ATLANTA, Aug. 10, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The founders of Phoenix Outdoor, an adolescent wilderness therapy program, recently met with a national support network of families with children suffering from reactive attachment disorder to discuss the use of wilderness therapy as a principal treatment modality for adolescent behavioral issues. The meetings took place at the first annual national conference sponsored by the Attachment Disorder Network, held June 22nd near Atlanta, Georgia.
"While less than one half of one percent of the overall U.S. population is adopted, it is important to note that studies have shown that more than one third of all adolescents in wilderness therapy are adopted," said Alex Kirby, Psy.D., Clinical Director of Phoenix Outdoor. "Many adopted students are referred to Phoenix Outdoor due to a failure in school, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, parent-child relationship difficulties and poor peer selection. They come to our program because of difficulties forming healthy relationships with their adoptive parents, which can be systematic of reactive attachment disorder. If this is their primary issue and is treated effectively, the problems for which the student was referred to us can be resolved more easily."
"Attendance at the Attachment Disorder Network conference was a way for us to increase our understanding of adopted adolescents and raise awareness of a highly effective intervention for the problems that this special population faces," said Carolyn Bradfield, founder and CEO of Phoenix Outdoor. "Phoenix provides short term crisis intervention and assessment for at-risk adolescents with its principal treatment modality being the experiential use of the wilderness. A significant number of our student population is made up of adopted teens who are suffering from the effects of attachment issues or reactive attachment disorder."
About the Attachment Disorder Network
The Attachment Disorder Network serves to "support families parenting children with attachment issues or Reactive Attachment Disorder through education, mentoring, advocacy, and local/regional resources, and to develop awareness of attachment-related issues in all child centered environments (schools, doctors offices, foster/adopt community, legislative)." They are a nationwide network of professionals and families who are brought together for education, information, and support.
The theme of the June conference was "Parenting Traumatized Children." In attendance were families, agencies and professionals offering treatment for an adopted population. Workshop sessions included topics such as "Helping Traumatized Children Succeed in Public Schools," "Diagnosing Reactive Attachment Disorder," and "EMDR, A Power Tool for Trauma Treatment."
About Phoenix Outdoor
Phoenix Outdoor LLC is a licensed therapeutic adolescent wilderness program that provides comprehensive crisis intervention and assessment for families with teenagers ages 13-17. With administrative offices in Atlanta, and its base camp and wilderness operation in the mountains of western North Carolina, Phoenix Outdoor is engineered to be a safe means to help teenagers stop harmful behavior and motivate positive choices in their lives. Phoenix combines proven and innovative treatment strategies with a coordinated family support program.
Phoenix is an adventure-based therapeutic program designed to offer adolescents healthy physical exercise and challenge, and supportive peer groups to optimize opportunities for success. For more information visit www.phoenixoutdoor.com or call 888-868-8233.