12th * Canines - Creating Insight, Empathy, and Attachment

This seminar, headed up by Jeanna Osborn, our Canine Program Supervisor, and Rob Gent, our Assistant Clinical Director is going to walk parents through the updated aspects of our canine program, teach parents how to leverage the canine-human relationship, and help parents better understand the amazing metaphors which create insight, empathy and attachment.

Spring * Thursday May 13th * Setting and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries

This seminar is going to be run by two skilled therapists, Dr. Christy Jones and Yvonne Garton, who understand the importance of parents setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. The focus will be aimed to empower parents to recognize who, when, how, and where to set loving limits. Note: This seminar is scheduled to be connected to an off-campus parent retreat opportunity which will provide interactive experiences with your student.

Summer * Thursday September 16th * Persogenics - Recognizing, Appreciating, and Embracing Differences

Have you ever hit a wall of frustration in trying to communicate and connect with your spouse, teen, or others? This seminar is designed to entertain and educate parents to greater awareness of personality styles and empower parents to better recognize, appreciate and embrace differences with people. Landon Kirk, our Clinical Director will lead this seminar. Note: This seminar is scheduled to be connected to an off-campus parent retreat opportunity which will provide interactive experiences with your student

Fall * Wednesday November 24th * Parenting 101 - For Teens

Typically CALO has tremendous parental support and involvement. Most parents are doing their very best to set their child up for success for life after CALO. In this seminar, led by Dr. Ken Huey, our CEO, parents will be treated to informative skills to better parent their student now and after CALO. 

There is an old Chinese Proverb that says, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a meal, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."  Over the past six weeks in recreational therapy CALO students have been doing just that, fishing.  After learning the basic principles of standard real casting techniques, CALO students broke out the waders and the fly rods and have been learning how to fly fish.  It has been an incredibly frustrating experience for both staff and students.  A great deal of time has been spent untying knots that were miraculously created while learning the overhead and roll casts.  Hooks have snuck their way into the most difficult and hard to reach places snagging branches high in the trees and deep underwater.  Hooks have also managed to sneak into the fingertips of a couple of unsuspecting students. Throughout this learning process students have learned about fishing, and also about trust.

Trust is a concept that is scary to many of our students.  More...

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense organization established in 1972. Its mission is to gain and maintain employer support that seeks to promote a culture in which all American Employers support and value the military service of their employees.

In this environment, civilian employers play a critical role in the defense of the nation by complying with existing employment laws protecting the rights of workers who serve in the Reserve component.

CALO was nominated by Missouri National Guardsman, Ross Reinhart to receive an ESGR Above and Beyond Award in recognition of extraordinary support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Ross joined CALO on New Years Eve in 2007 and is currently serving in Iraq. 

 On Friday, 8/14 CALO was honored at ESGR’s annual awards banquet held in Jefferson City, Missouri.  Employer recipients from the State of Missouri gathered for the affair.  It was a beautiful evening and an honor to accept the award.  This is the second year that CALO has received an award from ESGR and we will continue to support staff and families of those who serve in all branches of the military.   

Being a teenage girl is as difficult today as it ever was.  Our girls are bombarded by T.V., the media, advertising, and peer pressure on a daily basis.  Every adolescent girl should have a positive, female role-model to turn to. For example: a mother, aunt, older sister, or neighbor.  Unfortunately, this support network is not available to all adolescent girls for a variety of reasons. With this in mind, CALO Academics is happy to announce the start of the Women’s Summit Series. Once per month on Wednesdays, positive female role models from the lake area and beyond will address our girls in a lecture series devoted to Women’s issues. Topics may include: Women Writers, Women in Art, Suffrage, Women in Business, Careers, Domestic Violence, Abstinence, Women’s health issues, Women in History, Rosie the Riveter, Women in Music, India and Infanticide and Girlhood- age 6-16.

Susan Brown, president of Four Seasons resorts, led the Women’s Summit Series addressing the girls in mid-April. She shared personal stories related to her grandfather’s struggles during the Great Depression, her career rise at Four Seasons, and the challenges of balancing being not only a mother and wife, but a business woman as well. As a follow-up to her visit, Susan has invited our girls to Four Seasons for a tour, a meeting with the personnel director, and an ice-cream social.  For more information, please contact Wayne Juliano - Academic Director, 573-746-0623.