The pilgrimage begins...

It is time to make my pilgrimage to the mecca of all things rock climbing...Yosemite. With my new Misty Mountain Cadillac Harness (made in the good land of North Carolina) and my revamped chalk bag, I am ready for the massive walls of gorgeous granite. Red Rocks is also on the agenda. Starting tomorrow, the next couple of weeks will be packed with as much climbing as my body can handle. Yahoo!

If you've known me over the last few years, the chalk bag may look familiar. My lovely Guatemalan purse was falling apart, yet I was not ready to part with it. I took the part still in good shape and turned it into my chalk bag. It's not the best sewing job in the world, but it is certianly my best!

From the top of a climb in Little Cottonwood Canyon around Salt Lake City

Field and Research

My last two shifts in the field were startlingly different. The prior shift in the field (August 2-9), I spent with an adult “boys” group. After so much time with adolescent girls I was looking forward to this change of pace. It turned out to be an incredibly challenging week. Not all, but just enough of these guys were exasperating, disrespectful, and ridiculous. They claimed that I reminded them of their mothers, and looking at the relationships they had with their moms, this was not a desirable position.

This past shift I spent the week with adolescent girls. Though this week had its own set of unique challenges such as poopie and urine filled sleeping bags, emotional volcanoes, and bees, it turned out to be a fun and fulfilling week. I saw girls begin to mourn the loss of parents and things taken from them, discover themselves, and have sober fun. It is a beautiful experience to grow and learn with such brave people tackling scary monsters .... even on the more challenging weeks ;)

Immediately upon coming out of the field, I switched from field instructor to researcher. We finished up the final touches on a presentation and headed up to Provo to present some of our research at a regional conference for therapeutic programs. It was super fun, and I felt privileged and fortunate to have this opportunity. Especially to do so with Matt, who is my boss and is held in high regard in the field of wilderness therapy.