Here kids gain a sense of personal empowerment. The success of themselves and their groups depend on them. For most it's the first time in their lives to have such responsibility. Therapists trudge out to the woodlands twice weekly for intense one on one therapy with teens. Often, sessions takes place during hikes, mountain climbs, dinner preparations, or in the afternoon shade of a cottonwood tree.
Therapists keep parents up to date with weekly reports, and they also carry the letters.
Letter writing is a big part of the program. The letters provide a powerful form of communication that's usually been missing from the family equation. Rites of passage are necessary for teens. If they don't have them, they usually create them. Aspen incorporates solos, where each teen goes off to a solo spot for 24 hours to build his or her own fire and prepare his own food and shelter.