Residential Treatment at Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center is unique. Our specialized, clinically acclaimed residential treatment program is designed for teenage girls ages 12-17 suffering from severe depression. Typical behaviors as a result of this depression include oppositional defiance, self-mutilation, substance abuse, eating disorders, suicide ideation, or school failure. Our residential treatment program is able to successfully help many troubled teenage girls change behavior patterns and make better choices. This is done through an intensive blend of traditional and non-traditional therapies, including equine assisted psychotherapy and outdoor therapy delivered in a clinically intensive, small (12 beds), girls-only environment.

Kolob Canyon's clinical staff and directors are experienced, educated, and well trained in the most successful therapeutic practices. They have a highly successful track record of making positive changes with individuals that struggle with depression and other issues like attachment disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, sexual abuse, substance abuse, anorexia, bulimia, and more. Every part of our program is designed to bring about life-long change in your daughter that allows her to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

As a parent, you play a crucial role in changing your daughter’s life. If we decide together that our program is the next step, your commitment to parent weekends, family therapy, and on-going aftercare will make a real difference in our success. We will even encourage you to be involved in our parent’s association. With all of us working together, we are confident we will make a lasting and positive change on your daughter, on your family, and on your future by your daughter's stay at Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center.

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center is a Certified Educational, Recreational, and Therapeutic Schools and Programs (CERTS) facility. CERTS requires the highest standards of education, care, and training in the industry. We believe that our being a CERTS facility can improve the odds for changing the lives of our students.

Click Here to visit the CERTS Homepage

Because information can give you piece of mind and help you to make better decisions, our professionals have created the CERTS InformationCenter. The CERTS InformationCenter provides information on numerous behavioral health issues like depression, eating disorders, ADD, drug or alcohol abuse, conduct disorder and more. Each page answers important questions on these conditions like:

• What is it?
• How do you know they have it?
• What causes it?
• What happens when you have it?
• How do you treat it?

Each page also has a section devoted to other websites that we felt would be helpful in helping you to learn more about your son or daughter's condition. To access the CERTS InformationCenter, click here or on the image below.

At Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center, our clinical staff and directors are experienced, educated, and well trained. They have a highly successful track record of making positive changes with individuals that struggle with one or more of the following issues:

• Depression and other mood disorders
• Low self-esteem
• All types of addictions, including drug and alcohol
• Parent/child conflict
• Eating disorders
• Manipulation
• Oppositional defiance
• Sexual addictions
• School failure
• ADHD
• Adoption/abandonment issues
• Peer problems
• Anger management
• Physical or sexual abuse

For a more complete list of behaviors commonly treated, click here.

The mission of Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center and of all CERTS facilities is to create a climate of growth and personal development that inspires positive change and the desire to live true principles for our students, their families, and our staff. We accomplish this through the implementation of the following beliefs, practices, and philosophies:

1. We believe that a principle-based program can foster positive growth and development in the lives of the students and their families as they experience our program. We ask students and families to make five basic life-changing commitments: Commitment to Integrity, Commitment to Affirm Worth and to Show Genuine Compassion, Commitment to Growth, Commitment to Trust Instincts and Intuitive Responses, and Uprooting Stress.
    
2. We provide a safe, nurturing, but firm environment where basic principles of life are easily taught.
    
3. We strive to provide a program that encourages physical fitness through structured activities, emotional stability through our caring staff, social development through community based activities, spiritual needs through support of a higher power, and intellectual well-being through an accredited, personalized academic program. We believe the combination of all of these elements in a interdisciplinary treatment approach is instrumental in changing lives.
    
4. We are committed to the highest standard of care. We provide this through qualified and experienced staff and faculty who are committed to professional, on-going continuing education and training.
    

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center serves females between the ages of 13 through 18 who are experiencing challenges with depression, eating disorders, all types of addictions, adoption issues, difficulties in school, peer relations, parent or family communication, limit setting, oppositional defiance, and low self-worth. Kolob Canyon takes a holistic approach to therapy and growth for adolescent females while teaching social skills, interpersonal development, and work ethic. The Company believes that behavior is a function of one’s self-perception, that depression, low self-esteem and misbehavior are almost always manifestations of deeper problems, and that self-worth profoundly affects behavior.

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center’s goal is to assist young women and their families in creating a climate for growth in which the root causes of behavior are identified and addressed. In order to achieve this, the Company employs therapists for clinical help, nurses for medical help, teachers for educational help, and a variety of non-clinical staff. The result is a safe, secure environment where teenage girls can receive the necessary therapy, care, and education to get them back on track 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our philosophy of providing a climate of growth in which students gain the confidence and strength to make right choices helps to define daily life at Kolob Canyon. The varied, but full schedule of healthy activities helps our therapists to obtain the best possible results. Your daughter’s schedule will be made up of in-house schooling, personal and house chores, cooking, physical fitness activities, service and work projects, educational field trips, and recreational activities. Life skills are also taught such as sewing, financial management, time management, goal setting, resume writing and job interview skills.

Your daughter will have the opportunity to be regularly be a part of a wide variety of cultural experiences. These include trips to the world famous Shakespearean Festival in nearby Cedar City, Utah, as well as theater, art and history museums. She will also be exposed to classical literature, various types of music, classical dancing and etiquette.

Even though our schedule is full, we take time everyday for quiet reflection and thinking. At Kolob Canyon, we believe it is important to give our youth an opportunity to digest their day and re-evaluate, contemplate their future, and dream of life’s possibilities.

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center is situated on a 25-acre ranch in Utah. The red rock, “five fingers” of Kolob Canyons in nearby Zions National Park is a stunning backdrop for this place of healing. The center has a main house, a bunkhouse, a “schoolroom” barn, and outstanding equestrian facilities, including stables, walkers, and a riding arena.

The main house is spacious with all necessary accommodations for up to 12 students. A large common area is available for studying, for games, and for relaxation. Each girl is provided with her own personal area. A large kitchen/dining area provides additional space for studying. Staff members generally office in the bunkhouse where there are additional rooms for therapy and study.

At Kolob Canyon, we believe having fun doing healthy activities is an important part of healing and we are perfectly situated for almost all types of recreation. Our students are within easy driving distance of numerous national parks, including Zion’s National Park, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Cedar Breaks National Monument. There are countless horse trails, lakes for boating and fishing, deserts to explore, and mountains to hike.

Cultural activities make up a large part of our activities.Our students regularly attend the world famous Shakespearean Theatre in nearby Cedar City as well as many other cultural exhibits and events at nearby Southern Utah University.

Students also enjoy numerous activities that are specially designed for growth. These may include educational classes, guest speakers, formal Sunday dining, daily bread baking, community service, growing a garden, and raising animals on the ranch. Most all of these recreational activities at Kolob Canyon are chosen specifically for their ability to teach independence, life skills, teamwork, leadership and problem solving. Many of these activities are also specifically designed to achieve therapeutic objectives, our equestrian program being the best example.

Physical Examination
Once students arrive at Kolob Canyon RTC, they receive a health and physical exam by our staff physician. If a student is being transferred in from another treatment center, we will obtain a copy of the most recent physical received by the student at that location. Any other pertinent medical reports will be requested as necessary.

Medical, Psychiatric and Dental Care
Parents need to send a copy of their insurance card and any other pertinent information to Kolob Canyon RTC at time of admission. In the event that a student requires an off-campus doctor, specialist, or psychiatric visit, your daughter’s insurance will then be billed. Our staff will automatically attempt to bill insurance for the work performed. Any work that is performed on your daughter that is not covered by insurance will be charged to your daughter’s account. Additionally, our staff nurse will contact you, if possible, in order to obtain your approval for the visit. Our staff may refer your daughter to our outside psychiatrist for both an evaluation and for follow-up visits. Excellent medical care is located within minutes from our location and our staff physician is available as needed. If your daughter requires orthodontic or other specialist care, these services are also available locally. In the event that an escort is required for the off-campus visit, escort fees will be charged as applicable.

Prescription Medications
We ask you to send with your daughter a 30-day supply of medications when they come to Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center. Please help us by having your physician list the following information on every prescription for your daughter:

1. Drug name
2. Proper dosage amount (i.e., 200mg or 2 tsp.)
3. Recommended administration times (especially when different from the label)

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center can refill prescriptions in a number of different ways. We can have your current pharmacist transfer the prescription over to our pharmacist. You may mail in refills. Additionally, you may want our staff physician to write new prescriptions for your daughter when evaluating his condition. Our staff will always attempt to contact you about any changes in your daughter’s medical condition and/or medications.

Our clinical program is the result of many years of successfully working with troubled teenage girls through a comprehensive program that mixes traditional and recreational therapy. While enrolled at Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center, you and your daughter can expect to receive the following traditional therapeutic services:

• Six sessions of group therapy (smaller groups of 6) each workweek.
• Intense individual therapy minimum once each week.
• Family therapy in person or by phone at least once each week.
• Residential staff assistance for student treatment 24 hours a day.

Additionally, your daughter will participate in recreational therapeutic activities on a daily basis as planned and supervised by a licensed recreational therapist. This will include a comprehensive program designed to increase social skills, cardiovascular fitness, work skills, self-confidence, self-esteem, fine motor skills, and awareness of a person’s fitness needs.

Horse care, riding, agriculture, theater, private music or sports lessons, hiking, games, fishing and rowing, and rope courses are only a few of the recreational activities at Kolob Canyon. These pursuits are carefully chosen for their ability to convey “life-lessons” to your daughter.

Our therapists are highly educated with a minimum of at least a master’s degree in therapy and/or counseling. Moreover, Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center regularly exchanges ideas with leading adolescent therapists to ensure that your daughter benefits from the finest therapeutic treatment programs and ideas available anywhere. This is why we are so confident in our ability to produce lasting, positive change in teenage girls.

There is an old saying that states, “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” Horses play an important role in the healing process at Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center. Equine (horse) therapy is gaining wide acceptance as a powerful way of teaching important life-lessons. Our students are likely to experience some of the following benefits:

• Develop Courage.  Some of our girls are initially afraid of horses. Riding such large animals is different from anything they have experienced before. As they learn to conquer their initial fear and discover how gentle and affectionate the horses really are, they also begin developing a new pattern of challenging old fears and finding from within the courage to improve.
• Increased Self-Confidence and Direction.  Horsemanship is a new skill for most of our students. They experience the increased confidence that comes from learning how to do something potentially frightening or different. While riding, they learn to be decisive and to provide clear directions to their horse, lessons which often have carryover application into the rest of their lives.
• Improved Communication Skills.  Horses are keenly aware of the non-verbal cues of our riders. As our students become more aware of how their non-verbal communication affects the horse and how that horse reacts, they also grow more aware of the role that their non-verbal cues play with the important relationships in their lives.
• Discipline and Positive Focus.  Students are involved in the day-to-day tasks of caring for a horse. Many students learn improved self-discipline through performing a task that the horse needs another to do and cannot do on its own. They often find that this process diverts their focus attention from the negative thought patterns of the past into a more positive, pro-active way of dealing with their problems.
• Improved Ability to Trust.  Our students learn you can develop a relationship and trust something that is bigger than themselves. This is especially important for victims of abuse.
• Self-Acceptance.  The unconditional acceptance of friendship that an animal can give allows some of our students to accept themselves for who they are, and is often a positive first step in developing normal relationships. As our students feel accepted by a horse, they often come to terms with themselves in a way that allows them to accept themselves as well.
• Respect for Others.  Horses only respond positively when the proper respect exists with the student. As our students learn both to earn and give that respect, life-lessons of earning and giving respect with family members and friends are an important byproduct.

Parents need to know that our students are never allowed to ride unless declared medically fit by a physician. They are then initially taught basic riding skills, horse care and grooming, and riding etiquette. These skills are taught by an outstanding staff chosen for their ability to combine horsemanship training with experiential therapy. All horse handlers are experienced riders and our therapists are specifically trained in equine therapy. While working with the horses, safety is never compromised and our students are never forced to do something against their will.

Students have an opportunity to display their new talents when parents come out for parent weekends. Family members share in the excitement of equine therapy as they too can participate while getting to see the progress that is taking place in their daughter—progress that occurs at least partially because she has learned to apply horse “lessons” to her own life.

Scott Davis
Executive Director
Since 1986, Scott has had extensive experience in management, marketing, admissions, and in providing direct care in structured in-patient behavioral health care environments. Scott has worked for Charter Medical Corporation as a psychiatric counselor in the children and adolescent unit and on a development project to create a long-term care program for adolescents. Scott has also worked at CPC Olympus View Hospital as the Director of Marketing and Business Development and as the Senior Coordinator for Community Residential Treatment Centers in the Northwest Division of Community Psychiatric Centers. Scott next worked at New Haven Residential Center for Girls for the five years prior to his co-founding Certified Educational, Recreational, Therapeutic Schools and Programs (CERTS), a partner in Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center. Scott is deeply committed to changing the lives of young people and improving industry standards of therapeutic care.

Kent Tasso
Director, French Instructor
Kent’s background blends teaching and administration with business. Kent graduated with high honors from Brigham Young University in April of 1991, where he was a Hinckley Scholar. He served as Vice-President for Eagle Systems International, a publishing company that specialized in books that teach values to children. Kent subsequently followed his heart and spent the next seven years in his “labor of love,” teaching high school students in northern Utah. In 1999, Kent and his family moved to San Jose, California, where he served as the Development Director for A Gifted Education and their private schools. Here he more fully was exposed to the concept of treating every child as a “gifted child” and offering a broadly diversified enrichment program. He moved back to Utah in 2001 to serve as Vice-President of Answers4, a technology company that developed software to improve residential treatment. Later that year, Kent co-founded with Scott Davis CERTS and launched Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center. Kent has a deep love for languages and people and has lived in various parts of the world. He speaks fluent Japanese and French and continues to study other languages. Kent has previously taught French classes while a student at BYU and now serves as the French instructor at Kolob Canyon Academy.

Jalane Christian-Stoker, M. A. LMFT
Clinical Director
Jalane has a Master's Degree from Santa Clara University and has been licensed in California, Hawaii and Utah as a Marriage and Family Therapist since 1984. Jalane has a wide range of clinical experiences including working with adolescent substance abusers, working with adult children of alcoholics, working with battered women, developing school-based counseling services, working with children and adolescents in foster care and working with sexually abused women. Jalane has started two community counseling clinics and one residential treatment program for substance abusers. She is the past president of the Hawaii State Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Jalane and her psychologist husband have organized and run community support groups for families struggling with their children and have led support groups for parents whose children were in residential treatment.

Genny Poll, M.A.E.D.
Program Director
Genny has 5 years of experience working with teens. While going to school she worked as a women’s basketball coach, were her team won the state championship two years running. She also worked for 1 year a Farmington Bay Youth Center, were she was a youth counselor. While working on her masters degree in counseling she was involved in a school program were she worked with at-risk students as a mentor/teacher. While in this program 95% of the students were able to raise their GPA’s from D averages to B- averages. Genny has also been involved with college athletics and will be able to incorporate this experience into the everyday live of our students.

David H. Stoker, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
David has 37 years of clinical experience with extensive background in working with adolescents and families. He has taught at the university level and has served as the Director of the Counseling Center at San Jose University for 15 years. David then spent the next 22 years working in his private practice. They provided him with many opportunities to work with adolescents and families. He has also had many consulting positions with outpatient treatment programs for adolescents and families. During his career, David has organized and facilitated community support groups for families struggling with their children and has led support groups for parents whose children were in residential treatment.

Sarah Engler, M.S.W., C.S.W.
Clinical Therapist
Sarah Engler's education includes a bachelor's degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying social work and Marriage and Family Therapy. Prior to earning her graduate degree, Sarah was previously employed at another girl's residential treatment center. She has also worked for a community agency doing in-home therapy with inner city adolescents and with United States Veterans struggling with substance abuse issues, trauma, mood disorders, and personality disorders. Through volunteer services Sarah has served women and children residing in a crisis shelter as well as mentoring youth. Sarah's clinical areas of experience include eating disorders, trauma, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Sarah believes in coupling experiential therapy with traditional talk therapy in helping individuals and families to heal through the development healthier relationships.

Lori S. Orton, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.
Equine Clinical Therapist
Lori combines two loves at Kolob Canyon: her love of helping others and her love of horses. Lori has extensive experience in counseling, particularly with females. She has worked at various times in her career as a private practitioner and with the State of Utah, both in the Division of Youth Corrections and in the Division of Child and Family Services. Lori has extensive experience with adolescents and specializes in play and art therapy. She has expertise in addressing issues of ADHD, depression/anxiety, Reactive Attachment Disorder, bereavement, parent/child conflict, and domestic and sexual abuse. Having spent a lot of time around horses, Lori is also certified in Equine Therapy in order to assist in mental health treatment and human development.

Lisa Pedersen, L.P.N.
Nurse Coordinator
Lisa has worked in the psychology field of nursing, with a specialty in adolescents in youth programs, for the past 10 years. Lisa has also served as a charge nurse for a private adult and chemical dependency hospital and has provided medical case management for Olive Crest Treatment Center in Riverside, California for five years. Lisa recently moved to Southern Utah where she has worked as both a nurse and an infection control specialist. Lisa was most recently Nurse Coordinator for Triumph Youth Services. Lisa is a trained CPR and First Aid Instructor for the American Heart Association and teaches classes through Dixie State College and The Center For Health Care Education Inc. Lisa has worked with numerous adolescent programs and has taught seminars and classes on Adolescent Health Populations, Substance Abuse Issues with Teens, Adolescents with Diabetes, and more. Lisa is also the perfect fit for Kolob Canyon because of her love of horses; she and her husband have raised and shown horses for the past 15 years.

Joette Hayden
Education Director
Joette attended Utah State University and Southern Utah University where she received two degrees in elementary education and special education K-12. Joette’s experience includes working with youth in a psychiatric hospital setting as well as an inclusion based special education setting. Joette has spent the last year and a half working with youth in a residential treatment program. Joette enjoys educating youth, spending time outdoors with her family, and reading good literature.

Stephanie Trimmer B.S.
Education Director
Stefanie currently holds a Bachelors degree in Special Education and Elementary Education. She is certified to teach in the Elementary and Secondary setting. Stefanie has the desire and love for education and directing young people down positive roads. Stefanie loves to combine her love of the outdoors into her educational setting to promote learning, health and responsibility.

Dr. Edgar Collins, M.D.
Consulting Psychiatrist
Dr. Collins is a board certified psychiatrist with many years of experience in adult and adolescent psychiatry. He was educated at Weber State College, Northwestern University, Spartan Health Sciences University, and Creighton University. Dr. Collins has diverse interests that include being a pilot, and is the father of four.

Teenage girls with negative behavior are often unable to correct that behavior when entering residential programs that have high enrollments (and less individual attention) or co-ed programming. While teens share many issues in common, Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center believes a staff that specializes solely in adolescent female issues and that carefully restricts enrollment to ensure lots of one-on-one interaction will have the greatest possible chance of creating positive change in your daughter.

Hospitals have traditionally treated adolescents. These treatment stays are short (generally 3-7 days), very costly to both the insurance company and/or the adolescent’s parents, and questionable in terms of providing long-term success. Enormous amounts of money are expended using this approach, and adolescents often return for additional treatment. Kolob Canyon is an alternative solution. Kolob Canyon is a professional organization, licensed as a residential treatment center. We believe that it is a better solution, that it provides a higher standard of care in a caring, family oriented system, and that it is priced fairly.

Kolob Canyon accepts payment in a variety of ways. Parents and referral sources are welcome to counsel with a representative from Kolob Canyon about private pay and insurance reimbursement. Please call us at 801-755-8802 and an intake officer will help you decide how your daughter will best benefit from her Kolob Canyon experience.

Has your daughter had recurring problems due to:

1. Any traumatic events/changes such as abuse, divorce, or death, in his life?
    
2. Inability to manage anger?
    

Within the last six months, has your daughter:

1. Disregarded family rules and parental guidance?
    
2. Had any changes in behavior and / or mood?
    
3. Exhibited depressive symptoms, such as weight loss/gain or excessive sleep?
    
4. Had problems getting along with others?
    
5. Do you suspect that your daughter has used drugs or alcohol?
    
6. Had problems in school such as poor grades or challenging authority?
    
7. Has your daughter been able to manipulate people and situations in order to escape consequences?
    
8. Been destructive to property?
    
9. Intentionally frightened others?
    
10. Made threatening statements in writing?
     
11. Implied that they may have a plan for violent or suicidal behavior?
     
12. Implied that they have identified a target for violence?

Bill of Rights for Parents