Spokane Mountain (L. Jay Mitchell and Dennis Thompson)

[Ursus]

Breaking News
Posted: Dec 21, 2009

Spokane Mountain
Elk, WA

Spokane Mountain Program Opens

Contact:
Beth Ragland
256-682-8690
Bethragland08@gmail.com

December 21, 2009

Spokane Mountain, a new addiction program for 18-28-year-old males, opened in December 2009. The program is a minimum seven-month stay and works with all types of addictions. Two accomplished veterans of the mental health industry, L. Jay Mitchell and Dennis Thompson, created Spokane Mountain. These individuals also created the SUWS Adolescent Program in the early 1980's, the longest-lived program of its kind in the U.S. with thousands of graduates. For several years SUWS and the Milam Recovery Center in Seattle, WA collaborated to create a residential treatment program for substance addictions. Mitchell has founded and directed two other programs, which have successfully and innovatively helped thousands of other young people and their families struggling with addictions of various kinds.

Spokane Mountain is the culmination of their combined 50 plus years in the industry. Recognizing that addiction consists of multiple complex factors, they have designed a program to use a plurality of interventions coherently combined under a common working framework called "Relationality". This framework allows Spokane Mountain to rationally integrate psychological, neuro-physiological, relational, and spiritual components. Essentially, it is an effort to accomplish the objectives of eclecticism without the inherent theoretical and practical inconsistencies of combining interventions from different psychological theories.

The 180-acre Spokane Mountain complex actually sits in the shadow of Spokane Mountain in Washington State. Only 50 minutes from the Spokane International Airport, the complex consists of a 7,500 square foot facility including an extensive work out gym and protein shake bar, a seven-acre swimming/boating/fishing lake, a 2,400 square foot shop with multiple tools for various projects, 10 acres of wild wetlands, 25 acres of pasture for horses, and acres of forestland full of hiking, biking, and running trails. The area is full of wildlife including moose, bear, deer, elk and mountain lion. The environment feels private and even remote while being only 30 minutes from Spokane, WA.

Spokane Mountain has master level therapists who not only provide one on one therapy and group therapy for residents, but they guide each resident through important programmatic components. Thompson and Mitchell have extensive background in wilderness therapy, and Spokane Mountain incorporates some of those elements in its "rite of passage" indigenous village, taking young men from victims of addiction to free agents. Additionally, under Thompson's tutelage residents will spend three months working on a creative project of their choosing based on their interests and innate talents. The project will encourage critical thinking and problem solving with stages of planning, preparation, execution and absolute completion. During this project period residents will experience living in small personal cabins, which collectively create an interactive community responsible for their environment and cooperative activities.

An important feature of Spokane Mountain consists of caring for the body, particularly the nervous system. Many residents experience discomfort and downright pain as they overcome compulsions to use substances or engage in addictive activities like pornography, computer games or codependent relationships. A nutritional and supplemental program is established for each resident to reduce their pain and cravings while building up their nervous system. This regimen can continue for life after they leave Spokane Mountain and make the transition from addiction to freedom less painful.

Spokane Mountain has taken important features of the 12-step program to encourage spirituality and quality relationships. Much of this takes place in the indigenous village, which is creatively designed as a challenging existential journey. Residents explore the "meaning" of their addictions while engaging in cognitive practices that decrease the conflict between the sober and the addicted self. Simultaneously, residents can discover spiritual connections, which are healing in and of themselves. Ultimately, Spokane Mountain works with each resident to discover purpose and meaning in life beyond the hedonistic objectives of comfort and sensation.


Copyright © 2009, Woodbury Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[Anonymous]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

[Ursus]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

You're looking at it from the wrong POV.

From a governmental and/or corporate perspective, it increases the window during which one can create -- through behavior modification -- a duly compliant and malleable citizen-consumer.  

[Anonymous]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

This is what I was going to post. Example, Psy who is hilariously the admin of this forum.

[Anonymous]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

You're looking at it from the wrong POV.

From a governmental and/or corporate perspective, it increases the window during which one can create -- through behavior modification -- a duly compliant and malleable citizen-consumer.  

The predictable 'the whole world is a program' fornits conspiracy theory. Lame, old and completely idiotic.

[Ursus]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

This is what I was going to post. Example, Psy who is hilariously the admin of this forum.

Is there some magic evolution that occurs the moment one turns 18? What exactly is that profound developmental difference between ages 17 and 18?

Fwiw, not that it makes any difference, but I was under the impression that he was signed up when he was 17.

Plenty of kids started program when they were 17. How come you don't rag on them?

[Ursus]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

You're looking at it from the wrong POV.

From a governmental and/or corporate perspective, it increases the window during which one can create -- through behavior modification -- a duly compliant and malleable citizen-consumer.  

The predictable 'the whole world is a program' fornits conspiracy theory. Lame, old and completely idiotic.

Lol. I wonder where that puts YOU, in the greater scheme of things!

[Anonymous]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

This is what I was going to post. Example, Psy who is hilariously the admin of this forum.

Is there some magic evolution that occurs the moment one turns 18? What exactly is that profound developmental difference between ages 17 and 18?

Fwiw, not that it makes any difference, but I was under the impression that he was signed up when he was 17.

Plenty of kids started program when they were 17. How come you don't rag on them?

There IS a magic legal thing that happens when someone turns 18. It means their parents can no longer forcibly send them to program. From midnight on their birthday, if they choose to enter a program it's because they choose to enter it. Psy could of walked away at any moment, he was there by his own decision, as is any adult who enters a treatment program.  You will lie to protect your leader, how sad for you.

[Ursus]

for 18-28-year-old males

If you're dumb enough to sign yourself into this shitpit, you deserve what you get.

This is what I was going to post. Example, Psy who is hilariously the admin of this forum.

Is there some magic evolution that occurs the moment one turns 18? What exactly is that profound developmental difference between ages 17 and 18?

Fwiw, not that it makes any difference, but I was under the impression that he was signed up when he was 17.

Plenty of kids started program when they were 17. How come you don't rag on them?

There IS a magic legal thing that happens when someone turns 18. It means their parents can no longer forcibly send them to program. From midnight on their birthday, if they choose to enter a program it's because they choose to enter it. Psy could of walked away at any moment, he was there by his own decision, as is any adult who enters a treatment program.  You will lie to protect your leader, how sad for you.

Legally he could have, but whether he had the psychological frame of mind to put that into perspective is a whole other story.

I asked for that "developmental difference," yet you merely cited a "magic legal thing." There is a difference.

Not everyone grows up at the same rate, which is something that you, with your superior intellect and stellar capacity for empathy, should know all too well.

[Ursus]

L. Jay Mitchell was founder or co-founder of Alldredge Academy (aka Ayne Institute, Alldredge Wilderness Journey, Alldredge Wilderness Program), SUWS, and Greenbrier Academy. A recent development of potential interest:

STICC Merges with Alldredge Family Foundation
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=29607[/list]

[Ursus]

Breaking News
Posted: May 21, 2010 18:48

Greenbrier Academy for Girls
Pence Springs, WV

Spokane Mtn Addiction Recovery
Elk, WA

LJ Mitchell and Dennis Thompson visit Woodbury Reports

Contact:
LJ Mitchell
Co-Owner/ Founder
President of Greenbrier Academy
304-445-7790
http://www.greenbrieracademy.com

Dennis Thompson
Co-Owner/Founder
435-691-3624
http://www.spokanemtn.com



LJ Mitchell and Dennis Thompson stopped by the Woodbury office for a visit after presenting at the 5th annual Northwest Get Together. The pair gave an impressive interpretation on utilizing music as metaphor. The presentation engaged all the participants experientially and showed how Dennis weaves music into metaphors to pass through new spiritual thresholds, while LJ observed and interpreted the interactions of the group. During the presentation, we broke into small groups and created our own rhythm all the while learning a powerful message about how we interpret ourselves, utilizing both the left and right hemispheres of our brains.

Dennis Thompson Co-Founder of Spokane Mountain, is a licensed substance abuse counselor. Dennis first worked with LJ Mitchell at SUWS in 1984. He became a key figure at SUWS, and is a master of primitive survival arts. Dennis wrote and implemented the first Wilderness Curriculum to receive credits in the U.S. and Canada. Dennis has lived with the Masai in Africa, the Bedouins in Jordan, the Kurds in Turkey, the Mexican fishermen in the Sea of Cortez, and the Aborigines of Australia. He and his wife work beyond traditional therapies and work with African Drumming, guitar, storytelling, permaculture gardening, working with draft horses, and working hands on with students in carpentry, drum, and Native American flutes.

L Jay Mitchell, Co-Founder of Spokane Mountain is a legend in program development, breaking barriers every step of the way. Initially, the founder of SUWS Wilderness program, perhaps the best known wilderness program in the country. He subsequently founded Alldredge Academy, and Greenbrier in West Virginia. Most recently, L Jay has teamed up with his colleague, Denis Thompson in founding Spokane Mountain, a substance abuse program for young adults, located in Washington. He is known as a person who gets outside the box and at the same time has an excellent grasp of traditional psychological theory. His work has led him to emphasize the role of spirituality and its healing powers. He felt the environment of a wilderness program is conducive to the close relationships found in small groups, and strengthens its influence on changing lives. A focus that L Jay has contributed deviates from the concept of the natural law format that requires empirical evidence describing all of human nature.

Greenbrier Academy is an all-girls’ therapeutic boarding school that integrates personal discovery, character development and academic excellence. Specifically designed to assist young women in their academic development and self confidence, Greenbrier Academy embodies the vision of a healthy campus for leaders of tomorrow.

Spokane Mountain is a private residential community for young men ages 18 to 28 that are exhibiting addictive behaviors. They are not an institution or a country club, but rather they combine sophisticated therapeutic interventions with three empowering contexts, The Stage Stop, The Village, and Independent Living Structures combined to form a rustic interdepedent community through a complete and authentic passage into adulthood.

For more information on either Greenbrier Academy or Spokane Mtn Addiction Recovery, contact Beth Ragland at 877-778-8422.


Copyright ©2010, Woodbury Reports, Inc.