Finding You: An Evoke Therapy Podcast

Evoke Therapy Programs provides support for siblings of students and clients in wilderness therapy. Dr. Reedy answers live questions from parents and siblings of Evoke clients. With ages ranging from 10-29 years-old, Dr. Reedy answers the question "How can I best support my brother?" and "What if my sister doesn't change?" Dr. Reedy also responds to parents' questions about siblings including, "My child doesn't want to talk about or get updates on his brother? How can I encourage him to open up?"

Dr. Reedy discusses DBT, the history and foundation and how the principles can help in everyday parenting challenges. Mindfulness, skill building, attachment and radical acceptance are discussed.

Dr. Reedy discusses joining in therapy and how parents can apply those same principles in parenting. He makes the suggestion that more than bing the "glue" in therapy, joining is the connection to healing. "Hold on to theory and techniques lightly," knowing that attachment injuries can be repaired in the context of a loving and compassionate relationship.

Dr. Brad Reedy will discuss the initial 48 hour assessment, daily health assessments, and basic protocols (hiking, food, medical, etc.) along with emotional safety, and how Evoke provides an emotionally safe environment in the wilderness.

Dr. Brad Reedy discusses how families can best use Educational Consultants during the wilderness process and beyond. He goes into detail about the role an Educational Consultant (interventionists, home therapists etc) plays in collaboration with wilderness programs, while your child is here, and then how these Consultants guide your family to choose appropriate, issue-focused assistance in residential care. These people know the aftercare program options profoundly - they know the people involved and the "backstories" creating the program's milieu. Dr. Reedy goes into detail about how you can leverage these Ed Consultants' knowledge and power best

Dr. Brad Reedy does a book review on “Twenty Things Adoptive Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew” by Sherrie Eldridge. This book was written by a woman who was adopted herself, gives voice to children's unspoken concerns, and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame.

Dr. Reedy will discuss many issues surrounding sexual orientation, sexual identity as well as sexual issues that are effecting young people today. He will talk about sexual trauma, promiscuity, pornography and paraphillias. Parents will come to understand how to talk to children about many of these sensitive topics and will develop a deeper understanding of sexually related topics.

Dr. Reedy addresses the impact of family of origin and its relevance in wilderness therapy. He discusses events and stressors and the processes that create healing and growth. Family systems and adaptation will be introduced. Differentiation and generational transmission are discussed, along with typical patterns of transmission. The focus is ultimately on the self and looking inward while joining a child in the change process.

Enrolling your child in an out-of-home placement can be a very difficult and frightening process. Dr. Reedy defines bonding and attachment while providing understanding how conflict and listening skills increase closeness and intimacy in all our relationships. You will learn how participation in this program creates a greater sense of intimacy and connection between parents and children. You will learn new tools and skills to provide a more authentic and stable relationship with your child. You will come to understand how physical distance from your child does not equate to creating distance in the relationship. Understanding how a parent's fear, guilt, and dependence on the child for approval are barriers to closeness. You can learn to let go and in that process experience a rebirth in the relationship with your child.

Dr. Reedy starts this webinar with cautions about expectations of both parent and child's regression and the stress inherent in moving out of the structure of the field program and into a new dynamic of face-to-face Transition. The Transition Process is purposely designed to allow this, or even invite this tension, as an opportunity for the parent and child to practice new skills. This said, the program recommends you keep the transition seamless, focused and not distracting and tangential, without extended days away or "making it special" - in order to reduce the extent of regression. (Included are some logistics and philosophy preparations, as well).

Dr. Brad Reedy will explore themes of forgiveness and it's relationship to grace. Dr. Reedy will talk about how through mindfulness we can learn to practice gratitude. He will discuss how gratitude is evidence of emotional and mental health. He will also debunk the idea that we should tell people that they "should" feel grateful.

Dr. Reedy will discuss the systemic dynamics when one member of a family develops a disorder that requires attention in treatment. He will discuss ways to understand how this role is solidified by homeostasis. Beneath his/her symptoms, there can lie a treasure for the whole family. Moving from the identified patient to the family hero, he will explore how to exit the simplistic paradigm of the identified patient model.

Dr. Reedy offers an indepth discussion about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and how it relates to traumas our students have suffered. He will illustrate how the psyche manages extremely potent emotional energy, the repercussions of that new stasis (internally and inter-personally) and the treatments for PTSD.

Dr. Reedy discusses what our Wilderness Intensive entails and what you can gain from participating. Families, parents, and individuals are able to "unplug" and participate in a powerful learning experience. Each of our intensives helps participants develop awareness about the impact of their unique history and family of origin on present-day challenges and relationships. Through this guided exploration of the self, participants will find a sense of liberation and hope where there might now be angst and suffering.

Dr. Brad Reedy discusses the challenges facing families with an individual struggling with dysthymia, depression or bipolar disorders. He will discuss the tasks for parents and family members in treatment, how to understand family roles/rules, and how to interrupt unhealthy communication patterns. This is aimed at empowering parents and identifying behaviors and patterns in the parenting system.