Redcliff Ascent

OBH Council Member Since: 1996

OBH Council Founding Member

RedCliff Ascent is one of the founding members of the OBH Council. RedCliff Ascent has always recognized that “…a rising tide lifts all boats…” RedCliff is committed to the latest research and best practice initiatives.

Populations Served: Adolescents 13-17 and adults 18+, single gender & coeducational

Program Offered: Trekking and expedition-based treatment in the remote back country of Southwest Utah. We provide a competency and strength based developmental model of therapy and intervention based on CBT, Experiential Therapy, Family Therapy and Interpersonal Skills Development.

Licensing and Accreditation: State of Utah, Office of Licensing, Department of Human Services.

Established in 1993, Redcliff Ascent is a therapeutic wilderness program for adolescents and young adults whose emotional and behavioral development and growth are stalled. They lack the coping mechanisms, competencies and discipline that are necessary to manage their lives at an age appropriate level.

“She could feel the pack strap pinch her shoulder, but it wasn’t too bad. The sun sparkled through the pinion pines and junipers, casting a column of sunlight through the dust being kicked up by the other students hiking along in single file. This time of morning was her favorite time; cool, clear and lost in her thoughts. She heard a screech…everyone stopped! They all looked up and stood quietly watching the Red Tail Hawk circling on the morning air currents. The hawk screeched again and she thought to herself…I wish I could fly!”

The reasons for this are many. They may be struggling with ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Learning Deficits, Substance Use or any number of other diagnosable developmental concerns. It is through skilled clinicians and a sophisticated treatment milieu that RedCliff assists these students in developing resilience around their particular concerns. RedCliff helps to reinsert these teens into their adolescent stages of development at a healthier place.

RedCliff Ascent therapists, all Ph.D and Master’s level clinicians, provide the clinical guidance, perspective, interpretation and expertise to the family, student’s and the staff. This integrated system of communication and therapeutic intervention provides a consistent and structured environment while allowing each student to receive individual and personalized care.

RedCliff uses the wilderness to disrupt dysfunctional patterns that have developed over time that impede age appropriate maturity and family relationships. Through non-punitive measures, the teen is encouraged to develop appropriate relationships and coping skills through accomplishment and competency. The qualified and professional field guides plant the seeds of social and emotional success during one on one session’s and group activities, through example and mentoring. True to traditional wilderness therapy, these seeds are nourished through hiking, experiential education and adventure, providing the opportunity for physical, social and emotional growth.

Enrollment at RedCliff Ascent is open-ended. Because the program is achievement based, length of stay will vary from student to student. Clinical and operational functions are directed by one of the most veteran on-site management teams in the industry. Our sister program, Medicine Wheel, provides services to the young adult (18 and over) population in the same field of operation.