SUWS Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does SUWS stand for?
A. In its formative years, SUWS was known as The School of Urban and Wilderness Survival, with the focus on a basic survivalist approach. It gradually grew into a more comprehensive treatment program with an emphasis on combining the undeniable impact of the wilderness with an emotional growth-oriented curriculum. Today, you might say SUWS stands for structure, unconditional support, wilderness impact, success.and a whole lot more!
A. Location, location, location! The unique SUWS location/environment, with its high level of structure, small group sizes, "cause and effect" curriculum, and relationship/positive reinforcement approach makes for an ideal setting to begin building healthier coping behaviors and interpersonal skills. Our model affords much-needed structure and consistency regarding the treatment team, peer group dynamics, and provides a sense of completion.
Q. Why are words like "Field Supervisors" and "field instructors" used to describe the SUWS staff instead of "therapists" and "counselors"?
A. Many students participated in therapy/counseling prior to coming to SUWS. If they learn that they will be working with a counselor or therapist, they may be tempted to approach the program using familiar stories/words or perhaps manipulations they used in the past. We use words like "student," "supervisor," and "instructor" to differentiate SUWS from other, more familiar and predictable approaches to treatment, and unpredictability is crucial in the initial work we do.
Q. Why does the Field Supervisor wait five days before beginning individual and group work with the students?
A. The reason SUWS reaches adolescents faster and more intensely than any other program is because we have mastered the art of pattern work. We allow plenty of time for the students' maladaptive coping patterns to emerge and eventually become a problem for them. This process takes patience and time and a great deal of skill and finesse on the part of the instructors. If Field Supervisors were to begin their work earlier, students would still be in their patterns of control and not nearly as eager or motivated to accept support and guidance. Also, if the students think they will be "doing therapy" when they start the program, they may be tempted to act or talk a certain way to meet perceived criteria. Not knowing what's ahead for a week or so is a powerful tool.
Q. Why do SUWS Field Supervisors spend so much time in the field?
A. SUWS Field Supervisors don't simply do outpatient therapy in a wilderness setting. Some programs have the therapists conduct a set number of individual and group sessions per week. SUWS Field Supervisors play an integral role in the entire therapeutic process and are available to their students at any time. Seizing the moment is crucial in the work of the Field Supervisor, and some of those "moments" occur outside of a typical 9-5, five-days-a-week schedule. This level of commitment and availability enables the students to experience guided emotional growth work when they are ready to receive it.