THE EXPERIENCE
The KW Legacy Family Ranch Experience was established to work with your entire family. As you probably already know, there are thousands of adult and youth programs set up to help treat a number of problems, diagnoses, and issues for an individual. But there are very few (if any) in-patient family therapy programs established specifically for the entire family. Your family is the identified patient and the sole focus of the Family Ranch Experience.
When you come to KW Legacy Ranch, you are enveloped in a true ranch setting. A ranch is the perfect environment to bring your family together. On a ranch, it is necessary that all family members work together and that each member participates and “pulls their weight” in order for the ranch to be successful.
A family that works together becomes closer through that process. Specifically family members feel more capable and better about themselves when they become a contributing member of their family unit. We provide an experience which will bring your family together and help every member see their strengths as well as their opportunities for improvements. Then we will provide each of you the ability to make improvements in those areas of life that you choose.
When you come to KW Legacy Ranch, you are enveloped in a true ranch setting. A ranch is the perfect environment to bring your family together. On a ranch, it is necessary that all family members work together and that each member participates and “pulls their weight” in order for the ranch to be successful.
A family that works together becomes closer through that process. Specifically family members feel more capable and better about themselves when they become a contributing member of their family unit. We provide an experience which will bring your family together and help every member see their strengths as well as their opportunities for improvements. Then we will provide each of you the ability to make improvements in those areas of life that you choose.
Key Components
A Rustic Cattle Ranch: Your family will experience what it is really like to live and work on a true cattle ranch. Get away from the stress and distractions of life, work, school, etc. and come experience life on the ranch. The serenity and unity that comes from such an opportunity is a privilege that most families are never able to experience.
Working together on a ranch will provide a foundation to bring your family together. A family that works together stays together. One of the goals of all the projects on the ranch is to place your family in a situation where you will all work together for a common goal and will have to communicate in order to accomplish that project. Providing your family with an experience that can be somewhat difficult will bring out feelings or emotions that the individuals in the family may be holding on to or trying to hide. These types of work experiences will help you all feel more invested in and appreciative of each other at the end of the day.
Often in a traditional family therapy session these emotions are never dealt with. Contrast that to a therapeutic work project where frustrations may come to the forefront and true family dynamics can be observed. As a family begins a project and starts to interact, although it may be uncomfortable at first, this will allow your therapist to see what the dynamics are like and how best to help. The therapist will be available to observe the activities that take place as well as help you build the needed rapport to initiate change.
Horsemanship: A key part to running a ranch is the use of horses to help accomplish goals. Your family will participate in riding lessons as well as lessons on proper horse care. You will be taught to ride well enough to participate in the cattle operation, and depending on your length of stay you may have an opportunity to go on a cattle drive. Some of these trips can include an overnight stay out on the range while others will take place on the home ranch.
Animal Care: We have animals on the ranch that will need to be taken care of by you and your family. The milk cow will need to be milked morning and evening and all animals will need to be fed. These can include pigs, chickens, cattle, horses, and doggy calves (young calves that need to be fed by bottle). Again, these activities are intended to allow you all to work and grow closer together.
Farming: In order to keep the ranch running successfully, hay will need to be raised during the summer to support the cattle during the winter. Your family may participate in preparing the fields, irrigating the crops and stacking the hay.
Family Groups: Family groups will be an important feature in the therapy used to process the happenings and realizations of the day. These family groups will be used to process interactions and projects that took place on the ranch. Our Master’s Level Therapists may also present specific themes to be addressed by your family.
Parenting Groups: The parenting groups will be for parents only and will focus on parenting skills, tips, and tasks. These groups will be educational and therapeutic in nature and will be customized to address the needs of the specific group participants.
Couples Groups: If you attend the Family Ranch Experience as a couple or upon the recommendation of your family therapist, couples may participate in the couples group focused on mending and strengthening relationships.
Recreational Activities: During designated times or for free time, your family will have the opportunity to enjoy some local recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, hiking or simply spending valuable time together.
Spiritual Growth: Being in a natural environment provides time for spiritual opportunities and reflection. When we realize that we are not as powerful as the elements and can turn some of that responsibility over to a higher power, we can then allow that same force to help heal and unite our family. There will be many opportunities for spiritual growth for your family provided through the natural environment of the ranch.
Follow Up: Following the completion of the Family Ranch Experience your family will receive follow up calls and coaching from the follow up therapist in order to help everyone continue progressing and to maintain the commitments made while in the program.
Working together on a ranch will provide a foundation to bring your family together. A family that works together stays together. One of the goals of all the projects on the ranch is to place your family in a situation where you will all work together for a common goal and will have to communicate in order to accomplish that project. Providing your family with an experience that can be somewhat difficult will bring out feelings or emotions that the individuals in the family may be holding on to or trying to hide. These types of work experiences will help you all feel more invested in and appreciative of each other at the end of the day.
Often in a traditional family therapy session these emotions are never dealt with. Contrast that to a therapeutic work project where frustrations may come to the forefront and true family dynamics can be observed. As a family begins a project and starts to interact, although it may be uncomfortable at first, this will allow your therapist to see what the dynamics are like and how best to help. The therapist will be available to observe the activities that take place as well as help you build the needed rapport to initiate change.
Horsemanship: A key part to running a ranch is the use of horses to help accomplish goals. Your family will participate in riding lessons as well as lessons on proper horse care. You will be taught to ride well enough to participate in the cattle operation, and depending on your length of stay you may have an opportunity to go on a cattle drive. Some of these trips can include an overnight stay out on the range while others will take place on the home ranch.
Animal Care: We have animals on the ranch that will need to be taken care of by you and your family. The milk cow will need to be milked morning and evening and all animals will need to be fed. These can include pigs, chickens, cattle, horses, and doggy calves (young calves that need to be fed by bottle). Again, these activities are intended to allow you all to work and grow closer together.
Farming: In order to keep the ranch running successfully, hay will need to be raised during the summer to support the cattle during the winter. Your family may participate in preparing the fields, irrigating the crops and stacking the hay.
Family Groups: Family groups will be an important feature in the therapy used to process the happenings and realizations of the day. These family groups will be used to process interactions and projects that took place on the ranch. Our Master’s Level Therapists may also present specific themes to be addressed by your family.
Parenting Groups: The parenting groups will be for parents only and will focus on parenting skills, tips, and tasks. These groups will be educational and therapeutic in nature and will be customized to address the needs of the specific group participants.
Couples Groups: If you attend the Family Ranch Experience as a couple or upon the recommendation of your family therapist, couples may participate in the couples group focused on mending and strengthening relationships.
Recreational Activities: During designated times or for free time, your family will have the opportunity to enjoy some local recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, hiking or simply spending valuable time together.
Spiritual Growth: Being in a natural environment provides time for spiritual opportunities and reflection. When we realize that we are not as powerful as the elements and can turn some of that responsibility over to a higher power, we can then allow that same force to help heal and unite our family. There will be many opportunities for spiritual growth for your family provided through the natural environment of the ranch.
Follow Up: Following the completion of the Family Ranch Experience your family will receive follow up calls and coaching from the follow up therapist in order to help everyone continue progressing and to maintain the commitments made while in the program.
