Parent Involvement

Parent Involvement and Education

At Kolob Canyon, we take parent involvement and education seriously—because we know that lasting change happens when the whole family grows together. When a child enters treatment, they are working hard every day to learn new skills, build resilience, and make meaningful changes. For those changes to truly take hold, parents need the opportunity to grow alongside them. Learning new ways to communicate, support, and respond can make all the difference in a student’s long-term success, especially when they return home.

We view parents as essential partners in the therapeutic process, not just observers. Our program is designed to give you the tools, insight, and confidence needed to support your child in a healthy and effective way. As your child develops new coping strategies and emotional skills, you’ll be learning complementary approaches that strengthen your connection and create a more supportive home environment.

To make this possible, Kolob Canyon offers a variety of learning opportunities tailored specifically for parents. These include educational webinars that provide practical guidance and deeper understanding of the therapeutic process, as well as structured assignments that help you apply new concepts in real-life situations. Parents also have access to clinical intensives and seminars, where you can engage more deeply, ask questions, and connect with both professionals and other families who are navigating similar experiences.

Our goal is not only to support your child during their time in treatment, but to prepare your entire family for what comes next. By investing in your own growth, you’re helping to create a smoother transition home and a stronger foundation for continued progress. At Kolob Canyon, we believe that when parents are empowered with knowledge and skills, families don’t just heal—they thrive together.

2026 PARENT SEMINAR SCHEDULE

 

WEBINAR SERIES

Live webinars are provided to parents up to three times per month. Webinars are taught by clinical and academic staff from all of the CERTS Programs, of which Kolob is one. During webinars, parents are able to interact with the instructor by asking valuable questions. Kolob Canyon also has a Parent Education Channel where parents can view all recorded webinars at their convenience on-demand.

Parent Assignments

As part of the family therapy work parents will do, they might be given an assignment by their therapist. This often correlates with the level of work that a student is doing. Assignments could include reading a chapter in a book, watching a specific webinar, or writing thoughts or feelings to be shared in family therapy.

Parents have frequently expressed to us their surprise (and delight) at the personal growth and change they have experienced in themselves and their children. Parents are excited when they start to have fun with their teens. Significantly, these new parenting skills play a major role in allowing a student to sustain their change when they return home.

Parent Intensives and Seminars

Parent Instensives are a powerful start to your family's journey at Kolob Canyon.  Parents of newly admitting students will receive 9 individual weekly sessions with our Clinical Director.  These sessions are a structured and supportive experience.  Parents will gain increased self-awareness as they learn validation skills and DBT skills to better understand relational patterns and improve communication with their teens.  

Parents join us for multi-day conferences that include outdoor adventure and experiential activities (with your child!), intensive parent support groups, classes, parent-teacher conferences, and family therapy sessions. We definitely believe in doing deep therapy mixed with a lot of fun and laughter.

Additional on-campus, off-campus, and at-home visits will happen throughout a student's treatment at Kolob Canyon, but parents are asked to attend each Seminar. This will allows parents to support their children and be part of the Kolob Canyon parent community as they participate in coaching sessions, family therapy, adventure therapy, and workshops. 

 

Create a deep & Long lasting bond

At Kolob Canyon, we believe that meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in connection. One of the most powerful parts of the journey here is the bond that forms between parents who are walking a similar path. These relationships often become a source of strength, understanding, and lasting support. There’s something uniquely comforting about connecting with someone who truly “gets it,” and many parents find these connections to be just as transformative as the work their child is doing.

Our Parent Program is designed to actively involve you every step of the way. In addition to our quarterly Parent Seminars, you’ll have the opportunity to learn Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills alongside your child. This shared learning experience creates a common language and understanding that strengthens communication and deepens your relationship.

Each week, families participate in dedicated therapy sessions together. These sessions provide a safe, guided space to rebuild trust, improve communication, and practice new skills as a unit. Your child’s therapist will also provide personalized assignments to help you strengthen your parenting approach in ways that support your child’s growth. We often see the most meaningful and lasting progress when both teens and parents are learning, practicing, and evolving together.

We also place a strong emphasis on reconnecting through in-person experiences. Early in the program, visits take place on campus, where our team can offer support and guidance as families begin practicing new dynamics. As your child gains confidence and develops coping skills, visits gradually expand to include multi-day overnight stays in the surrounding area. These experiences allow for greater independence while still providing a safety net if challenges arise.

Eventually, families transition to home visits. This is an important step, giving everyone the opportunity to apply new skills in the environment where daily life happens. These visits help us understand how your child is integrating their progress and allow us to identify any additional support that may be helpful moving forward.

Through this thoughtful, step-by-step process, families don’t just see change—they experience it together. The result is stronger relationships, healthier communication, and a foundation for lasting growth that continues well beyond Kolob Canyon.

2026 PARENT SEMINAR SCHEDULE

 

on-campus and Area Visits

Individual parent visits are also allowed and encouraged throughout a student's stay at Kolob Canyon. Visits can occur both on and off campus. These visits are arranged with each student's therapist and our Residential Director.

Once a student settles in at Kolob Canyon, parents start to have visited. On-Campus, area visits, and overnight visits occur during the first part of a student's stay. First visits are generally on-campus visits. Students and parents can then experience visits in the area and overnight visits in the area.

Home visits: These occur during the second part of a student's stay at Kolob Canyon. Home visits are the first step of the transition process home after treatment.  Home visits are an excellent way for a teen and her parents to practice new skills before a teen comes home at the end of their stay.  We understand that sometimes home visits might even be difficult.  When struggles happen at home during a visit, our team can determine what we need to do to better prepare a teen for coming home permanently at the end of treatment.  

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