July at Chrysalis

Summer always promises to be a busy and adventurous time at Chrysalis, here in Northwest Montana. This July was no different as our students and staff embarked on a variety of adventures, both on and off campus. Here's a glance at what we've been up to:

Shenanigans at Carpenter Lake

Rafting trips down the Clark Fork and Kootenai Rivers; rock climbing and water bouldering along
90 mile long Lake Koocanusa; a week of service and hiking in Glacier National Park; morning runs and bike rides up and down hills that strengthen our muscles, lungs, and minds; a crisp, morning swim in Carpenter Lake; weekly yoga; sipping a mug of warm tea and chatting with friends before bed; nail painting parties; movie nights; parent visits; our very own production of The Brothers Grimm; horseback rides through the woods; harvesting vegetables from the garden; and much, much more.

In a few days a group of students will head out on another rafting trip, this time in Canada, complete with adventure staff and a therapist. Our mother/daughter retreat is August 20-23 and will be taking place on pristine Flathead Lake. Girls and their mothers will enjoy boating, swimming, yoga and family therapy sessions.

Some of our students are catching up or working ahead in school, taking a variety of independent study courses this summer. From Child Development to Pre-Calculus to Health, girls are challenging themselves intellectually.  We will be welcoming an additional English teacher this fall. She is excited to make her way to Eureka, MT, and to get to know the girls.

Individual, family, and group therapy continue throughout the summer. Peer relationships deepen through summer activities, and girls continue to both encourage and challenge one another in group therapy.  Therapists have been utilizing various mediums for girls to share their thoughts, including vision boards, drawings, and collages. We have welcomed a new therapist to our clinical staff, Natasha Gregg. Natasha is a Montana native and has worked in a variety of residential settings before Chrysalis. We are excited to have her as a part of our clinical team.

During this time of year it is not uncommon for therapy to take place on the dock by the lake, in the horse pasture, or in a shady spot under a tree. These are warm, special months in Montana, and we do our best to soak up the sunshine and recreate in the beautiful outdoors.  Many students have local family visits, or are traveling home for a visit in the coming week. August already seems to be flying by and soon all of our students will be back in the classroom. School resumes on Tuesday, September 3rd