Logan River Academy - Behind the Scenes

This video briefly tells about Logan River Academy culture – the students, the faculty, and the staff. Watch now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrcTmbIk3wk

Why did you choose Logan River Academy for your child?

Parent shares why she chooses Logan River Academy for her child. Watch our new video today:

http://youtu.be/yQeoA0e-ZX8

Logan River Academy - What is it like making friends?

1.      Friendships start at Logan River Academy. Find strength and joy in our new video today:

http://youtu.be/V_bATGY0UuA

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Logan River Academy - How was your experience?

Find hope and strength at Logan River Academy’s treatment center. One student shares her story in this video. Watch here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDR89c-CX4U&index=3&list=UUXFoxTmPARBYlcBHTiq4rxA

How is the Staff at Logan River Academy?

Looking for a trustworthy place for your child? This YouTube video shows why caring, compassionate staff make Logan River Academy the place to be: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQNymNeC3Ic&index=4&list=UUXFoxTmPARBYlcBHTiq4rxA

What is the Adventure Learning Program at Logan River Academy?

Logan River Academy shares more about their outdoor adventure learning program in this video --> 

http://youtu.be/R7L_DZVREbI

Adventure Learning Trip Report: Capitol Reef National Park Trip

Our latest camping trip took us to Capitol Reef National Park in southern Utah. When most people think about the beautiful national parks in Utah, they usually think of the red-rock wonders of Zion, Arches and Bryce Canyon. Also a red-rock gallery, but a true oasis in the desert, Capitol Reef is home to century-old orchards and fertile soils, fed year round from the flows of the Fremont River running through the heart of the canyon. 

Capitol Reef is a geologic anomaly; an immense exposed fold in the earth’s surface called the Waterpocket Fold captures water from the high plateaus surrounding the low-lying desert giving the small canyon ample water despite the dry climate. 

Visiting Capitol Reef in October is about as good as it gets for nice weather and awesome scenery. The many Quaking Aspen and Cottonwood trees throughout the park wore their fall colors with pride, making for picturesque views from the edge of a cliff, or along the riverbed. 

Our first night was spent 30 miles into the backcountry of the park in Cathedral Valley. While the drive to the campground was slow and arduous because of the rough desert road, the campground itself was almost deserted except for two other campers. With no sizeable town or major light-source within 50 miles, the star-gazing was spectacular and offered one student his first views of a shooting star. Around 5:30 in the morning we were awakened by the yips and howls of a pack of coyotes near our campsite communicating with another pack farther off in the distance. With that pleasant awakening we began the day early and completed the circumnavigation of Cathedral Valley with stops at Gypsum Sinkhole, Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon. 

After setting up camp at the Fruita campground, we hiked the Hickman Bridge trail and perused the petroglyph boardwalk learning about the people and cultures who originally settled the area. Our evening hike took us on top of the bluffs overlooking the Fremont River and the Grand Wash, both basked in a warm rose light from the setting sun projected through the high cirrus clouds. 

Our stroll back to camp took us directly through a herd of Mule Deer happily eating apples at the bases of the hundreds of apple trees in the orchard. Temperatures throughout our stay never exceeded 75º nor dipped below 40º at night making for perfect camping and exploring weather. 

Mike Bodrero, Adventure Learning Coordinator

The Path We Walk

Often in my work as a therapist I deal with individuals who are struggling with life circumstances that are challenging, to say the least.  In fact, at times it appears that life has truly dealt these individuals a “rotten hand” and however hard we may try, we cannot find any wrong doing on the client’s part that has brought about the turmoil they are facing.  Of course it makes it slightly more palatable when an individual can look at their situation and be somewhat accountable.  They can say, “Yeah, I get it, I kind of brought this on myself.”  Those tough circumstances, although still painful, are lessened somewhat because of an individual’s internal realization that they helped create their life situation.

Regardless, these circumstances and situations, whether self imposed or just the “luck of the draw”, cause tremendous difficulty for those I work with.  When searching for happiness amidst the turmoil I frequently ask myself, “how can this person be happy with this stuff going on in their lives?”  During these times a quote attributed to Martha Washington frequently comes to mind:

 

“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.” –Martha Washington

This quote provides a lot of comfort for me as well as for my clients.  I have also come to believe that the way we look at a situation has a great deal to do with how we feel about the situation. 

A family living close to me just lost their daughter.  She was four years old and died of Leukemia.  She spent much of her four years suffering through treatments and the tortures of the disease she was forced to bear.  Neither this young girl nor her family had done anything to “bring about” these circumstances.  Yet they were theirs to bear.  They frequently wrote in a blog they shared with those they knew.  In this blog they talked about the blessings in their lives, including the blessings that came as a result of suffering what they suffered.  Of course they would have liked to have their daughter live a full and healthy life, but they found a way to view the situation in a manner that helped them cope with the trauma and find peace and joy amidst terrible circumstances. 

Fear, sadness, and disappointment are a part of every person’s walk through life.  What I hope is that each of us can find a way to view the path we are called upon to walk in such a way as to learn from the experience and find some peace, and maybe even joy, in the walking.

Krys Oyler, LCSW