Our son wanted a program where he could work on his spiritual growth and he clearly preferred Red Mountain after he learned more about it. When he had a phone call with Josh, there was an immediate connection and that “sealed the deal.”
Once he got to RMS, he also connected strongly with the staff and his therapist. He liked the structure of the program and flourished in martial arts and meditation practice. It was clear to him, and to us, that this was a holistic, integrated program. Every component fits together, from the support staff to the therapy,from meditation to yoga and martial arts. Also, every aspect is of the highest quality.
Whenever we visited, we could see that Josh’s relationship with our son meant a lot. He has an unusual and powerful collection of competencies and he is very real and authentic as a person.
RMS also provides a positive experience for the parents of the students. When we talked with his therapist, we felt that she understood our emotions and concerns. When you have a child facing challenges, it can be isolating for you as a parent because you may not want to share what you are going through with a lot of people. The RMS team also coached us on how best to talk with our son and help him through the process.
We found ourselves changing as a result of our son being in the program. For example, we started doing yoga, which is now an important part of our lives. We have also engaged in some counseling of our own, so there has been something of a parallel process going on while he was at Red Mountain. When we visited RMS, we were welcomed and invited to participate in some of the classes. We felt a powerful connection with the therapeutic process and the spiritual practices there.
Our son is doing well now. He has a full-time job, is fully engaged in social activities, and continues to volunteer at Red Mountain. He has a goal of obtaining his black belt in karate. He is moving on from wilderness therapy and the RMS program to a life of independence and self-motivation.
We would wholeheartedly recommend Red Mountain to other parents. To be successful, they will have to trust the people and the process, and the fact that the various stages of the program are essential to their child’s growth. There may be times when the experience is painful, but it is in the student’s best interests to be guided through those moments.
RMS is “the real deal,” and anyone considering the program should read through the material very carefully before committing to it.
As for us, it was the best thing that could have happened to our entire family!
-Parents