Recreational Initiatives are team activities at Aspen Ranch residential treatment school for teens that are facilitated by our Recreational Initiative Staff, and the team’s primary therapist. Teams are presented with a challenge and are required to utilize teamwork, communication, and problem solving skills to accomplish the challenge. The activity continues until the team is successful in some aspect. Afterwards the team will discuss what happened, evaluate their performance, process any issues that surfaced, and draw parallels between this experience, and real life experiences.
Shortly after arriving at the Ranch, the Certified Recreation Therapist meets with the newly admitted student and conducts a comprehensive recreational assessment. Information gathered during this process is incorporated into the student’s treatment plan and recreational activities are specifically designed to meet identified therapeutic objectives and goals. Each student participates in therapeutic recreation or recreational therapy at least once a week. Students also participate in structured daily co-ed recreational activities.

The Aspen Ranch Ropes Course

Students and staff at Aspen Ranch use a challenging ropes course, located on the beautiful back acres of the Ranch, as a tool to build mastery, self-confidence and encourage teamwork. The primary objective of the ropes course is to have fun in a controlled environment, and encouraging students to get out of their comfort zones, and into their challenge zones. While pursuing this goal, the teams are thrust into activities that are challenging for both the team and individual students. Almost as a by-product of having fun, these activities create scenarios that can bring up issues, and very quickly the teams find themselves processing these issues and applying them to situations in the real world.

Solo Experiences and Off-Campus Trips

The Recreational Initiative Staff also organize individual students’ solo experiences, which are required for advancement through the level system. As students are applying for higher levels they must successfully complete an overnight solo experience and process this experience with the Recreational Initiative Staff and their primary therapist.
In addition to all of these exciting on-campus opportunities, the Recreational Initiative Staff also organize and facilitate off-campus field trips and recreational activities such as hiking, skiing, rock-climbing trips and cultural events.