DBT/SPARCS is the therapeutic foundation on which we base the services we provide to children at the Ranch. While I believe we overdo acronyms in the United States and especially in the behavioral health field, this is an acronym I can support since saying DBT/SPARCS instead of “Dialectical Behavior Therapy/Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress,” saves us all a lot of time.…
Psychiatric Residential Treatment
It sometimes surprises people to learn that we have Student Government meetings at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Some people think that children in treatment for trauma are not equipped for things like group decision-making.…
There was an awful lot of noise coming from the other room. I was in Chaplain Rick Jones’s office discussing service planning and recent baptisms. The Spiritual Life group room where the kids on the Minot Campus meet is on the other side of his door. When I came out of his office, I was surprised to see Deaconess Kelly Bristow with only two boys. From the volume, I had honestly expected a room full!…
How did you learn about things like washing your hair, cutting your nails, and brushing your teeth? For most of us, our families started teaching us those basic lessons when they brought us home. A baby’s first bath at home is usually a big event for a family!…
What do Music, Staff, Pop Rocks candy, Farming, Family, and Legos all have in common? I’ll get back to that riddle in a moment. Last week, I received an email from Crystal Askvig, one of the remarkable therapists at our Bismarck Campus. Crystal has a Master of Science degree and is licensed as an Addiction Counselor and Professional Clinical Counselor. She’s really good.…
It is wonderful when a Ranch friend reaches out and connects with me. Whether it is in response to an email, a mailed note, or a phone call, I get to hear from truly wonderful people like you.…
Each person has their own kind of wisdom. Hearing life lessons from the people I meet is one of the great benefits of this job. Recently, I had a chance to visit with a retired nurse. She is a powerhouse of action. She may be retired from nursing, but not from life! She does foot care for the elderly in her congregation, volunteers as a program coordinator for the Lutheran Women’s Conferences in her area, and studies holistic approaches to healthcare.…
Finding the right residential treatment program for your child can be overwhelming. The Admissions Team at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch can help you navigate the process and assist you in gathering the information and support you need during this difficult time.…
One Saturday in October I had the great honor of speaking to a gathering of about 75 Christian women. They prayed together, held a business meeting, had a devotional talk from a local pastor, and then I talked to them about the children and the work of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch.…
I remember my second grade teacher, Mrs. Loftus, reading through a list of predictions for how life would be when we were old… “around 2025.” I don't recall all of them, but I do remember that buying water in plastic bottles and being able to see people on our phones (which would, of course, still be anchored to the wall) were on the list.…
It is the day after Christmas. I hope yours was full of warmth, kindness, and gentle companionship. I hope you were surrounded by peace and grace. I wasn’t. My youngest granddaughter is learning to walk and her mission in life is to grab the Christmas tree and pull it down on herself. Her parents are in a constant state of vigilance, both for her protection and to avoid my ire at the tree’s destruction. Her 2-year-old brother, taking cues from mom and dad, kept grabbing her and pulling her away from the tree—to her great and loud chagrin.…
While children are at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, we work hard to connect them with the people who care about them. We can show them that Ranchers care and love them, but it has to go beyond that. It is important for a child healing from trauma to know they are seen, they are thought about, and that there are people in the world who want them to be here!…
There was a knock on my open door. Then, “Good Morning, Joy. Could I please use some of your lotion?” I looked up from my desk and couldn’t help but smile ear-to-ear. Melissa, the lovely young teenage girl in the doorway to my office, smiled back.…
Most children who come to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch have not had a good relationship with school. Their behavioral and psychiatric problems have often resulted in them being labeled as "one of those kids.” If they are in a chaotic home, the school has likely not received much parental cooperation. They are often bullied or the bully. Simply, school has not been the happy place of learning adults hope it is.…
Now, to shake things up… and no, I’m not going to share a new green bean casserole recipe, I want to tell you about the children at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. They are not always grateful.…
Across the United States, over 70% of the people who work in the human services and healthcare fields of trauma-informed care are themselves survivors of trauma. These are folks with incredible insight into what it takes for a child to heal. They know, personally, the internal courage and re-learning that is mustered to overcome the damage done through trauma.…
I love writing about the children and staff at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. They are all remarkable people. It’s important for you to know that none of those stories are possible unless we uphold the very highest standards of care. The kids and people who work here deserve no less.…
“She likes imagining the characters in the books she reads and thinking about them. She says that it is comforting because she is not worried that they will leave her like people in her life always do.” —Katelyn Hamilton, Ranch Wellness Specialist…
The medical note reads, “Therapist was notified that Kole said thinking about school makes him want to self-harm. He has been expressing increased urges to self-harm with the stress of school starting. Staff was able to pull him aside and provide a check-in process after Kole made the comments. He denies any recent self-harm.”…
The North Dakota Community Foundation (NDCF) granted $5,000 to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch to complete safety upgrades on its Bismarck campus, allowing the Ranch to continue providing a safe, therapeutic, and healing environment for children and families. The funds are part of the NDCF’s Statewide Greatest Needs Fund.…
Bullying is a soul-stealing, lower than a snake’s belly, painful, demeaning thing to endure. Contrary to some long-debunked sayings, it does not “toughen you up,” “make you stand up for yourself,” or “teach you about the real world.” Rather, it either begets more bullying as the victim looks to find someone weaker and more tender than them, or it results in depression, self-loathing, and suicidal thoughts.…
I was just introduced to a Christian folk song by Jason Gray. It’s called… “Jesus Loves You (And I’m Trying). The title hooked me.…
He always walks into my office with complete confidence. He may be only 13 years old. He may be struggling with severe outbursts of anger. He may have several psychiatric diagnoses brought on by severe trauma. His hair may always be a little messy, and more than once I’ve seen him wipe his nose with the back of his forearm.…
The Otter Tail Corporation Foundation awarded $3,200 to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch to complete safety upgrades on its Fargo campus.…
When Gideon came to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, he was, like many children, quiet and withdrawn. It isn’t that way with all children when they arrive, but many spend their early days with us observing and acclimating. It is a new place with new expectations, new people, new food, new guidelines. Gideon was watching and simply figuring things out.…