Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center

1338 East 600 South New Harmony, UT 84757

About Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center

Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center Is located in New Harmony, Utah. This is a residential treatment facility for teens aged 14 to 17 who have complex behavioral health needs. They offer adventure therapy, equine therapy, and other creative approaches.

There are recovery programs here that target addictive behaviors including substance use struggles. However, this center stands out because they specialize in working with teens who might have a combination of behavioral health challenges including mental health struggles, defiant behaviors, suicidal ideation, self harm and trauma.

They also work with youth who might have gender dysphoria, are transitioning, or identify as non-binary. Their approach to care is rooted in evidence based practices however they are culturally sensitive and inclusive of the diverse needs the children they work with face.

Because of the diverse teens they care for, all treatment plans are individualized to a youth’s unique needs so that they get the appropriate care to help them succeed. The facility itself offers a rustic feel, matching the wilderness setting here. On campus you’ll find barns where the youth will learn how to take care of the horses housed at Kolob Canyon. There is also a low ropes course, a basketball court, skateboarding ramps and other outdoor amenities.

Inside, there’s a welcoming feel to the residential spaces. There are shared bedrooms and comfortable common spaces that offer a home-like feel. One of the major benefits of this center is its geographic location. Situated near iconic outdoor destinations like the Grand Canyon, national parks, and sprawling flatlands, you’ll find different programs including experiential and adventure therapy programs. The teens will get to explore the unique wilderness here.

There is also equine therapy, helping teens refocus and channel their emotions in healthy ways. As your teen navigates care, they’ll still keep up with their academics through the on site school that is staffed by licensed teachers. Among the academic support is college prep and individualized care through IEPs.

Latest Reviews

Jeffrey Maltzman

6 years ago on Google

As a parent I would highly recommend this program. Outstanding, caring staff who truly change lives for the better. The small program size means the girls all really work together as a team to help each other. The love and support they have for each other and for their staff is truly awe inspiring. I suspect the few negative reviews are mostly from girls who either quit the program prematurely, were not interested in getting help (and thus would have criticized any similar program), or thought this was a horse camp rather than a therapeutic program that uses horses to help the girls learn about themselves.

Response from the owner5 years ago

Thank you for your review. We loved working with your family!

Kim Z

7 years ago on Google

I lived at kolob canyon rtc when i was 14 years old and I am writing this review at age 18. Four years later I am still traumatized, i have nightmares multiple times a week because of this place.At the time I lived there I suffered with panic attacks, and when i had one at kolob it was handled horribly. My second week i had a panic attack and none of the staff knew what to do, they made all the girls stare at me while i sobbed on the floor. No one attempted to help they just told me i needed to stop. after about five minutes they continued like nothing happened (i was still hyperventilating on the floor) a girl and one of the staff members began to laugh above of me as I lay on the floor.Once i managed to get myself out of a panic state, I was punished and put on "no talk". "No talk" is exactly what it sounds like. You were not allowed to speak for up to 48 hours, if you did you had time added to your "no talk" time. I could go on and on about how this is extremely ineffective and stripping me of my basic human rights but I have other important things i'd like to mention.When we weren't in school or eating we were doing chores. Chores can be very effective because kids need to learn discipline. But its all we did. The second we woke up we did chores and before we went to sleep we did chores. There were no staff who did maintenance, if there was an issue we had to do it. We didnt have weekends or down time. On the weekends we had deep clean which lasted for 10am-4pm which consisted of us cleaning the house,school,campus and cars. There are copious amounts of studies that have proven that positive reinforcement is way more effective than just punishment. Every thing wrong we did even down to not getting specks of water off the mirror from the backlash of the sink was punish. Every movement was criticized.To add to this, Kolob Canyon completely ignores kids physically illnesses. The only day out of the 13 months I was there that I got a break was when I was vomiting profusely and had an 103 fever.A girl contracted merca ( a staff infection that can be deadly) while i was there. She was not separated from us in any way, she even cleaned the dishes that we ate off. This is absolutely violating so many policies. When an outside doctor had to come in and tell the staff this is dangerous all of the other girls in the house were forced to bathe in bleach because the staff told us to.While some a few staff genuinely did care, I never felt safe or able to express myself and my feelings. Individuality was completely stripped away from us. Girls were shamed based on their religious practices, while many staff would talk about their mormon beliefs. I was more suicidal in there than I ever was before I went, the reason I pushed through the program was because I knew i needed to get out. Kolob puts a bandaid over the scars but never really heals them. They fill your time with chores and punishments to distract you from whatever issue you came in with, but once that's gone it's so easy to go back to the old behaviors. Over the 13 months I was there I met a bunch of girls, today I only know 3 girls who are doing well from the program and I'm extremely proud of them.Please consider another program if you are looking to send your daughter here.

Taylor Lile

7 years ago on Google

I went and it was amazing. I was there for 11 months. I'm now at home and doing awesome. I Strongly consider it. The nature and outdoor experience was what helped me the most. I have the most amazing therapist and support teams.

Rehab Score

Our Methodology

Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full Methodology

5.6 / 10

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Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center UT 84757

Location

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Inpatient

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Treatments

Substance rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from substance abuse, including alcohol and drug addiction (both illegal and prescription drugs). They often include the opportunity to engage in both individual as well as group therapy.

Clinical Services

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Staff

John Buckner, LMFT

Executive, Clinical Director

Danielle Loutzenhiser

Admissions Director

Madison Wray

Residential Director

John Bernarducci, BS

Academic Director

Julie Wilcken, PA-C

Medical Director

Amber Olivia

Office Manager

Tawny Thomas, LCSW

COO

Marcy Clark

CERTS Outreach Director

Contact Information

(435) 865-1437

1338 East 600 South
New Harmony, UT 84757

Get Help Now - 385-390-3465

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Reviews of Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center

4.2/5 (10 reviews)

Google Reviews

4.2 (10 reviews)

Shelli Jones

8 months ago

7 years ago

Response from the ownerInvalid relative date format:

Alex Dewey

I came to Kolob when I was 7 months away from being 18 years old, I was failing high school, unmotivated, and at odds with my family and myself. Kolob Canyon RTC allowed me to recognize my worth, what I can do, and have the tools to keep on keepin' on. I have since then graduated, sold cars (top salesmen every month on the job), gotten A's my first semester of college, and lived well with the people that mean most to me, my lovely family. It is never easy to admit that you need more help with your child and their needs than what you can offer, just ask my mom. But I do know that this program and the staff will change your child's life and your family dynamic. As a student a lot is asked of you unlike a lot of treatment places, but that makes it known that you are capable of a lot. And now I am onto things like managing a store and being a full time student at age 19. 2 years ago I didn't even want to live. I am so grateful for Maren (my therapist at Kolob) and Amanda who could crack a joke harder than anyone. Everyone here is wonderful. Just so blessed.

T.J. Penrod

Great people doing great things! This program is to notch and has helped alot of families reconnect.

Minsun Fisher-York

My stay at Kolob Canyon RTC lasted from March 7, 2016 to February 24, 2017. In my time there, I was treated with nothing but respect and kindness from the staff. Kolob is strict, but it is nothing that would surprise you about a residential treatment facility. I was always given my medications on time, I was never made to take medications I (or my parents) didn't agree with, and I actually lost a lot of weight during my stay. This weight loss was in part because of the (really good) food there, which was nutritious and healthy (except for dessert night; everyone needs some sugar), and the amount of exercise we did. Now, Eva makes it sound like we were abused and overworked. The work I did there has done nothing but make me stronger both physically and mentally. I have better life skills, and more drive to go out and explore nature. Every Wednesday instead of school, we go out on an "adventure," which helps relieve stress and initiates fun. Don't worry, we have school year round to make up for it, but that was never an issue for most of the girls. I miss and love the staff. They are amazing people, with their own personal stories and advice. Although they were my supervisors, I felt like I have made friends. Although living with twelve other teenage girls is hard, I left that house knowing that I had a family who loved and cared about me. I came into treatment scared, depressed, anxious, and angry. I left a new me. I am confident in myself. I love the young woman I've become. I yearn to better myself in healthy and productive ways. I 100% recommend this place. It changed my life (seriously).

Samaria Rowley

8 years ago

This place truly helps people, and has a beautiful view of the mountains and has amazing people and horses! #weloverain

Lilia Dudas

Hi! I am a former student at Kolob Canyon Residential Treatment Center and I can testify that the former review by Eva Yougondre is not true whatsoever. I came in June of 2012 and I was there until August 9 2013. I look back to my time there and I realized how far I came. I struggled my first few months because I was not ready to accept my responsibility and work on myself. They do all sorts of therapy, ranging from the regular in office, one on one therapy to DBT to equine therapy and recreational therapy. I didn't always get along with everyone but I definitely believe and KNOW it changed my life for the better. I loved the activities we did. I have been to multiple centers but this was the last and best one. They give us trust from the start and we choose how we want to spend the trust. If we break it, we have to learn from our mistakes. Overall, it is an amazing program!. We were taught how to cook and got our food permits! We would go to Southern Utah University and work out there or go to the library. It is an incredible experience and a beautiful backyard!!

Jessie Smith

9 years ago

I am a previous girl from Kolob and i will say i had the worst time ever. My basic rights as a human being were taken away from me, I was forced to take various amounts of psychiatric drugs (which is against my religion) I also do not agree with the drugging of children teens adults or of the elderly, most if not all "medication" (drugs) that are given are in the same category as heroin meth and coke and have the exact side effects that you are trying to get away from. Don't like how you feel on them, too bad you have to wait for the "Doctor" to come back in and talk to you. They give you the wrong dose or give it to you at the wrong time and you fall asleep due to it, to bad you will still get in trouble. There have been numerous girls who have had medical issues ignored just because staff did not want to deal with it. Girls that were sick had to deal with it by themselves and staff would not help unless it was basically to the point of death. I've seen girls twist and sprain joints even a few dislocations without even a single glance from the staff. I understand "safety and super safety" (when you first come in to make sure you are not a run or suicide risk) but a lot of times girls would have to do early morning horse chores in nothing but slippers and just sweats and a light hoodie while there was at least 4 feet of snow on the ground, that's around half an hour out in that condition to make sure all the horses water is broken and they are properly feed. There is no real dietary care for each girl individually, when i was there we were put on the dietary needs of the biggest girl that was there ( around 200 pounds) i gained a tremendous amount of weight to the point where i had to go on a diet when i get home cause i was considered obese. I was lied to by my on site therapist and i was made to take punishments for things i did not do. The girls there have no say in anything and will never be listened too. If anything it is a sever state of Stockholm syndrome, and they "get better" due to the fear of punishment that they will receive. I am actively working to get Kolob looked into and investigated. I have sever night terrors from my stay at Kolob and wake up screaming almost every night. I would highly recommend that you find alternative methods to helping your child.

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