Article Source: The Positive Observer

Written by - Kristi Mohrbacher - October 13th, 2008

It's almost impossible to imagine how bad things would have to get to consider suicide at the age of 11. But many of the girls placed at Excelsior Youth Center in Aurora, Colo., are not strangers to suicidal thoughts or attempts. Many of them are also intimately familiar with emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Some come from gangs and others are victims of addiction or neglect. About 78 percent of the girls suffered from depression last year and 54 percent of them had a history of self-harming behavior. For 100 percent of the girls though, Excelsior provides an opportunity to turn it all around.

With a success rate of 82 percent and an average stay of about a year for the girls, Excelsior has established itself as one of the leading residential treatment centers in the country for troubled girls aged 11 to 18. The 33-acre facility is a fully-accredited middle and high school with a recreation center, intensive treatment center, 11 living cottages and a staff of 340 full and part-time employees.

"We believe in treating the whole child," Gabrielson said. "We believe that the whole campus is a therapeutic environment – from maintenance team to kitchen staff - everyone's part of the treatment."

Troubled 14-year-old Theresa*  said that Excelsior may have helped to save her life.  Theresa arrived at Excelsior three years ago after a series of failed foster homes and abusive relationships left her unable to trust people and contemplating suicide.

"I was really psychotic, hospitalized for suicide – crazy, like I didn't have a mind of my own – in and out of school," Theresa described the chain of events that lead her from her hometown in California to Excelsior. She said she tried a lot of programs and therapies but nothing seemed to work.

"Getting through the day was stressful enough," she said with a nervous laugh.

Three years later, Theresa's eyes sparkle while she talks about learning how to snowboard through a program at Excelsior and how she's excited to get back up on the mountain this winter. She giggles about the three closest friends she's made while in the program and how they are the first friends she's ever had, "because I was under the impression that I didn't need any."

Theresa is also candid about the struggle to mend the relationship with her adopted mom but after family counseling at Excelsior she was finally able to admit "I would always be with her – that she wasn't just my foster mom, but adopted home." She said her mom is now one of the most important people in her life, tied only with her brother.

Theresa credited Excelsior with the progress she has made, and said that without them, "I think I would be worse – maybe in a different home besides my family, or I don't know, it could've been bad. I could've been dead or on drugs. It was already pretty bad at 11."

Part of what contributes to the high success rate at Excelsior was evident in Theresa's interactions with her treatment coordinator, Christi Dermann. Dermann seemed to know every detail of Theresa's progress during her time at Excelsior, often reminding her of how far she's come and what she is working toward.

"Theresa is doing very well here. We’re not sure exactly when she’ll get to go home," Dermann explained, but added that Theresa wants to be closer to home so she can visit her family more often.

From basic hygiene to academics to learning to trust people, Dermann and Gabrielson said that a team of therapists is committed to each girl and the process of recovery she is experiencing. Gabrielson said they focus on a five –pronged approach to treating each girl.

"Education, health, recreation, treatment and spirituality," she said.

Team and treatment coordinator Marty Zaffaroni celebrates his 26-year anniversary as an employee of Excelsior this month and spoke of his job and the girls he works with compassionately and optimistically. He said he is emphasizing a wellness component and recently started focusing on teaching the importance of nutrition, physical activity and stress management in addition to their regular lessons and treatments.

Zaffaroni also started a global awareness group to encourage the girls to "push out on their world" by looking into political and cultural situations around the world. He said the girls have responded well to it, and he would also like to "set it up so we can do more volunteer work within the community."

Perhaps this class explains why Theresa spoke passionately about the upcoming presidential election and a recent argument over the telephone with her mom about why candidate Barack Obama should become the nation’s next president – even though she can’t vote for four more years.

After 26 years at Excelsior, Zaffaroni said he likes the job because it's rewarding, and told the story of a recent phone call he received from a girl who was part of the Excelsior program in 1991. She completed the program 17 years ago and later got married and became a nurse.

"Oh, this is going to upset me – but she said, "thank you for giving me my life," he paused for a moment and went on, "You don't know who you have that impact with."

"Sometimes, you do have to wait 17 years for that phone call," Gabrielson chimed in.

(* Due to age and sensitivity of issues discussed, "Theresa's" name was changed for this article...)

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