At 7 Arrows Academy, your child will progress through four directions — or phases of mastery — in the program. In addition, there are three developmental areas that the program focuses on: academics/career preparation; physical/mental wellness; and social/emotional growth.  At admission, every young person is asked to commit to going Full Circle through the Four Directions.

In First Direction, new students learn about the program and its expectations, and receive a thorough bio-psychosocial assessment to determine their aptitudes and needs. A multidisciplinary team of health practitioners, mental health professionals, and educators conducts the assessment. Each young person has a primary therapist who coordinates a personalized treatment program developed specifically for him or her. The therapist also facilitates parent participation in development of their child’s treatment plan, and communication and family involvement throughout the child’s stay in the program.

Educational testing and classroom observation provide insights into each student’s academic needs. Our Life Corps Academy on-site school provides a learning environment where teaching is designed with the students’ interests and constraints in mind. Special educational needs are accommodated; teachers draw on the natural environment to create an extended experiential classroom; and a well-equipped computer lab expands course options through distance learning. While at 7 Arrows Academy, students earn credits towards high school graduation, and college credits are also possible.

Second Direction focuses on self-knowledge, team-building and learning to work together with others. In this Direction, 7 Arrows students participate in a variety of Extraordinary Experiences: physically and psychologically challenging activities designed to get through defensiveness, build confidence and foster a sense of positive accomplishment. Extraordinary Experiences include activities such as hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, bicycle treks, working with horses, and participation in ceremonies based on American Indian traditions. Led by skilled instructors in collaboration with the program’s clinical staff, these experiences provide young people with direct “hands-on” learning that develop skills in reasoning, decision making, anger control, empathy, conflict resolution, leadership skills and interpersonal problem solving.

In Third Direction, your child will learn about inter-relationship through Equine Assisted Therapy. The experience of working with horses and other large animals is a powerful modality for teaching young people about relational skills, trust, the ability to care for and be supported by others, and control without using force. Skilled wranglers guide the young person through this experiential process; the therapist helps your child to make the connection of this learning to other relationships and experiences in his or her life.

Fourth Direction is about preparation for life after completing the program. Depending on the student’s age and intended direction upon leaving the program, this phase may focus on preparation for advanced education, career exploration, and/or vocational training and employment readiness. 7 Arrows Academy offers on-site vocational education in a number of fields including computer services, optics, agricultural science, construction, and culinary arts. Additional training opportunities are available through nearby educational institutions and distance learning via the Internet.