The Beartooth MT Ascent Real Life Therapy Approach
Real Life Therapy requires a supportive environment where individuals can begin to make changes in their lives. Following are guidelines for creating this environment.
*Be friendly and listen to the person.
*Focus on present events, only focus on past events if they relate easily to the present situation.
*Discuss feelings and physiological responses as part of total behavior; always relate feelings and physiology to concurrent actions and thoughts over which the person has more direct control.
*Accept no excuses for irresponsible behavior, particularly when a person fails to do what he or she has expressed an intention to do.
*Avoid punishing, criticizing, or attempting to protect the person from the reasonable consequences of behavior.
Our Real Life Therapy takes a very unique approach.
Teaching the young men responsibility and accountability is the most important concept in Real Life Therapy. We define responsibility as "the ability to fulfill one’s needs and to do so in a way that does not deprive others of the ability to fulfill their needs." Any behavior which does not match this standard is regarded as irresponsible.
The problem is not that the standards set for young men has been too high, the problem is that the chosen behavior has been insufficient. Real Life Therapy is aimed at helping the person in trouble gain more effective control over their lives. A mentor using these principles of Real Life Therapy helps the young men to face reality, be accountable for their words and actions, and problem solve so they can meet their needs in the world.
The young men can also use these new skills to improve their success in the world. This process has been proven effective in education, parenting, and leadership. This type of behavioral improvement lends itself to any situation where people need to learn how to satisfy their needs and solve life's problems in responsible ways.
Real Life Therapy is based on the belief that we all choose what we do with our lives and that we are responsible for our choices. Responsibility is defined as learning to choose behaviors that satisfy our needs and, at the same time, do not deprive others of a chance to do the same.
Real Life Therapy focuses on the young man’s behavior choices in his approach to self realization . The mentor becomes involved with the young men and helps him to examine his current behavior with a goal of improvement in the future. An individual who is frustrated, or is frustrating others, is taught to evaluate what he is doing and, from this evaluation, learns to practice more effective (need- satisfying) behaviors.
Real Life Therapy helps struggling young men learn to be in effective control of their lives. It is a non-coercive method of communicating that enhances people's ability to make effective, need-fulfilling choices.
We humans learn responsibility through relationships, primarily as children from parents. However, the process of becoming a responsible person is a life-long one. As situations change, each individual must adjust and find new ways of acting responsibly to meet his needs. When this is not done, irresponsible behavior results.With a focus on the present behavior rather than past events and subconscious motivations, mentors do not need a high level of training in order to be effective. They need only be able to recognize and reward responsible behavior and to offer correction to irresponsible behaviors.
Please note: Our program is located on a remote rural ranch in a back to basics, frontier style buildings without any frills. If you are looking for luxurious accomidations for your son in a resort like setting this is not the place to send him!
If you want your son to appreciate and not take for granted what has been provided for him by you then our Ranch is the place to help him grow in appreciation and thanksgiving for all that he has received in his life. Young men that engadge in our program leave here with a deeper respect for authority, self discipline and a new work ethic that will help him be successful in holding down a job or going to college.
