SKYlights

SKYlights

By Open Sky Wilderness TherapySociety & CultureSports
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SKYlights episodes

  • Episode 35: Co-Parenting with a Child in Treatment
    It's a challenging time to be a kid and a challenging time to be a parent, and it's even more challenging to parent a child when there is conflict and discord in the parenting relationship.
    In this episode of the SKYlights Podcast, Senior Clinical Therapist Kirsten Bolt, MED, LMFT helps us understand the effects of parent conflict on kids, provides tangible tips for families navigating co-parenting, and outlines what Open Sky can do to help both parents and children communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships.
    24 min
  • Episode 34: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Students in Wilderness
    The world is becoming more open when it comes to inclusivity surrounding gender and sexuality. At the same time, many young people in the LGBTQ+ community are still struggling with mental health issues; higher rates of suicide; and lack of acceptance among family, friends, and society. In this episode the SKYlights Podcast, Mariah Loftin, MA, LPC, Clinical Director and Senior Clinical Therapist, discusses why this issue is at the forefront of our minds, some sobering statistics that highlight the importance of providing support for LGBTQ+ individuals, challenges for family and friends, as well as how to create safe spaces for th LGBTQ+ community.
    24 min
  • Episode 33: Understanding and Treating Disordered Eating | Kirsten Bolt
    Disordered eating—different from eating disorders—is a condition we're seeing more and more often at Open Sky. While eating disorders may be more commonly understood in our society, disordered eating is less well known. In this episode of the SKYlights Podcast, Senior Clinical Therapist Kirsten Bolt, MED, LMFT helps us better understand this topic, especially as it relates to youth. Kirsten explores the rise of disordered eating; its impacts on physical, emotional, mental, and relational health; how she works with students to build awareness and create change; and what concerned parents can do to approach this topic with their children.
    28 min
  • Episode 33: Listening vs. Hearing + Asking Questions
    The hardest part for parents is probably raising children who are emotionally closed off and unable to communicate openly. It’s difficult to establish genuine connection when your child refuses to be open and vulnerable with you, struggling to find the right timing to strike a conversation, or simply does not have the emotional readiness to share their thoughts and feelings freely and willingly. In these situations, can parents help their children find the courage to connect and share their troubles with you? How can you help them help you understand what they are going through? The answer can be found in how you approach them and the amount of trust they have in you.
    49 min
  • Episode 32: Supporting Treatment Resistant Students in Wilderness
    Open Sky works with many teens and young adults who may be resistant to traditional talk therapy. In this episode of SKYlights, Clinical Therapist Mark Sobel, LCSW discusses what treatment resistance means, how it shows up in the students he works with, the power of wilderness therapy to help young people heal and grow, and what parents can do to care for themselves while connecting with their children.
    29 min
  • Episode 31: Treating the Unique Needs of Pre-Teens & Early Adolescents
    As early adolescents transition from childhood to adolescence, hormones emerge, body chemistry changes, and social and academic pressures increase.They might experience uncertainty about who they are and feel a natural desire to differentiate from their parents. Add the stressors of the modern world, and it's no wonder that so many early adolescents struggle to navigate the stage in their lives. In this episode of the SKYlights Podcast, Clinical Therapist Julia Lehr, MSSW, LCSW, AMFT discusses the unique needs of early adolescents, the pressures this population is under, her therapeutic approach, and how parents can cultivate greater connection with their children.
    29 min
  • Episode 30: College Athletes and Mental Health
    An athlete may be winning trophies and medals, but sometimes we don’t know that they can be losing a silent battle that they don’t even talk about. Some athletes live up to expectations placed by other people and get pressured to push harder or else everyone will be disappointed at them. But if they don’t prioritize their own mental health, how do we expect them to keep winning? In this episode, clinical therapist Chris Blankenship talks about the mental health challenges some athletes go through, the reason why some athletes decide to get treatment, and a message to the parents of athletes.
    28 min
  • Episode 29: Somatic Mind Body Therapy in Wilderness
    Sometimes we keep emotions bottled up deep inside of us or are haunted by memories we cannot escape from. Physical activity can be an outlet for releasing uncomfortable emotions, tension, and stress from our bodies. In this episode of the SKYlights Podcast, Clinical Therapist Maura Nolan, LPC, ACMHC, NCC discusses somatic therapy; how she incorporates breathwork, dance, and movement into her work with students; and tools anyone can use for cultivating greater mind-body awareness.
    21 min
  • Episode 28: Young Adults, Anxiety, and the Pandemic
    PREVIEW:
    It has now been more than a year since our lives changed drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we’ve learned to live with this new normal, the impacts on mental health and development have been significant. In this episode, clinical therapist Mariah Loftin discusses how the pandemic has affected mental health in young adults, how they and their parents can identify and manage mental health struggles, and what hope and transformation can be gained in the midst of it all.
    GUEST PROFILE:
    MARIAH LOFTIN, MA, LPC
    Senior clinical therapist Mariah Loftin has been working with young adults and their families at Open Sky since 2012, with years of clinical experience prior. She skillfully blends her background as a psychotherapist, behaviorist, and art therapist. Melding a variety of clinical modalities, Mariah helps young adult clients and their families examine and appreciate the many dimensions of themselves, including their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
    TOPICS COVERED: anxiety, depression, isolation, mental health, pandemic,parenting, substance abuse, therapy, young adults
    SELECT QUOTES:
    “I think it's a uniquely challenging time for young adults because they’re not being able to graduate, not being able to go to classes at college, not being able to actually launch from their homes because developmentally, that's where they are in their lives. So there's this sense of a lot of young people feeling stuck, stagnant, and like they’re being robbed of those opportunities.”
    “Let'sreflect on where we've been. Let's look at how has this last year unfolded and where are we at this point so that we can move forward.”
    “As a family, both individually and collectively, let's get honest with ourselves about what's been happening and what's not healthy. I think being able to define and even write it down: what's been going on, what are the things that we're concerned about for ourselves, for our families? And ask, what are the strengths from being together, so that we're not just caught and stuck in here are all the negative things that are happening.”
    “I think all of us have experienced some unhealthy behaviors perhaps emerging or increasing. And it's about asking, when does it cross a line? When does it become a concerning behavior? That, to me, is an important thing for parents and kids to be looking at.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    25 min
  • Episode 27: The Rise of Online Exploitation of Adolescent Girls
    PREVIEW: With the closure of schools and the isolative nature of pandemic-life, the last year has clearly been challenging for teens, sometimes in unexpected ways. An emerging issue we’re seeing more and more is the online exploitation of teens online.
    Here to talk about the risks, signs, and prevention of online sexual exploitation is senior clinical therapist Kirsten Bolt.
    GUEST PROFILE: KIRSTEN BOLT, MED, LMFTKirsten has been working with adolescent girls at Open Sky since 2011. With her firm and direct approach, Kirsten confronts presenting issues and holds students and families accountable to their therapeutic work, while circumventing the shame that can interfere with progress. She incorporates humor and playfulness and quickly develops strong therapeutic relationships.
    TOPICS COVERED: adolescent, adolescent girls, teens, sexual exploitation, online exploitation, parenting tips, core values, therapy, wilderness therapy, treatment, parenting
    SELECT QUOTES: “First and foremost, if we can help our girls see their value in who they are as people, not how they look, that's number one in my mind. If we can help them recognize the sexual objectification that occurs for girls and women, that's a really great starting place. And if we can teach them to value themselves for their brains, for their strength, for their creative ability, for whatever it is.”
    “Have proactive conversations early with your children about online sexual exploitation. Have these conversations with your sons, have these conversations with your daughters. How they can honor their values? How can they protect their hearts and minds? Is this good for me? Or is this short-term satisfaction of that social connection that you're talking about?”
    “While this is certainly a concerning topic, there are lots of ways to intervene and to work with our kids. And the more that we're talking about this with each other, the more that we can actually help. The more that we teach our kids, they can spread the word.”
    “I don't want to downplay the gravity of this because it is dangerous and very, very risky. And there's a way forward, and it's actually through connection... Let's be in connection with our kids. Let's be in connection with other parents. Let's support our kids being in healthy connection with each other.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    27 min

About SKYlights

From the publisher's feed

This is a podcast from Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. Nestled in the mountains of southwest Colorado and the canyonlands of southeast Utah, Open Sky Wilderness Therapy transcends traditional wilderness therapy programs by emphasizing treatment for the whole family. Our clinical approach integrates the latest in evidence-based clinical treatments with innovative and well researched holistic healing practices. On each episode of the SKYlights podcast, we speak with an expert in the field of wilderness therapy and explore the unique value the outdoor provides on the journey towards wellness, self-discovery, and growth. Open Sky treats at-risk adolescents, young adults, and their families. To learn more about Open Sky, visit us at www.OpenSkyWilderness.com