La Europa Academy, Salt Lake City:
Located in Murray, in the suburbs of Salt Lake City, Utah, La Europa Academy provides individualized residential treatment for girls ages 13-17. Through a solid integration of therapeutic, academic, and environmental interventions, we help adolescent girls and their families to find their greatness again. At times, troubling and often self-defeating behaviors, as well as serious emotional struggles can overshadow the tremendous qualities in any of us. For adolescent girls, this can affect every area of their lives, causing sadness, anger, fear, and disappointment for them as well as for their parents and loved ones. We believe that families and individuals can and do change when given the right opportunities. By building on the tremendous qualities that are already there, we help each young woman and her family to improve their lives and rebuild their relationships. La Europa is child-focused rather than curriculum-focused with a broad enrichment program including art and dance.
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Individual & Family Therapy:
Individual therapy is provided by the primary therapist, and generally consists of 90-120 minutes of therapy per week, which may take place in one session or be split into two sessions. The therapist works together with the student and her parents to determine the goals and objectives for the therapeutic experience, and individual therapy focuses largely on working toward those goals. One key that we have fo
und to enrich this experience is a strong therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the student as well as with the parents. Our therapists spend time outside of therapy within our community, getting to know the students and building relationships that allow for deeper, more powerful work in therapy.
Family therapy is also provided by the primary therapist, and generally consists of one 60-90 minute session per week. This therapy generally takes place over the phone or through video conferencing, with live sessions at least every 8 weeks during our on-campus Parent Days. Like individual sessions, family therapy is focused specifically on working toward the goals that each family has for their relationships with each other and their progress together as a family unit.
At La Europa, we believe in utilizing a variety of therapeutic techniques in order to help students shift emotionally, behaviorally, and in their relationships. On the group level, students 
have the opportunity to participate in groups, recreational therapy, and art and dance groups. On an individual level, they may also have the opportunity to participate in alternative therapies as well. These include Sand-tray therapy, conducted by the Recreational therapist, and Processing, conducted by certified facilitators. (Click on the titles for more information about these therapies.)
Group Therapy:
Specialty groups are conducted by the therapists Monday through Thursday for 60 minutes per group. There are 3 or 4 groups each day for our 32 students, which allow us to keep the group sizes relatively small. In addition, with her therapist’s input, we do our best to place each student in the groups that fit most closely with her treatment goals and concerns. Below is a listing of groups that are generally offered at La Europa. Other groups may be integrated as necessary. Please click on any group title for a description of the group.The La Europa student body is divided into two separate communities. Girls from both communities are participants in all of the specialty groups. On Fridays, they have an opportunity to participate in a Community Issues group with the 16 girls from their individual community. This group is also conducted by one of the therapists and provides an opportunity for students to identify and resolve concerns that they have within their peer group. The therapists who conduct the Community Issues group will occasionally use music or games as other ways of addressing current concerns and providing fun and engaging therapeutic interventions.
Specialty groups
* Sexual Reactivity
* Emotional Intelligence
* Addictions/Recovery
* Eating Disorders
* Trauma
* Relationships
* Self Esteem
* Anxiety
* Student Life
* DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
* Accountability
* Anger
* Adoption
* Therapeutic Integration
Sexual Reactivity:
This group explores the issues surrounding sexual, romantic, and/or intimate relationships. Common topics include abusive or unhealthy relationships, sexual abuse, and patterns within relationships. Each student has the opportunity to explore the choices she has made with regard to relationships and how she perceives herself as well as others in those relationships.
Emotional Intelligence:
Many of the girls who come to La Europa struggle with managing and understanding their emotions. This can manifest itself through depression, anxiety, bipolar symptoms, anger, and other mood-related issues. This group focuses on learning how to recognize and manage those types of emotions more effectively. It is an opportunity for students to feel validated in their emotions, as they are often similar to those of the other students in the group, as well as to develop more personal power in dealing with those emotions.
Arbinger Workshop:
Through a partnership with The Arbinger Institute, La Europa offers relationship training for students, parents, and employees. The Arbinger training is an integral part of the families' experience at La Europa.
Based upon the ground-breaking work of Yale-educated Dr. C. Terry Warner, the Arbinger training examines the fundamental elements of effective communication, responsibility, conflict resolution, lasting change, trust, cooperation, loyalty, and commitment in personal relationships.All students and their parents will participate in a day-long workshop with an Arbinger-trained facilitator. Families will usually attend during their first experience with Parent Days. The workshop is designed to invite each member of the family to look at his/her own beliefs and experiences that contribute to the way they interact in relationships. Each member of the family will receive a copy of "The Choice Handbook," "30 Days to Getting Out of the Box," and "Leadership and Self-Deception" as a part of the workshop.
Sand Tray Therapy:
Another modality of therapy utilized at La Europa is called 'Sand Tray Therapy.' This form of therapy complements La Europa's Philosophy very well as it is v
ery client driven and incorporates symbolic learning and integrates the subconscious into everyday life. Initially, Sand Tray was used for young children who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally due to age. We have found that emotional expression is also difficult for many of our students for a variety of reasons, including trauma, learning differences, or communication problems.
Sand Tray provides a safe and protected way of doing this by inviting the student simply to create her world in a tray of sand. Many objects are provided for her to select from and to place in "her world." Working with the Recreational Therapist, she uses her creativity to express things that may not appear otherwise. Sand Tray is great for trauma, adoption, sexual reactivity, eating disorders, drug abuse, and family system work. Sand Tray can be used at the request of the family, the student, or the primary therapist. It is also used for whole families together during parent days when appropriate.
Recreational Therapy:
Recreational Therapy is a powerful form of hands-on therapy that covers many areas; sand tray therapy, art, life skills, leisure education, leisure activities, and experiential therapy are a few that could be experienced during a Recreation Therapy group.
Many times we provide tasks or group problems to solve. Typically, our students approach these simulated problems as they approach real problems in their lives. Recreation Therapy is a study of the self as these patterns and dynamics emerge as members of the group interact with one another. As team-building activities occur, self-efficacy and a sense of empowerment increase as individuals experience success.
Many people learn better by doing and these interactive experiences can be more impactful then other forms of therapy depending on the learning style of the individual. Combined with all other aspects of La Europa Academy, Recreational Therapy becomes an invaluable tool of healing and change.
Psychiatry:
Many of our students have psychiatric needs including management of medications. At La Europa, we recognize the importance of the biological and chemical components to healing. Our psychiatric care is comprised of two components, our full-time nursing staff and our outsourced Psychiatrist.
The Psychiatrist comes to campus for one day each week to meet with the students who need a follow-up check on medications, initial consultation, or medication change. He is also available to consult with parents about medication issues. The Psychiatrist’s care is coordinated and facilitated through the nursing staff.The Nursing Director also meets with the students and the Psychiatrist so that there is constant communication back to therapists and parents about the consultations and so that there is consistency in what the students report to the Psychiatrist with what is actually going on in the community. This ensures that students are not seeking medications for reasons other than to manage their psychological needs. The Nursing Director also oversees the dispensing of medications on a daily basis and monitors daily responses and side effects.
Academics:
When a student enters La Europa Academy, her academic progress and goals are evaluated. Transcripts are requested and reviewed from previous schools. Deficient credit make up is given top priority followed by each student’s individualized plan for graduation.
Students at La Europa Academy attend classes Monday – Friday on a modified-block schedule with English, Social Studies, Math and Science courses meeting 1 ½ hours twice per week and an additional 45 minute period on Fridays. Spanish, other academic electives, Special Education Resource, and Physical Education classes meet for 45-minute periods every day. Students also choose one of our three Fine Arts classes (Art, Photography, and Dance) that meet for 4½ hours per week. The curriculum offered to the students is based on the Utah Office of Education’s Core Curriculum and is designed to be preparation for collegiate study. Brigham Young University and the University of Utah provide a rich resource for independent study classes which the student may enroll in if scholastically appropriate.
Should a student choose not to participate to her full potential in school, she will be placed on academic probation, which restricts her privileges in leisure activities outside of school hours until the problem is corrected.
Since students attend classes on a traditional school calendar with 5 nine week grading terms, parents should be aware that the student is responsible for making up all missed work while on home visits. Students will be provided the assignments from each class they miss while at home and are expected to complete these assignments prior to returning to La Europa. We ask that families plan to set aside homework time while your student is home – it is a requirement of a successful therapeutic pass. Classroom instruction with a teacher is virtually impossible to fully make up so parents are highly encouraged to consult the school calendar when planning home visits and extend already planned school holidays when possible.
An official transcript will be sent to specified schools following the students’ duration at La Europa, which will contain grades, credit earned, and any standardized testing conducted.
College Prep:
Most of the students at La Europa Academy are college-bound and need help working toward those goals. It is a priority of the Education Director to develop an education plan for each student that will help her earn the credits necessary to apply and be admitted into college. For some students, this will mean repeating or completing certain courses to catch up on their schoolwork. For others, this will mean remaining on their current track. Students are given opportunities to take high school courses year-round, so they have the chance to improve their GPA as well as to take elective courses as they desire.
11th graders are encouraged to take the SAT/ACT and have the opportunity for a prep course and/or individual study time with a teacher in order to prepare for the test. As a part of the 12th grade English curriculum, students have the chance to write college essay, complete a college resume, and practice filling out applications. They work together with the Education Director and their parents to determine the most appropriate college choices and then prepare and submit applications.
In working together to choose schools that are the most appropriate for the student, and through carefully preparation of the applications, our 12th graders thus far have all been admitted to their first or second choice for college. Many of them have had the opportunity to receive their high school diploma through La Europa Academy at small graduation ceremonies with their peers and their families present.
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rt Group:
Art is a powerful medium of therapy used by many as a tool for healing and understanding of the self. At La Europa, the girls have an art group in addition to their art classes at school; here they are given the opportunity to participate in creating many different kinds of art. Creating art by itself can be beneficial, but in art group, the girls are encouraged to process their pieces and talk about how they relate to themselves and their treatment process. Some students struggle to express this initially, but as they encounter more experiences with art they become more and more comfortable to express themselves in this way.
Dance Group:
Art groups at La EuropaDance Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development of the individual. In our dance groups, we help our students to develop communication skills, a positive self-image, and emotional stability. Freedom of movement is taught rather than technique to allow expression and to help students feel more comfortable with themselves and their bodies. The benefit of free-flowing dance group and not restrictive steps allows one's true emotions to not be hindered by technical skill of the movement. After experiencing dance group, they can talk about their feelings more freely and tear down the walls they have created between themselves and other people. Often times we work in partners or smaller groups where the students work with each other through movement, using touch, body language, and problem solving techniques to create their own discoveries of themselves and others. The objective in Dance Group is to help our students to rediscover themselves, thus developing a greater self-awareness and a sense of well-being.
Yoga:
La Europa integrates a strong yoga piece into our programming. Jay and Pam Shepard introduced the idea of a fully integrated yoga program into LEA in November 2007. With the help of Jennifer Prugh, Angela Gavin and key La Europa staff they have built and are now supporting its integration into the school's curriculum over the next 12-24 months. Starting in December of 2007, we began doing workshops with the students that focus on the philosophies and postures of yoga. Since then, we have offered weekly yoga classes to the girls on campus and plan on offering yoga up to three times a week in the near future to our students. We are very excited about yoga becoming a central component of the healing process for our students.
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