Alumni Updates

On March of ‘08 In Balance Ranch Academy inducted

three of its alumni into its Legacy Wall. The Legacy

Wall is meant to celebrate those alumni that have

remained sober and committed to their recovery and

have become instrumental in helping others find a

similar process of recovery.

Peter D. is “living a life that I never dreamt possible.”

Peter graduated our Transitional Living Program and

is an incredibly gifted staff and student. Working for

both our Transitional Living Program and Ranch while

attending the University of Arizona.

Jeff C. has since graduated our Transitional Living

Program and has become one of In Balance’s most

beloved staff, working at both the outpatient program

and the Ranch. He continues to have aspirations of

becoming a therapist.

Rob S. has moved back to the east coast to be closer to

his family. He continues to be an advocate and a role

model within the AA community. He is now in his

third year of college and hopes to become a therapist

and continue to give back.

Important Announcements: !We are so pleased to announce the opening of our new In Balance Treatment Center at the Ranch. After six months of

construction, this building is the perfect space to provide the best in clinical treatment. The State of Arizona

Office of Behavioral Health agrees because they issued our license to operate. It truly came out amazing! We

wish to extend our deepest gratitude to John Kline of Kline Custom Homes for creating this top notch facility.!

Also, our new school building should be complete by December 2008. (See Lynda’s article) Yet, we have been

approved for our CITA North Central accreditation.!

Thank you all for your support with these projects. We prayed the projects would be complete within our first 10

years and thanks to all of you we are 6 years ahead of schedule. We continue to strive to provide the best

setting for our students and families. Special thanks goes out Leon & Kathy Pyle.!

Numbers, continued from pg. 1 12, This marks the years that In Balance Counseling has been providing services to

youth and families with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

7 is the number of masters level therapists who are there to provide and serve the needs

of the youth and family served by In Balance.

67, The number of employees In Balance has to provide the quality of care in our

Intensive Outpatient Program, Transitional Living Program, and In Balance Ranch

Academy.

132, the number of combined years our clinical staff has been providing mental health

and substance abuse treatment.

3, the number of years our Transitional Living program has been in operation. Please see

www.inbalanceliving.com for more information on our In Balance Transitional Living

program.

100% represents the number of students who graduated from the Ranch and our

Transitional Living program who are sober today.

On a personal note, 3 represents the number of my children of which I am proud to say

all 3 work for In Balance and I cannot be more happy or more proud at how they carry

the same passion for the work that I have since I started in 1981.

2 represents the number of grandchildren Betsy and I have now. I can go on, but

numbers sometimes can be boring so I wanted to highlight the important ones.

We continue to be grateful for all who have supported the work of serving youth and

families. We are starting our second and even more comprehensive round of follow-up

studies and will keep you posted on what we find as the graduate pool becomes larger to

draw data from.

If you have not seen us lately please come out and take a look. In Balance Ranch Academy continues to provide clinically sophisticated evidence based treatment for both mental health and substance abuse related issues for youth and families and now now has the state of the art facilities to compliment our treatment and our academic program. !

Equine, continued from pg. 2 lives and relationships differently. An example to illustrate this is as follows: Tanner’s father, Bob, a successful business man, is in charge in

most areas of his life. Bob was controlling of his home and family and Tanner had come to the Ranch with severe depressive and anxiety

symptoms, weak self-concept, and drug use. Tanner’s mom, Heidi, tended to be passive and disconnected when Bob became tense, she was also

fairly depressed. At the time of this exercise, Tanner was closing in on graduation. His mom and dad were outwardly expressing readiness,

while showing a great deal of anxiety about the transition.

In the equine arena, Bob was feeling very anxious about being blindfolded around the horses. His usual way of coping with this was to become

irritable and demanding. He began to act this out and Heidi began to disconnect and shut down. It looked as if the old dynamic might play out

again. Tanner stayed very calm, strong, and centered. He communicated well and did not shut down or quit when his father was irritable. He

engaged both of his parents, stayed focused on solving the problem, while challenging them to push through their emotions to function as a

family.

In processing, Tanner talked about how, in the past his father would start to become irritable and then “go off.” Tanner said he used to shut down

and disconnect, like his mom. Bob said he was frustrated in the exercise but Tanner reassured him, encouraged him, and he remembered from

last family weekend that he could calm himself instead of escalating. This time, Bob stopped, breathed and calmed himself, and focused back on

the activity. Heidi felt good that she did not react to Bob’s initial tension; she was able to stay present, and keep listening and functioning to

work with Tanner on the solution.

These experiences can be used to discuss recovery, coping skills for anxiety, effective communication, and Tanner’s transition home. The skills

the family had used in the exercise were skills they can use in their relationship, rather than reacting and micromanaging. The parents were

amazed that Tanner stayed so calm, strong, and centered; they continue to see and experience Tanner differently and this gives them the sense of

confidence and trust they need in order to handle his transition.

Horses Highlight the Way the Family Functions Under Stress During another session, one family realized how they function under stress. A student, Jack, was quickly overwhelmed by his parents’ arguing,

and struggled to communicate at all. As he felt more and more hopeless and could not direct the activity, the parents’ cycle escalated. They

became frustrated that he was frozen and unable to function, not realizing their part in it. Because they had listened to other family’s experiences,

Jack’s parents realized they caused their son’s shutting down and that they need to change their interactions in order to help their son move

forward in his life. This was a profound realization and has guided a great deal of change for the family since this experience.

The Family Recreates Their Roles and Rules in the Arena After some struggles another student, Luke announced, “this is impossible.” His mom began to coach and tried to take over even though she

couldn’t see what to do. His step-father looked frustrated and irritable, though he chose to shut down and withdraw as mom began to over-

function. Luke pushed through his frustration and hopelessness and felt great when they completed the task.

In processing, mom said Luke has quit “everything in his life” and she always feels hopeless, panicked and then she begins to over-function.

She also noticed that she could not understand what he was trying to say to her. I reflected that when she’s in that over-functioning, panicky

mode, it is hard for her to hear. She became tearful and shared how that has defined her life. I asked what the step-father felt when Luke

expressed hopelessness. He said, “anger” and admitted that their physical fights always stemmed from those times. We discussed how in the

midst of helplessness, we often act out by trying to regain power. Luke had learned this about himself in our Trauma Recovery Group and he

could relate that his step-father’s anger and controlling behavior stemmed from the same place as his own. This was an important moment for

them to begin to understand how similar their feelings and reactions truly are. This realization has been the foundation for a very important

healing in their relationship. The step-father also talked about feeling he had to set boundaries because mom would be caretaking and rescuing

and Luke was not learning to be responsible. As we concluded the processing, I asked them to notice how they felt when Luke stayed with the

activity and didn’t stop until it was completed. They realized they felt a great sense of relief and hope.

The Horses Help Families See and Celebrate Their Transformations Mark was very calm, focused, and communicative with his parents and very caring towards his horse as well. They functioned well and in

processing, mom said that being blindfolded was a great experience of “surrender” which was her goal for the day. She said letting go and

trusting Mark rather than controlling and micromanaging him, felt very good. Dad said he felt himself wanting to take over and rescue, but

couldn’t, so he too had to trust and relax. He said he felt great when they were able to do so well as a family.

In summary, the horses provide a unique perspective on our internal emotional processes and our interactions within the family. They mirror our

individual emotions as well as the overall emotional tenor of the family. They play out the roles and rules we have often effectively hidden from

ourselves for many years. They open us up to the possibilities of being more genuine and close with those we care about the most. They also

help show us ways of being together that are healthier, more productive, and more harmonious. With our horses as co-therapists and the arena as

our office, our students and their families have the opportunity to experience profound realizations and dramatic therapeutic growth and change.

The Ranch Hand is published semi-annually by In Balance Ranch Academy. Please visit our website at www.inbalranch.com for the

latest information about our services. Admissions questions may be directed to Betsy Barrasso at (520) 722-9631.

By Patrick Barrasso, MSW, LCSW

39 is the number of follow-up surveys that our data analyst, Dave Reazin, used to provide the

following results. This is formerly what he did for programs throughout the Maryland area, that

provide substance abuse and mental health treatment. If you would like the entirety of this

outcome study please email us and we will be glad to send you the entire report.

97% of our families who had their sons complete the program report that the improvements

made in the program are continuing; in some cases almost three years since graduation. You

start with a vision, dedicate your life to pulling together the best research, experience and

training and then you actualize it and it works. This number reflects the hard work and daily

commitment of our staff, students and families.

3, This number represents our alumni who were recently inducted into our legacy wall of fame.

They have dedicated themselves to their school, sobriety, family and future, but most

importantly have been instrumental in helping other youth find the road to recovery! We are so

proud of all of our alumni, but these guys have really gone above and beyond. (see page 4)

95%-96%, In the calendar year 2006-2007, this number represents the percentage of students

who came to In Balance Ranch Academy to finish their high school diploma and actually

reached that goal. This was the expected vision/goal during their time with us. Of the young

men who finished high school at In Balance Ranch Academy, 90% have gone onto college. The

following represents the list of colleges they have gone on to: Arizona State, Berkley,

University of Utah, James Madison, C.W. Post, Pacific Lutheran, Pepperdine, St. Johns

University, University of Arizona, Penn State, West Virginia University, Marymount, George

Mason, Colorado State University, Evergreen College, Northern Illinois University, Hofstra

University, Southern Oregon University, University of Mary Washington, University of

Tennessee, University of Iowa, Linfield College, Marlboro College, Randolph Macon College,

and many other institutes of higher learning.

4, This marks the years since the Ranch has opened.

18, Represent the years since I first articulated the model for what would later become In

Balance Ranch Academy.

cont. page 4

South Africa, March 2008

On March 12, 2008, fourteen students and two

staff left for South Africa on a twenty-two day

excursion. This trip turned out to be nothing

short of amazing and is now an indefinite part

of In Balance Ranch Academy. We will offer

this trip every March in hopes that every

student that comes through In Balance will

have the opportunity to participate in this

phenomenal experience.

This trip included: Table Mountain, Cape of

Good Hope, Robben Island, The Gardens, the

world's highest bungee jump at Bloukran's

Bridge, Khwa Tuu,

Khayelitsha, and a

safari in the

Imfolozi Animal

Park.

All of our

experiences were great and added to the

intensity of the trip, but above all Khayelitsha

stands out as the most profound moment of

the trip. For seven days the boys stayed and

worked in the Town of Khayelitsha.

Khayelitsha has a population of 1-2 million,

living on an average of one dollar per day and

has a 60% HIV infection rate.

The students were split into pairs and each

placed with a different family to live within the

community. Each morning the students would

volunteer at either an orphanage, soup kitchen,

youth center or community garden. Then they

would return to their families where they were

treated like one of their own.

cont. page 5

What do all these numbers mean?!Let’s start with 100%. This is the

percentage of parents of our graduates

who would recommend our program to

another family.

In a program that is family owned and

operated, I know we have to do our very

best to attend to our students’ needs and to

our families’ needs. I oversee this

program and our staff provides a standard

of care as if it were our own child and

family going through this difficult journey.

Summer 2008

pg. 4 pg. 6

Order#309126080

In Balance Academics

Equine Assisted Therapy

comes to In Balance with a broad teaching and career background. She earned a Master’s Degree

in English with a minor in Spanish. Julian has taught middle school through college and other

adult programs including a rehabilitation center in Oakland, California. She has worked in many

alternative education settings from a one-room school house to a completely computer facilitated

classroom.

Julian’s wide-ranging career background involves program creation and direction for many

different non-profit groups. She also spent several years in publishing and in information

technology.

Julian’s own teaching and life philosophy recognizes the deep importance of spirituality, health,

and nature in creating a balanced life, and she is very excited to be a part of In Balance Ranch

Academy.

By Lynda Hendricks, M Ed.

In Balance Ranch Academy has a lot of exciting news from the Academic Department.

The new school building is well underway and will be completed by December. The

design is beautiful and functional with a large, open meeting room to allow for all

students and parents to attend concerts, workshops and other programs. Flowing

!By Shannon Dexter, LCSW, LISAC

Three times a year families will join us at the Ranch for a Family Weekend Workshop. For three and a half days they will work hard, play hard,

and experience many workshops at the Ranch which will help reframe, rebuild, and transform their relationships with their son, and often with

each other. One workshop is the Equine Therapy Experience. Part of the time is devoted to the students showing their parents and siblings the

skills and horsemanship they have learned while at the Ranch. The other part involves getting into the arena with the family and one or more

horses. The experiences unfold in often surprising ways and the processing of these can be very emotional. To help readers understand, I can

only offer to describe some of the most compelling examples of this past year. All of the names were changed to protect confidentiality.

These excerpts are from an activity I call blindfolded appendages. The student stands in the center of his family with his arms entwined with one

parent on each side. If there is a sibling, she/he is between the student and a parent. I explain that the student is the brain and the parents are the

appendages – the student cannot use his hands and the parents can only use their outside hands. The parents are then blindfolded, and as a group,

they go into the arena to catch and halter a horse. As the brain, the student has to communicate to and use only his parents’ arms.

The challenge brings out a great deal of emotion around how they see themselves, each other, the current state of their trust issues with their son,

their coping skills under stress, and the dynamics between all of the members of the family. By blindfolding the parents, the exercise also shifts

the usual dynamic of the power and control in the family. Horses are chosen that are interactive and appear to enjoy these types of activities

without becoming stressed. The horses are in a 50’X50’ arena and have the freedom to move away from any situation that is troubling to them.

This in itself creates realizations for the family.

Horses Mirror the Emotions of the Family Horses are very sensitive to the emotions and intentions of those around them and their reactions and responses directly and immediately reflect

those back. This gives students and families the opportunity to see themselves and their interactions from a fresh perspective and re-create their

cont. page 6

from this central gathering space are four classrooms, a science

lab, a library, and offices for academic staff. As we move into our

fifth year as an academy, this addition to the campus will allow us

to provide a more enriched, creative and challenging curriculum

for our students.

Equally as exciting for the ranch is the recent accreditation of our academic program. The CITA/North Central Association

team visited In Balance Ranch last week to recommend accreditation to the board. The full board will meet to approve the

team’s recommendation in the next month or two. Following that official notification, In Balance will add several new

courses to the college prep diploma program offered to current students. Courses in sociology, lab science, world literature,

philosophy, advanced composition, and several more foreign language courses will be part of the planned curriculum.

We would also like to welcome a new staff member to our team. Julian Greene

A friend remembered… By Close Family and Friends to Ada M.

In a twist of fate that no one could have predicted, on a faraway

continent that few travel to in their lifetime, in a meeting that could not

be scripted; fourteen young men from In Balance Ranch Academy,

shared a moment with a stranger that would become an untimely and

ironic reality for one of them.

While on a trip to South Africa in a remote village, the group attended

a meeting, focusing on the same issues that many of the young men

faced. With the meeting being translated to English for the group to

understand, a man spoke of how he lost his mother during his teenage

years. The speaker said that he made the decision the moment he lost

his mother, to cope with problems in a positive way, that he needed to

honor her memory and the sacrifices she made for him by living a full

and productive life. At that moment, the man started crying and all of

the women in the room stood and started singing over him, wishing

him peace and tranquility.

Three months later and more than 10,000 miles away from where that

meeting took place, more than 700 friends and family gathered to

mourn the death, celebrate the life and thank God they had the chance

to know Ada May M., the mother of In Balance resident Earl M. Ada

unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 47. Her passing left

many wondering why and how this could happen. The most perplexing

question is why would she be taken from her two young sons, Jackson

and Earl?

Her family and friends will ponder this question in the days, months

and years that lie ahead. But one question they are not left wondering

is if Ada had to do it all over again, would she send Earl to In Balance

Ranch Academy for the final ten months of her life if she knew this

stretch of time would be her last on earth?

Earl, 17, Ada's youngest son and the one who would be described over

and over again as just like her, became a resident at In Balance in

August 2007. It wasn't an easy decision for Ada to make. It wasn't like

taking Jackson to college - that was the next natural step in a young

man's life. She had to make the tough emotional decision to be

separated from her youngest son and separate him from the only life

he had known to this point. But Ada also knew she needed to give him

something that she couldn't give him at home in Portland, Oregon-

structure, balance and a comprehensive program that would give him

the tools to cope with the challenges of life - in a positive way.

Ada, a pillar in many circles in her life, sought solace and serenity

from many places. In recent years, Ada joined the Catholic Church

becoming a member of St. Clare’s Parish. Living a spiritual life and

building her relationship with God complemented Ada’s quest to

always become a better person. She wanted to provide the same

avenue of assistance to her son.

So last August, Ada did one of the hardest things she would have to do

as a mother, and took Earl to Arizona. Ada would question her

decision daily. Was she doing the right thing? Was this going to help

Earl? Or was he just going to resent her? Could she afford it? How

could she not see him all the time?

Slowly, her questions became answered. Committed to the process,

Ada participated fully in Earl's program. She talked to him as much as

she could, spent the holidays in Arizona and visited him often, taking

Jackson and her mom when possible. With each day that passed, with

each time she saw him, conversations she had with him and

conversations she shared with his counselors, she knew she was doing

the right thing. To friends and family, this was evident especially in the

final few months of her life when they would hear how good Earl was

doing - that he was smiling more, talking more, and seemed more

comfortable in his own skin. He even dared to say he was happy - and

that meant the world to her.

One of the toughest decisions in her life, most likely turned into being

one of the best gifts she could give both of her sons. To Jackson, she

gave a brother that could be strong enough to lean on during the

toughest of times. To Earl, she sacrificed her time to be with him so

that he could be in the environment to acquire the skills needed to be

the man, the friend, the brother, the grandson, the cousin, and the son

that could honor her in living a happy life.

If you wish to give a donation to this family, please feel

free to do so. Simply visit any Washington Mutual bank and

ask to donate to the "Ada May Memorial Fund” account

# 4010659021.

Ada & Earl

Seven days does not seem like a long time but by the end of our time there our students already had

Kosa names (main language of this particular township), and tears in their eyes as they said

goodbye to their respective families and co-workers.

Our students came to realize that although the people we experienced in this South African

township had a past filled will incredible pain and a present filled with absolute inequities, their

future can still be one of hope. A lesson that most of our students have since tried to implement

within their own lives.

Today we continue our relationship with Sinethemba through both planning of future trips and

current fund-raising efforts. As a result of such efforts Sinethemba plans on building a permanent

concrete addition to their youth center/orphanage, which is currently plywood and tin.

This South Africa trip will occur every March. We also plan on adding a similar service oriented

excursion to India later in 2009. With the two trips running annually every student that comes

through In Balance will have the opportunity to experience one.

South Africa, continued from pg. 1 Letter by a friend from South Africa

“Hey Dude!! Hope you are alright,

everyone has been talking about you guys

non stop since you left. Words can't explain

how much it sucks without you here I wish

I could talk to the guys more often but I

don't have a pc so it's kinda hard to keep in

touch. You guys absolutely have to come

back. I'm not good with words but I guess

what I’m tryin to say is I miss you guys and

wish you never left.

-David."

when change will occur.

“We showed up pitying them and left respecting and almost envying them.”- In Balance Ranch Academy Student

Change By Dylan F., In Balance Alumni

This has been the most eye opening experience that has occurred in my life. I am so happy for the

opportunity that I was able to have to go visit South Africa. I chose to make my experience one of

learning, open mindedness, gratefulness, happiness, and every other emotion and feeling that I had

in South Africa. The trip taught me of the impact I can make in this world and how important I can

be. Before I went on the trip, I did not know why I was on this earth. After the trip I know exactly

why I am here. To make this planet a safe place, by doing my part and helping wherever I can so

that in some way I can have an impact on everyone around me. My help starts by writing this letter. My dream is a world where everyone is

treated equal, and where everyone lives in happiness and with content. This can't happen until change occurs. People are living in the most

gruesome conditions and do not have the basic necessities of life. My plan is to make it so that every person on this earth has at least the basic

necessities. Also, I did not know how the people living in these conditions could find happiness. I did not know until I walked in their shoes. I

was put in one of these extremely poverty ridden communities, and lived there for a week. I learned that happiness is not in money, or cars, or

anything, but true happiness is found internally. These people were happy because they were trying to make a difference in their lives' and the

people's lives surrounding them. Although they lived on a dollar a day, some of them were still able to run soup kitchens out of their houses and

support up to hundreds of kids. Why? Because they care. They care about their brothers and sisters and they are trying to help each other out.

One single tabloid of a celebrity can reach up to five million dollars. People should spend less time worrying about what Brittney Spears is doing

with her life and worry about the people who are dying of starvation and of deadly diseases. People need to learn that the change starts with

everyone starting to care more about the world they live in, instead of spending five dollars on bag of chips and a drink when you don't need

them, give it to charity. That five dollars could be used to save lives. To give kids a lunch or a dinner that they would not have normally had. The

solution is so simple but yet so hard. People need to open their eyes and realize what is happening in this world. So how do I plan to help the

community? I plan to preach the word. To be part of this solution. To spread the word of care, because change is going to happen when people

hear what the problem is, and how easy of a solution it is. If I tell twenty people about what I wrote in this letter maybe two will listen and

actually continue to spread the word. Then they each tell twenty and two more people will pick it up. So far, just by taking five minutes out of my

day to teach others, six more people know the severity of this problem. Also there are six more people who can preach the word and teach

another six. After a little bit of time a whole lot of people will know what is happening in this world and some will want to help. This is hopefully

pg. 3 pg. 2

Order#309126080

In Balance Academics

Equine Assisted Therapy

comes to In Balance with a broad teaching and career background. She earned a Master’s Degree

in English with a minor in Spanish. Julian has taught middle school through college and other

adult programs including a rehabilitation center in Oakland, California. She has worked in many

alternative education settings from a one-room school house to a completely computer facilitated

classroom.

Julian’s wide-ranging career background involves program creation and direction for many

different non-profit groups. She also spent several years in publishing and in information

technology.

Julian’s own teaching and life philosophy recognizes the deep importance of spirituality, health,

and nature in creating a balanced life, and she is very excited to be a part of In Balance Ranch

Academy.

By Lynda Hendricks, M Ed.

In Balance Ranch Academy has a lot of exciting news from the Academic Department.

The new school building is well underway and will be completed by December. The

design is beautiful and functional with a large, open meeting room to allow for all

students and parents to attend concerts, workshops and other programs. Flowing

!By Shannon Dexter, LCSW, LISAC

Three times a year families will join us at the Ranch for a Family Weekend Workshop. For three and a half days they will work hard, play hard,

and experience many workshops at the Ranch which will help reframe, rebuild, and transform their relationships with their son, and often with

each other. One workshop is the Equine Therapy Experience. Part of the time is devoted to the students showing their parents and siblings the

skills and horsemanship they have learned while at the Ranch. The other part involves getting into the arena with the family and one or more

horses. The experiences unfold in often surprising ways and the processing of these can be very emotional. To help readers understand, I can

only offer to describe some of the most compelling examples of this past year. All of the names were changed to protect confidentiality.

These excerpts are from an activity I call blindfolded appendages. The student stands in the center of his family with his arms entwined with one

parent on each side. If there is a sibling, she/he is between the student and a parent. I explain that the student is the brain and the parents are the

appendages – the student cannot use his hands and the parents can only use their outside hands. The parents are then blindfolded, and as a group,

they go into the arena to catch and halter a horse. As the brain, the student has to communicate to and use only his parents’ arms.

The challenge brings out a great deal of emotion around how they see themselves, each other, the current state of their trust issues with their son,

their coping skills under stress, and the dynamics between all of the members of the family. By blindfolding the parents, the exercise also shifts

the usual dynamic of the power and control in the family. Horses are chosen that are interactive and appear to enjoy these types of activities

without becoming stressed. The horses are in a 50’X50’ arena and have the freedom to move away from any situation that is troubling to them.

This in itself creates realizations for the family.

Horses Mirror the Emotions of the Family Horses are very sensitive to the emotions and intentions of those around them and their reactions and responses directly and immediately reflect

those back. This gives students and families the opportunity to see themselves and their interactions from a fresh perspective and re-create their

cont. page 6

from this central gathering space are four classrooms, a science

lab, a library, and offices for academic staff. As we move into our

fifth year as an academy, this addition to the campus will allow us

to provide a more enriched, creative and challenging curriculum

for our students.

Equally as exciting for the ranch is the recent accreditation of our academic program. The CITA/North Central Association

team visited In Balance Ranch last week to recommend accreditation to the board. The full board will meet to approve the

team’s recommendation in the next month or two. Following that official notification, In Balance will add several new

courses to the college prep diploma program offered to current students. Courses in sociology, lab science, world literature,

philosophy, advanced composition, and several more foreign language courses will be part of the planned curriculum.

We would also like to welcome a new staff member to our team. Julian Greene

A friend remembered… By Close Family and Friends to Ada M.

In a twist of fate that no one could have predicted, on a faraway

continent that few travel to in their lifetime, in a meeting that could not

be scripted; fourteen young men from In Balance Ranch Academy,

shared a moment with a stranger that would become an untimely and

ironic reality for one of them.

While on a trip to South Africa in a remote village, the group attended

a meeting, focusing on the same issues that many of the young men

faced. With the meeting being translated to English for the group to

understand, a man spoke of how he lost his mother during his teenage

years. The speaker said that he made the decision the moment he lost

his mother, to cope with problems in a positive way, that he needed to

honor her memory and the sacrifices she made for him by living a full

and productive life. At that moment, the man started crying and all of

the women in the room stood and started singing over him, wishing

him peace and tranquility.

Three months later and more than 10,000 miles away from where that

meeting took place, more than 700 friends and family gathered to

mourn the death, celebrate the life and thank God they had the chance

to know Ada May M., the mother of In Balance resident Earl M. Ada

unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 47. Her passing left

many wondering why and how this could happen. The most perplexing

question is why would she be taken from her two young sons, Jackson

and Earl?

Her family and friends will ponder this question in the days, months

and years that lie ahead. But one question they are not left wondering

is if Ada had to do it all over again, would she send Earl to In Balance

Ranch Academy for the final ten months of her life if she knew this

stretch of time would be her last on earth?

Earl, 17, Ada's youngest son and the one who would be described over

and over again as just like her, became a resident at In Balance in

August 2007. It wasn't an easy decision for Ada to make. It wasn't like

taking Jackson to college - that was the next natural step in a young

man's life. She had to make the tough emotional decision to be

separated from her youngest son and separate him from the only life

he had known to this point. But Ada also knew she needed to give him

something that she couldn't give him at home in Portland, Oregon-

structure, balance and a comprehensive program that would give him

the tools to cope with the challenges of life - in a positive way.

Ada, a pillar in many circles in her life, sought solace and serenity

from many places. In recent years, Ada joined the Catholic Church

becoming a member of St. Clare’s Parish. Living a spiritual life and

building her relationship with God complemented Ada’s quest to

always become a better person. She wanted to provide the same

avenue of assistance to her son.

So last August, Ada did one of the hardest things she would have to do

as a mother, and took Earl to Arizona. Ada would question her

decision daily. Was she doing the right thing? Was this going to help

Earl? Or was he just going to resent her? Could she afford it? How

could she not see him all the time?

Slowly, her questions became answered. Committed to the process,

Ada participated fully in Earl's program. She talked to him as much as

she could, spent the holidays in Arizona and visited him often, taking

Jackson and her mom when possible. With each day that passed, with

each time she saw him, conversations she had with him and

conversations she shared with his counselors, she knew she was doing

the right thing. To friends and family, this was evident especially in the

final few months of her life when they would hear how good Earl was

doing - that he was smiling more, talking more, and seemed more

comfortable in his own skin. He even dared to say he was happy - and

that meant the world to her.

One of the toughest decisions in her life, most likely turned into being

one of the best gifts she could give both of her sons. To Jackson, she

gave a brother that could be strong enough to lean on during the

toughest of times. To Earl, she sacrificed her time to be with him so

that he could be in the environment to acquire the skills needed to be

the man, the friend, the brother, the grandson, the cousin, and the son

that could honor her in living a happy life.

If you wish to give a donation to this family, please feel

free to do so. Simply visit any Washington Mutual bank and

ask to donate to the "Ada May Memorial Fund” account

# 4010659021.

Ada & Earl

Seven days does not seem like a long time but by the end of our time there our students already had

Kosa names (main language of this particular township), and tears in their eyes as they said

goodbye to their respective families and co-workers.

Our students came to realize that although the people we experienced in this South African

township had a past filled will incredible pain and a present filled with absolute inequities, their

future can still be one of hope. A lesson that most of our students have since tried to implement

within their own lives.

Today we continue our relationship with Sinethemba through both planning of future trips and

current fund-raising efforts. As a result of such efforts Sinethemba plans on building a permanent

concrete addition to their youth center/orphanage, which is currently plywood and tin.

This South Africa trip will occur every March. We also plan on adding a similar service oriented

excursion to India later in 2009. With the two trips running annually every student that comes

through In Balance will have the opportunity to experience one.

South Africa, continued from pg. 1 Letter by a friend from South Africa

“Hey Dude!! Hope you are alright,

everyone has been talking about you guys

non stop since you left. Words can't explain

how much it sucks without you here I wish

I could talk to the guys more often but I

don't have a pc so it's kinda hard to keep in

touch. You guys absolutely have to come

back. I'm not good with words but I guess

what I’m tryin to say is I miss you guys and

wish you never left.

-David."

when change will occur.

“We showed up pitying them and left respecting and almost envying them.”- In Balance Ranch Academy Student

Change By Dylan F., In Balance Alumni

This has been the most eye opening experience that has occurred in my life. I am so happy for the

opportunity that I was able to have to go visit South Africa. I chose to make my experience one of

learning, open mindedness, gratefulness, happiness, and every other emotion and feeling that I had

in South Africa. The trip taught me of the impact I can make in this world and how important I can

be. Before I went on the trip, I did not know why I was on this earth. After the trip I know exactly

why I am here. To make this planet a safe place, by doing my part and helping wherever I can so

that in some way I can have an impact on everyone around me. My help starts by writing this letter. My dream is a world where everyone is

treated equal, and where everyone lives in happiness and with content. This can't happen until change occurs. People are living in the most

gruesome conditions and do not have the basic necessities of life. My plan is to make it so that every person on this earth has at least the basic

necessities. Also, I did not know how the people living in these conditions could find happiness. I did not know until I walked in their shoes. I

was put in one of these extremely poverty ridden communities, and lived there for a week. I learned that happiness is not in money, or cars, or

anything, but true happiness is found internally. These people were happy because they were trying to make a difference in their lives' and the

people's lives surrounding them. Although they lived on a dollar a day, some of them were still able to run soup kitchens out of their houses and

support up to hundreds of kids. Why? Because they care. They care about their brothers and sisters and they are trying to help each other out.

One single tabloid of a celebrity can reach up to five million dollars. People should spend less time worrying about what Brittney Spears is doing

with her life and worry about the people who are dying of starvation and of deadly diseases. People need to learn that the change starts with

everyone starting to care more about the world they live in, instead of spending five dollars on bag of chips and a drink when you don't need

them, give it to charity. That five dollars could be used to save lives. To give kids a lunch or a dinner that they would not have normally had. The

solution is so simple but yet so hard. People need to open their eyes and realize what is happening in this world. So how do I plan to help the

community? I plan to preach the word. To be part of this solution. To spread the word of care, because change is going to happen when people

hear what the problem is, and how easy of a solution it is. If I tell twenty people about what I wrote in this letter maybe two will listen and

actually continue to spread the word. Then they each tell twenty and two more people will pick it up. So far, just by taking five minutes out of my

day to teach others, six more people know the severity of this problem. Also there are six more people who can preach the word and teach

another six. After a little bit of time a whole lot of people will know what is happening in this world and some will want to help. This is hopefully

pg. 3 pg. 2

Order#309126080

Alumni Updates

On March of ‘08 In Balance Ranch Academy inducted

three of its alumni into its Legacy Wall. The Legacy

Wall is meant to celebrate those alumni that have

remained sober and committed to their recovery and

have become instrumental in helping others find a

similar process of recovery.

Peter D. is “living a life that I never dreamt possible.”

Peter graduated our Transitional Living Program and

is an incredibly gifted staff and student. Working for

both our Transitional Living Program and Ranch while

attending the University of Arizona.

Jeff C. has since graduated our Transitional Living

Program and has become one of In Balance’s most

beloved staff, working at both the outpatient program

and the Ranch. He continues to have aspirations of

becoming a therapist.

Rob S. has moved back to the east coast to be closer to

his family. He continues to be an advocate and a role

model within the AA community. He is now in his

third year of college and hopes to become a therapist

and continue to give back.

Important Announcements: !We are so pleased to announce the opening of our new In Balance Treatment Center at the Ranch. After six months of

construction, this building is the perfect space to provide the best in clinical treatment. The State of Arizona

Office of Behavioral Health agrees because they issued our license to operate. It truly came out amazing! We

wish to extend our deepest gratitude to John Kline of Kline Custom Homes for creating this top notch facility.!

Also, our new school building should be complete by December 2008. (See Lynda’s article) Yet, we have been

approved for our CITA North Central accreditation.!

Thank you all for your support with these projects. We prayed the projects would be complete within our first 10

years and thanks to all of you we are 6 years ahead of schedule. We continue to strive to provide the best

setting for our students and families. Special thanks goes out Leon & Kathy Pyle.!

Numbers, continued from pg. 1 12, This marks the years that In Balance Counseling has been providing services to

youth and families with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

7 is the number of masters level therapists who are there to provide and serve the needs

of the youth and family served by In Balance.

67, The number of employees In Balance has to provide the quality of care in our

Intensive Outpatient Program, Transitional Living Program, and In Balance Ranch

Academy.

132, the number of combined years our clinical staff has been providing mental health

and substance abuse treatment.

3, the number of years our Transitional Living program has been in operation. Please see

www.inbalanceliving.com for more information on our In Balance Transitional Living

program.

100% represents the number of students who graduated from the Ranch and our

Transitional Living program who are sober today.

On a personal note, 3 represents the number of my children of which I am proud to say

all 3 work for In Balance and I cannot be more happy or more proud at how they carry

the same passion for the work that I have since I started in 1981.

2 represents the number of grandchildren Betsy and I have now. I can go on, but

numbers sometimes can be boring so I wanted to highlight the important ones.

We continue to be grateful for all who have supported the work of serving youth and

families. We are starting our second and even more comprehensive round of follow-up

studies and will keep you posted on what we find as the graduate pool becomes larger to

draw data from.

If you have not seen us lately please come out and take a look. In Balance Ranch Academy continues to provide clinically sophisticated evidence based treatment for both mental health and substance abuse related issues for youth and families and now now has the state of the art facilities to compliment our treatment and our academic program. !

Equine, continued from pg. 2 lives and relationships differently. An example to illustrate this is as follows: Tanner’s father, Bob, a successful business man, is in charge in

most areas of his life. Bob was controlling of his home and family and Tanner had come to the Ranch with severe depressive and anxiety

symptoms, weak self-concept, and drug use. Tanner’s mom, Heidi, tended to be passive and disconnected when Bob became tense, she was also

fairly depressed. At the time of this exercise, Tanner was closing in on graduation. His mom and dad were outwardly expressing readiness,

while showing a great deal of anxiety about the transition.

In the equine arena, Bob was feeling very anxious about being blindfolded around the horses. His usual way of coping with this was to become

irritable and demanding. He began to act this out and Heidi began to disconnect and shut down. It looked as if the old dynamic might play out

again. Tanner stayed very calm, strong, and centered. He communicated well and did not shut down or quit when his father was irritable. He

engaged both of his parents, stayed focused on solving the problem, while challenging them to push through their emotions to function as a

family.

In processing, Tanner talked about how, in the past his father would start to become irritable and then “go off.” Tanner said he used to shut down

and disconnect, like his mom. Bob said he was frustrated in the exercise but Tanner reassured him, encouraged him, and he remembered from

last family weekend that he could calm himself instead of escalating. This time, Bob stopped, breathed and calmed himself, and focused back on

the activity. Heidi felt good that she did not react to Bob’s initial tension; she was able to stay present, and keep listening and functioning to

work with Tanner on the solution.

These experiences can be used to discuss recovery, coping skills for anxiety, effective communication, and Tanner’s transition home. The skills

the family had used in the exercise were skills they can use in their relationship, rather than reacting and micromanaging. The parents were

amazed that Tanner stayed so calm, strong, and centered; they continue to see and experience Tanner differently and this gives them the sense of

confidence and trust they need in order to handle his transition.

Horses Highlight the Way the Family Functions Under Stress During another session, one family realized how they function under stress. A student, Jack, was quickly overwhelmed by his parents’ arguing,

and struggled to communicate at all. As he felt more and more hopeless and could not direct the activity, the parents’ cycle escalated. They

became frustrated that he was frozen and unable to function, not realizing their part in it. Because they had listened to other family’s experiences,

Jack’s parents realized they caused their son’s shutting down and that they need to change their interactions in order to help their son move

forward in his life. This was a profound realization and has guided a great deal of change for the family since this experience.

The Family Recreates Their Roles and Rules in the Arena After some struggles another student, Luke announced, “this is impossible.” His mom began to coach and tried to take over even though she

couldn’t see what to do. His step-father looked frustrated and irritable, though he chose to shut down and withdraw as mom began to over-

function. Luke pushed through his frustration and hopelessness and felt great when they completed the task.

In processing, mom said Luke has quit “everything in his life” and she always feels hopeless, panicked and then she begins to over-function.

She also noticed that she could not understand what he was trying to say to her. I reflected that when she’s in that over-functioning, panicky

mode, it is hard for her to hear. She became tearful and shared how that has defined her life. I asked what the step-father felt when Luke

expressed hopelessness. He said, “anger” and admitted that their physical fights always stemmed from those times. We discussed how in the

midst of helplessness, we often act out by trying to regain power. Luke had learned this about himself in our Trauma Recovery Group and he

could relate that his step-father’s anger and controlling behavior stemmed from the same place as his own. This was an important moment for

them to begin to understand how similar their feelings and reactions truly are. This realization has been the foundation for a very important

healing in their relationship. The step-father also talked about feeling he had to set boundaries because mom would be caretaking and rescuing

and Luke was not learning to be responsible. As we concluded the processing, I asked them to notice how they felt when Luke stayed with the

activity and didn’t stop until it was completed. They realized they felt a great sense of relief and hope.

The Horses Help Families See and Celebrate Their Transformations Mark was very calm, focused, and communicative with his parents and very caring towards his horse as well. They functioned well and in

processing, mom said that being blindfolded was a great experience of “surrender” which was her goal for the day. She said letting go and

trusting Mark rather than controlling and micromanaging him, felt very good. Dad said he felt himself wanting to take over and rescue, but

couldn’t, so he too had to trust and relax. He said he felt great when they were able to do so well as a family.

In summary, the horses provide a unique perspective on our internal emotional processes and our interactions within the family. They mirror our

individual emotions as well as the overall emotional tenor of the family. They play out the roles and rules we have often effectively hidden from

ourselves for many years. They open us up to the possibilities of being more genuine and close with those we care about the most. They also

help show us ways of being together that are healthier, more productive, and more harmonious. With our horses as co-therapists and the arena as

our office, our students and their families have the opportunity to experience profound realizations and dramatic therapeutic growth and change.

The Ranch Hand is published semi-annually by In Balance Ranch Academy. Please visit our website at www.inbalranch.com for the

latest information about our services. Admissions questions may be directed to Betsy Barrasso at (520) 722-9631.

By Patrick Barrasso, MSW, LCSW

39 is the number of follow-up surveys that our data analyst, Dave Reazin, used to provide the

following results. This is formerly what he did for programs throughout the Maryland area, that

provide substance abuse and mental health treatment. If you would like the entirety of this

outcome study please email us and we will be glad to send you the entire report.

97% of our families who had their sons complete the program report that the improvements

made in the program are continuing; in some cases almost three years since graduation. You

start with a vision, dedicate your life to pulling together the best research, experience and

training and then you actualize it and it works. This number reflects the hard work and daily

commitment of our staff, students and families.

3, This number represents our alumni who were recently inducted into our legacy wall of fame.

They have dedicated themselves to their school, sobriety, family and future, but most

importantly have been instrumental in helping other youth find the road to recovery! We are so

proud of all of our alumni, but these guys have really gone above and beyond. (see page 4)

95%-96%, In the calendar year 2006-2007, this number represents the percentage of students

who came to In Balance Ranch Academy to finish their high school diploma and actually

reached that goal. This was the expected vision/goal during their time with us. Of the young

men who finished high school at In Balance Ranch Academy, 90% have gone onto college. The

following represents the list of colleges they have gone on to: Arizona State, Berkley,

University of Utah, James Madison, C.W. Post, Pacific Lutheran, Pepperdine, St. Johns

University, University of Arizona, Penn State, West Virginia University, Marymount, George

Mason, Colorado State University, Evergreen College, Northern Illinois University, Hofstra

University, Southern Oregon University, University of Mary Washington, University of

Tennessee, University of Iowa, Linfield College, Marlboro College, Randolph Macon College,

and many other institutes of higher learning.

4, This marks the years since the Ranch has opened.

18, Represent the years since I first articulated the model for what would later become In

Balance Ranch Academy.

cont. page 4

South Africa, March 2008

On March 12, 2008, fourteen students and two

staff left for South Africa on a twenty-two day

excursion. This trip turned out to be nothing

short of amazing and is now an indefinite part

of In Balance Ranch Academy. We will offer

this trip every March in hopes that every

student that comes through In Balance will

have the opportunity to participate in this

phenomenal experience.

This trip included: Table Mountain, Cape of

Good Hope, Robben Island, The Gardens, the

world's highest bungee jump at Bloukran's

Bridge, Khwa Tuu,

Khayelitsha, and a

safari in the

Imfolozi Animal

Park.

All of our

experiences were great and added to the

intensity of the trip, but above all Khayelitsha

stands out as the most profound moment of

the trip. For seven days the boys stayed and

worked in the Town of Khayelitsha.

Khayelitsha has a population of 1-2 million,

living on an average of one dollar per day and

has a 60% HIV infection rate.

The students were split into pairs and each

placed with a different family to live within the

community. Each morning the students would

volunteer at either an orphanage, soup kitchen,

youth center or community garden. Then they

would return to their families where they were

treated like one of their own.

cont. page 5

What do all these numbers mean?!Let’s start with 100%. This is the

percentage of parents of our graduates

who would recommend our program to

another family.

In a program that is family owned and

operated, I know we have to do our very

best to attend to our students’ needs and to

our families’ needs. I oversee this

program and our staff provides a standard

of care as if it were our own child and

family going through this difficult journey.

Summer 2008

pg. 4 pg. 6

Order#309126080

In Balance Academics

Equine Assisted Therapy

comes to In Balance with a broad teaching and career background. She earned a Master’s Degree

in English with a minor in Spanish. Julian has taught middle school through college and other

adult programs including a rehabilitation center in Oakland, California. She has worked in many

alternative education settings from a one-room school house to a completely computer facilitated

classroom.

Julian’s wide-ranging career background involves program creation and direction for many

different non-profit groups. She also spent several years in publishing and in information

technology.

Julian’s own teaching and life philosophy recognizes the deep importance of spirituality, health,

and nature in creating a balanced life, and she is very excited to be a part of In Balance Ranch

Academy.

By Lynda Hendricks, M Ed.

In Balance Ranch Academy has a lot of exciting news from the Academic Department.

The new school building is well underway and will be completed by December. The

design is beautiful and functional with a large, open meeting room to allow for all

students and parents to attend concerts, workshops and other programs. Flowing

!By Shannon Dexter, LCSW, LISAC

Three times a year families will join us at the Ranch for a Family Weekend Workshop. For three and a half days they will work hard, play hard,

and experience many workshops at the Ranch which will help reframe, rebuild, and transform their relationships with their son, and often with

each other. One workshop is the Equine Therapy Experience. Part of the time is devoted to the students showing their parents and siblings the

skills and horsemanship they have learned while at the Ranch. The other part involves getting into the arena with the family and one or more

horses. The experiences unfold in often surprising ways and the processing of these can be very emotional. To help readers understand, I can

only offer to describe some of the most compelling examples of this past year. All of the names were changed to protect confidentiality.

These excerpts are from an activity I call blindfolded appendages. The student stands in the center of his family with his arms entwined with one

parent on each side. If there is a sibling, she/he is between the student and a parent. I explain that the student is the brain and the parents are the

appendages – the student cannot use his hands and the parents can only use their outside hands. The parents are then blindfolded, and as a group,

they go into the arena to catch and halter a horse. As the brain, the student has to communicate to and use only his parents’ arms.

The challenge brings out a great deal of emotion around how they see themselves, each other, the current state of their trust issues with their son,

their coping skills under stress, and the dynamics between all of the members of the family. By blindfolding the parents, the exercise also shifts

the usual dynamic of the power and control in the family. Horses are chosen that are interactive and appear to enjoy these types of activities

without becoming stressed. The horses are in a 50’X50’ arena and have the freedom to move away from any situation that is troubling to them.

This in itself creates realizations for the family.

Horses Mirror the Emotions of the Family Horses are very sensitive to the emotions and intentions of those around them and their reactions and responses directly and immediately reflect

those back. This gives students and families the opportunity to see themselves and their interactions from a fresh perspective and re-create their

cont. page 6

from this central gathering space are four classrooms, a science

lab, a library, and offices for academic staff. As we move into our

fifth year as an academy, this addition to the campus will allow us

to provide a more enriched, creative and challenging curriculum

for our students.

Equally as exciting for the ranch is the recent accreditation of our academic program. The CITA/North Central Association

team visited In Balance Ranch last week to recommend accreditation to the board. The full board will meet to approve the

team’s recommendation in the next month or two. Following that official notification, In Balance will add several new

courses to the college prep diploma program offered to current students. Courses in sociology, lab science, world literature,

philosophy, advanced composition, and several more foreign language courses will be part of the planned curriculum.

We would also like to welcome a new staff member to our team. Julian Greene

A friend remembered… By Close Family and Friends to Ada M.

In a twist of fate that no one could have predicted, on a faraway

continent that few travel to in their lifetime, in a meeting that could not

be scripted; fourteen young men from In Balance Ranch Academy,

shared a moment with a stranger that would become an untimely and

ironic reality for one of them.

While on a trip to South Africa in a remote village, the group attended

a meeting, focusing on the same issues that many of the young men

faced. With the meeting being translated to English for the group to

understand, a man spoke of how he lost his mother during his teenage

years. The speaker said that he made the decision the moment he lost

his mother, to cope with problems in a positive way, that he needed to

honor her memory and the sacrifices she made for him by living a full

and productive life. At that moment, the man started crying and all of

the women in the room stood and started singing over him, wishing

him peace and tranquility.

Three months later and more than 10,000 miles away from where that

meeting took place, more than 700 friends and family gathered to

mourn the death, celebrate the life and thank God they had the chance

to know Ada May M., the mother of In Balance resident Earl M. Ada

unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 47. Her passing left

many wondering why and how this could happen. The most perplexing

question is why would she be taken from her two young sons, Jackson

and Earl?

Her family and friends will ponder this question in the days, months

and years that lie ahead. But one question they are not left wondering

is if Ada had to do it all over again, would she send Earl to In Balance

Ranch Academy for the final ten months of her life if she knew this

stretch of time would be her last on earth?

Earl, 17, Ada's youngest son and the one who would be described over

and over again as just like her, became a resident at In Balance in

August 2007. It wasn't an easy decision for Ada to make. It wasn't like

taking Jackson to college - that was the next natural step in a young

man's life. She had to make the tough emotional decision to be

separated from her youngest son and separate him from the only life

he had known to this point. But Ada also knew she needed to give him

something that she couldn't give him at home in Portland, Oregon-

structure, balance and a comprehensive program that would give him

the tools to cope with the challenges of life - in a positive way.

Ada, a pillar in many circles in her life, sought solace and serenity

from many places. In recent years, Ada joined the Catholic Church

becoming a member of St. Clare’s Parish. Living a spiritual life and

building her relationship with God complemented Ada’s quest to

always become a better person. She wanted to provide the same

avenue of assistance to her son.

So last August, Ada did one of the hardest things she would have to do

as a mother, and took Earl to Arizona. Ada would question her

decision daily. Was she doing the right thing? Was this going to help

Earl? Or was he just going to resent her? Could she afford it? How

could she not see him all the time?

Slowly, her questions became answered. Committed to the process,

Ada participated fully in Earl's program. She talked to him as much as

she could, spent the holidays in Arizona and visited him often, taking

Jackson and her mom when possible. With each day that passed, with

each time she saw him, conversations she had with him and

conversations she shared with his counselors, she knew she was doing

the right thing. To friends and family, this was evident especially in the

final few months of her life when they would hear how good Earl was

doing - that he was smiling more, talking more, and seemed more

comfortable in his own skin. He even dared to say he was happy - and

that meant the world to her.

One of the toughest decisions in her life, most likely turned into being

one of the best gifts she could give both of her sons. To Jackson, she

gave a brother that could be strong enough to lean on during the

toughest of times. To Earl, she sacrificed her time to be with him so

that he could be in the environment to acquire the skills needed to be

the man, the friend, the brother, the grandson, the cousin, and the son

that could honor her in living a happy life.

If you wish to give a donation to this family, please feel

free to do so. Simply visit any Washington Mutual bank and

ask to donate to the "Ada May Memorial Fund” account

# 4010659021.

Ada & Earl

Seven days does not seem like a long time but by the end of our time there our students already had

Kosa names (main language of this particular township), and tears in their eyes as they said

goodbye to their respective families and co-workers.

Our students came to realize that although the people we experienced in this South African

township had a past filled will incredible pain and a present filled with absolute inequities, their

future can still be one of hope. A lesson that most of our students have since tried to implement

within their own lives.

Today we continue our relationship with Sinethemba through both planning of future trips and

current fund-raising efforts. As a result of such efforts Sinethemba plans on building a permanent

concrete addition to their youth center/orphanage, which is currently plywood and tin.

This South Africa trip will occur every March. We also plan on adding a similar service oriented

excursion to India later in 2009. With the two trips running annually every student that comes

through In Balance will have the opportunity to experience one.

South Africa, continued from pg. 1 Letter by a friend from South Africa

“Hey Dude!! Hope you are alright,

everyone has been talking about you guys

non stop since you left. Words can't explain

how much it sucks without you here I wish

I could talk to the guys more often but I

don't have a pc so it's kinda hard to keep in

touch. You guys absolutely have to come

back. I'm not good with words but I guess

what I’m tryin to say is I miss you guys and

wish you never left.

-David."

when change will occur.

“We showed up pitying them and left respecting and almost envying them.”- In Balance Ranch Academy Student

Change By Dylan F., In Balance Alumni

This has been the most eye opening experience that has occurred in my life. I am so happy for the

opportunity that I was able to have to go visit South Africa. I chose to make my experience one of

learning, open mindedness, gratefulness, happiness, and every other emotion and feeling that I had

in South Africa. The trip taught me of the impact I can make in this world and how important I can

be. Before I went on the trip, I did not know why I was on this earth. After the trip I know exactly

why I am here. To make this planet a safe place, by doing my part and helping wherever I can so

that in some way I can have an impact on everyone around me. My help starts by writing this letter. My dream is a world where everyone is

treated equal, and where everyone lives in happiness and with content. This can't happen until change occurs. People are living in the most

gruesome conditions and do not have the basic necessities of life. My plan is to make it so that every person on this earth has at least the basic

necessities. Also, I did not know how the people living in these conditions could find happiness. I did not know until I walked in their shoes. I

was put in one of these extremely poverty ridden communities, and lived there for a week. I learned that happiness is not in money, or cars, or

anything, but true happiness is found internally. These people were happy because they were trying to make a difference in their lives' and the

people's lives surrounding them. Although they lived on a dollar a day, some of them were still able to run soup kitchens out of their houses and

support up to hundreds of kids. Why? Because they care. They care about their brothers and sisters and they are trying to help each other out.

One single tabloid of a celebrity can reach up to five million dollars. People should spend less time worrying about what Brittney Spears is doing

with her life and worry about the people who are dying of starvation and of deadly diseases. People need to learn that the change starts with

everyone starting to care more about the world they live in, instead of spending five dollars on bag of chips and a drink when you don't need

them, give it to charity. That five dollars could be used to save lives. To give kids a lunch or a dinner that they would not have normally had. The

solution is so simple but yet so hard. People need to open their eyes and realize what is happening in this world. So how do I plan to help the

community? I plan to preach the word. To be part of this solution. To spread the word of care, because change is going to happen when people

hear what the problem is, and how easy of a solution it is. If I tell twenty people about what I wrote in this letter maybe two will listen and

actually continue to spread the word. Then they each tell twenty and two more people will pick it up. So far, just by taking five minutes out of my

day to teach others, six more people know the severity of this problem. Also there are six more people who can preach the word and teach

another six. After a little bit of time a whole lot of people will know what is happening in this world and some will want to help. This is hopefully

pg. 3 pg. 2

Order#309126080

Alumni Updates

On March of ‘08 In Balance Ranch Academy inducted

three of its alumni into its Legacy Wall. The Legacy

Wall is meant to celebrate those alumni that have

remained sober and committed to their recovery and

have become instrumental in helping others find a

similar process of recovery.

Peter D. is “living a life that I never dreamt possible.”

Peter graduated our Transitional Living Program and

is an incredibly gifted staff and student. Working for

both our Transitional Living Program and Ranch while

attending the University of Arizona.

Jeff C. has since graduated our Transitional Living

Program and has become one of In Balance’s most

beloved staff, working at both the outpatient program

and the Ranch. He continues to have aspirations of

becoming a therapist.

Rob S. has moved back to the east coast to be closer to

his family. He continues to be an advocate and a role

model within the AA community. He is now in his

third year of college and hopes to become a therapist

and continue to give back.

Important Announcements: !We are so pleased to announce the opening of our new In Balance Treatment Center at the Ranch. After six months of

construction, this building is the perfect space to provide the best in clinical treatment. The State of Arizona

Office of Behavioral Health agrees because they issued our license to operate. It truly came out amazing! We

wish to extend our deepest gratitude to John Kline of Kline Custom Homes for creating this top notch facility.!

Also, our new school building should be complete by December 2008. (See Lynda’s article) Yet, we have been

approved for our CITA North Central accreditation.!

Thank you all for your support with these projects. We prayed the projects would be complete within our first 10

years and thanks to all of you we are 6 years ahead of schedule. We continue to strive to provide the best

setting for our students and families. Special thanks goes out Leon & Kathy Pyle.!

Numbers, continued from pg. 1 12, This marks the years that In Balance Counseling has been providing services to

youth and families with substance abuse and mental health disorders.

7 is the number of masters level therapists who are there to provide and serve the needs

of the youth and family served by In Balance.

67, The number of employees In Balance has to provide the quality of care in our

Intensive Outpatient Program, Transitional Living Program, and In Balance Ranch

Academy.

132, the number of combined years our clinical staff has been providing mental health

and substance abuse treatment.

3, the number of years our Transitional Living program has been in operation. Please see

www.inbalanceliving.com for more information on our In Balance Transitional Living

program.

100% represents the number of students who graduated from the Ranch and our

Transitional Living program who are sober today.

On a personal note, 3 represents the number of my children of which I am proud to say

all 3 work for In Balance and I cannot be more happy or more proud at how they carry

the same passion for the work that I have since I started in 1981.

2 represents the number of grandchildren Betsy and I have now. I can go on, but

numbers sometimes can be boring so I wanted to highlight the important ones.

We continue to be grateful for all who have supported the work of serving youth and

families. We are starting our second and even more comprehensive round of follow-up

studies and will keep you posted on what we find as the graduate pool becomes larger to

draw data from.

If you have not seen us lately please come out and take a look. In Balance Ranch Academy continues to provide clinically sophisticated evidence based treatment for both mental health and substance abuse related issues for youth and families and now now has the state of the art facilities to compliment our treatment and our academic program. !

Equine, continued from pg. 2 lives and relationships differently. An example to illustrate this is as follows: Tanner’s father, Bob, a successful business man, is in charge in

most areas of his life. Bob was controlling of his home and family and Tanner had come to the Ranch with severe depressive and anxiety

symptoms, weak self-concept, and drug use. Tanner’s mom, Heidi, tended to be passive and disconnected when Bob became tense, she was also

fairly depressed. At the time of this exercise, Tanner was closing in on graduation. His mom and dad were outwardly expressing readiness,

while showing a great deal of anxiety about the transition.

In the equine arena, Bob was feeling very anxious about being blindfolded around the horses. His usual way of coping with this was to become

irritable and demanding. He began to act this out and Heidi began to disconnect and shut down. It looked as if the old dynamic might play out

again. Tanner stayed very calm, strong, and centered. He communicated well and did not shut down or quit when his father was irritable. He

engaged both of his parents, stayed focused on solving the problem, while challenging them to push through their emotions to function as a

family.

In processing, Tanner talked about how, in the past his father would start to become irritable and then “go off.” Tanner said he used to shut down

and disconnect, like his mom. Bob said he was frustrated in the exercise but Tanner reassured him, encouraged him, and he remembered from

last family weekend that he could calm himself instead of escalating. This time, Bob stopped, breathed and calmed himself, and focused back on

the activity. Heidi felt good that she did not react to Bob’s initial tension; she was able to stay present, and keep listening and functioning to

work with Tanner on the solution.

These experiences can be used to discuss recovery, coping skills for anxiety, effective communication, and Tanner’s transition home. The skills

the family had used in the exercise were skills they can use in their relationship, rather than reacting and micromanaging. The parents were

amazed that Tanner stayed so calm, strong, and centered; they continue to see and experience Tanner differently and this gives them the sense of

confidence and trust they need in order to handle his transition.

Horses Highlight the Way the Family Functions Under Stress During another session, one family realized how they function under stress. A student, Jack, was quickly overwhelmed by his parents’ arguing,

and struggled to communicate at all. As he felt more and more hopeless and could not direct the activity, the parents’ cycle escalated. They

became frustrated that he was frozen and unable to function, not realizing their part in it. Because they had listened to other family’s experiences,

Jack’s parents realized they caused their son’s shutting down and that they need to change their interactions in order to help their son move

forward in his life. This was a profound realization and has guided a great deal of change for the family since this experience.

The Family Recreates Their Roles and Rules in the Arena After some struggles another student, Luke announced, “this is impossible.” His mom began to coach and tried to take over even though she

couldn’t see what to do. His step-father looked frustrated and irritable, though he chose to shut down and withdraw as mom began to over-

function. Luke pushed through his frustration and hopelessness and felt great when they completed the task.

In processing, mom said Luke has quit “everything in his life” and she always feels hopeless, panicked and then she begins to over-function.

She also noticed that she could not understand what he was trying to say to her. I reflected that when she’s in that over-functioning, panicky

mode, it is hard for her to hear. She became tearful and shared how that has defined her life. I asked what the step-father felt when Luke

expressed hopelessness. He said, “anger” and admitted that their physical fights always stemmed from those times. We discussed how in the

midst of helplessness, we often act out by trying to regain power. Luke had learned this about himself in our Trauma Recovery Group and he

could relate that his step-father’s anger and controlling behavior stemmed from the same place as his own. This was an important moment for

them to begin to understand how similar their feelings and reactions truly are. This realization has been the foundation for a very important

healing in their relationship. The step-father also talked about feeling he had to set boundaries because mom would be caretaking and rescuing

and Luke was not learning to be responsible. As we concluded the processing, I asked them to notice how they felt when Luke stayed with the

activity and didn’t stop until it was completed. They realized they felt a great sense of relief and hope.

The Horses Help Families See and Celebrate Their Transformations Mark was very calm, focused, and communicative with his parents and very caring towards his horse as well. They functioned well and in

processing, mom said that being blindfolded was a great experience of “surrender” which was her goal for the day. She said letting go and

trusting Mark rather than controlling and micromanaging him, felt very good. Dad said he felt himself wanting to take over and rescue, but

couldn’t, so he too had to trust and relax. He said he felt great when they were able to do so well as a family.

In summary, the horses provide a unique perspective on our internal emotional processes and our interactions within the family. They mirror our

individual emotions as well as the overall emotional tenor of the family. They play out the roles and rules we have often effectively hidden from

ourselves for many years. They open us up to the possibilities of being more genuine and close with those we care about the most. They also

help show us ways of being together that are healthier, more productive, and more harmonious. With our horses as co-therapists and the arena as

our office, our students and their families have the opportunity to experience profound realizations and dramatic therapeutic growth and change.

The Ranch Hand is published semi-annually by In Balance Ranch Academy. Please visit our website at www.inbalranch.com for the

latest information about our services. Admissions questions may be directed to Betsy Barrasso at (520) 722-9631.

By Patrick Barrasso, MSW, LCSW

39 is the number of follow-up surveys that our data analyst, Dave Reazin, used to provide the

following results. This is formerly what he did for programs throughout the Maryland area, that

provide substance abuse and mental health treatment. If you would like the entirety of this

outcome study please email us and we will be glad to send you the entire report.

97% of our families who had their sons complete the program report that the improvements

made in the program are continuing; in some cases almost three years since graduation. You

start with a vision, dedicate your life to pulling together the best research, experience and

training and then you actualize it and it works. This number reflects the hard work and daily

commitment of our staff, students and families.

3, This number represents our alumni who were recently inducted into our legacy wall of fame.

They have dedicated themselves to their school, sobriety, family and future, but most

importantly have been instrumental in helping other youth find the road to recovery! We are so

proud of all of our alumni, but these guys have really gone above and beyond. (see page 4)

95%-96%, In the calendar year 2006-2007, this number represents the percentage of students

who came to In Balance Ranch Academy to finish their high school diploma and actually

reached that goal. This was the expected vision/goal during their time with us. Of the young

men who finished high school at In Balance Ranch Academy, 90% have gone onto college. The

following represents the list of colleges they have gone on to: Arizona State, Berkley,

University of Utah, James Madison, C.W. Post, Pacific Lutheran, Pepperdine, St. Johns

University, University of Arizona, Penn State, West Virginia University, Marymount, George

Mason, Colorado State University, Evergreen College, Northern Illinois University, Hofstra

University, Southern Oregon University, University of Mary Washington, University of

Tennessee, University of Iowa, Linfield College, Marlboro College, Randolph Macon College,

and many other institutes of higher learning.

4, This marks the years since the Ranch has opened.

18, Represent the years since I first articulated the model for what would later become In

Balance Ranch Academy.

cont. page 4

South Africa, March 2008

On March 12, 2008, fourteen students and two

staff left for South Africa on a twenty-two day

excursion. This trip turned out to be nothing

short of amazing and is now an indefinite part

of In Balance Ranch Academy. We will offer

this trip every March in hopes that every

student that comes through In Balance will

have the opportunity to participate in this

phenomenal experience.

This trip included: Table Mountain, Cape of

Good Hope, Robben Island, The Gardens, the

world's highest bungee jump at Bloukran's

Bridge, Khwa Tuu,

Khayelitsha, and a

safari in the

Imfolozi Animal

Park.

All of our

experiences were great and added to the

intensity of the trip, but above all Khayelitsha

stands out as the most profound moment of

the trip. For seven days the boys stayed and

worked in the Town of Khayelitsha.

Khayelitsha has a population of 1-2 million,

living on an average of one dollar per day and

has a 60% HIV infection rate.

The students were split into pairs and each

placed with a different family to live within the

community. Each morning the students would

volunteer at either an orphanage, soup kitchen,

youth center or community garden. Then they

would return to their families where they were

treated like one of their own.

cont. page 5

What do all these numbers mean?!Let’s start with 100%. This is the

percentage of parents of our graduates

who would recommend our program to

another family.

In a program that is family owned and

operated, I know we have to do our very

best to attend to our students’ needs and to

our families’ needs. I oversee this

program and our staff provides a standard

of care as if it were our own child and

family going through this difficult journey.

Summer 2008

pg. 4 pg. 6

Order#309126080