Home > Weekends of Recovery > 2007 Weekends of Recovery: Alta
September 14-16, 2007 A Weekend Of Recovery for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Alta Lodge, Alta, Utah
MaleSurvivor Weekends of Recovery are open to any man, 18 or older, who has been sexually victimized as child and/or as an adult. Alta Lodge is the location of our next Level I Weekend of Recovery. This is our 4th visit to Alta Lodge which tells you how much we love the facility, its extremely supportive and nurturing staff, and the gorgeous surroundings. Alta Lodge is located at 8,600 feet (2,700 meters) at the base of the Alta Ski Area in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Alta Lodge, nestled in a quaint alpine setting at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, offers spectacular mountain views. During September, the cottonwood and aspen trees are usually in the prime of their fall yellow plumage, adding to the beauty of this setting. Alta Lodge is part of a rare tradition of country inns where the attentiveness and warmth of family hoteliers is combined with the pleasures of excellent dining and comfortable surroundings. The atmosphere of the Alta Lodge is relaxed, intimate and informal
Goals of the Weekend of Recovery:
- To provide an opportunity to experience a safe environment in which participants can discover they are no longer alone
- To provide an opportunity to co-create and experience safety with other survivors as they explore further aspects of their healing journey
- To provide an opportunity where survivors can share their inner pain, strength and hope with others who have been abused
- To provide an opportunity for survivors to give a voice to their experiences as a survivor
- To provide a safe way for participants to share the story of their abuse with others who will understand and offer support
- To provide a safe place for participants to experiment with letting go, opening up and being vulnerable, and practice asking for the support they need
- To provide an opportunity for participants to explore safe ways of going beyond their comfort zones, and to find ways to get beyond their blocks to move beyond their abuse to experience a greater sense of freedom in their minds, bodies, and spirits
- To provide a safe place where participants can experience a sense of community, brotherhood and joy
Facilitator Team
Weekends of Recovery are facilitated by trained psychotherapists, utilizing the same clinical boundaries and code of ethics as adopted by the American Psychological Association. The weekends are adjuncts to participants’ ongoing recovery work with individual and/or group psychotherapy, twelve step programs, and individual spiritual work, and are not meant to substitute for the participants’ local support systems that are consistent with their own recovery. Dr. Howard Fradkin, a Psychologist with over 27 years of experience working with male survivors, chairs the facilitator team. The team of facilitators includes other Psychologists, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Mental Health Counselors. Biographies of all staff members for this weekend can be found at the Facilitators page.
IS THIS FOR ME? HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE WEEKEND?
For those working with professionals, we recommend you discuss your planned participation in this weekend to get their feedback and suggestions for how you can benefit as much as possible from the experience while keeping yourself as safe as you need to be. When we receive your completed registration form, we will also send you a form for your therapist to complete and return to us. You can also download the form on our website as well. If you have an already established support system of friends/family members/significant others, we also encourage you to talk with them about your participation so they can be available both before and after the retreat as needed to help you prepare and process your experiences.
If you are not in therapy, and/or do not yet have a support network, we encourage you to consider setting up an appointment with a therapist either before you come to the retreat, or after your return, and/or encourage you to explore what types of self-help groups and resources are available in your community or near by. This way you can follow up on some of the experiences and skills you learn that will help the weekend's learning stay fresh in your mind and help you apply what skills and awareness would most help your continuing recovery.
One of our staff members will be contacting you by phone when we receive your application to talk with you about your needs for the weekend and your readiness to participate. If we have any concerns about you participating, we may suggest some steps you can take to enhance your readiness for this weekend or we may ask you to wait for a future weekend while you take some additional steps we believe would be important for you to benefit from the experience.
You can read comments from other participants on our web page. Many participants have told us that the weekend is a very intense and rewarding experience, and at the same time sometimes it is quite uncomfortable. We recognize that one of the challenges male survivors have is feeling comfortable enough to ask for help, especially when they are feeling most in need of the help. For participants who are aware they have a problem with dissociation, this can be an especially difficult challenge. We would encourage you to practice asking for help before the retreat, perhaps with your own therapist, as well as with friends and significant others, and to assess for yourself what gets in your way of asking for the help you need so you can let us know when we contact you prior to the retreat. The facilitators are all very skilled therapists, and often times we can be sensitive and intuitive enough to know you need help even when you are not asking. However, we will clearly need your help and ask you to take the risk to articulate your needs during the weekend. To the extent you can help us know you are needing some extra help at any time during the weekend, this will help you to have an even safer and hopefully more beneficial experience.
During the weekend, we'll invite you to participate in a number of different types of activities. We'll spend time helping each of you to feel as safe as possible. We'll take our time getting to know each other by sharing a little at a time. Frequently during the weekend we will meet in small groups, where you can have more individual time to talk and share your feelings and observations.
Everyone will be given some opportunities to choose how to tell your story - through words, through art, through movement, and/or through music. We'll also introduce you to some different types of relaxation and visualization exercises you may choose to do at home to increase your abilities to cope and manage life stresses. We'll also give you time to wander the beautiful grounds alone or with some of your fellow participants.
Survivors with perpetration history:
Any person who has been adjudicated (found guilty) of sexual perpetration would not be eligible for participation in the weekends. Because many survivors have sexually acted out in childhood, adolescence or even young adulthood, we do not wish to automatically exclude them from a Weekend of Recovery. However, to assess each participant on a case-by-case basis, we want to be able to discuss perpetration history with them and their therapist. This means that in order to assure other participants that we have their safety in mind, we want to be able to screen anyone with such a history to determine if attending a weekend is in their best interest and the best interest of all participants. We encourage all potential participants to be honest when we call you about any such incidents(ces) in your past because some participants may be unable to deal with people with such histories. In such cases, an interview with the Weekends of Recovery Chairperson will be required before you will be accepted.
Registration Costs
Registration includes the costs of the facilitated Weekend of Recovery program, with our 9 skilled facilitators from the MaleSurvivor Weekend of Recovery Facilitator Team, plus lodging, 6 meals, and snacks. Bottled water, juices, tea and coffee will be available throughout the weekend. We have a variety of accommodations in the lodge. If you are not a MaleSurvivor member, we encourage you to join the organization prior to registration both to secure a significant discount and to help support the work of MaleSurvivor. Limited numbers of each type of accommodation are available, and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
NOTE: These are early registration costs, with all payments due by July 31, 2007. Registration after July 31st will cost an additional $40.
| Category | Available | Description | Member price | Non Member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 6 | Single, East Wing, King Bed | 530 | 570 |
| B | 4 | Single, East Wing, King Bed, Sitting Area, Private Balcony and Fireplace, Corner Room | 550 | 590 |
| C | 3 | Doubles, Middle Wing, Corner | 515 | 555 |
| D | 6 | Doubles, Middle Wing, Queen and Double | 495 | 535 |
To register for the weekend, we ask that you complete an online registration. To hold your spot for the weekend, we are requesting at least a $150 deposit with your registration. You will have the choice on the registration form to either prepay your registration in full at the time of registration or opt for a payment plan. You will then receive a form to indicate how you plan to make 2 additional payments to cover the balance of your registration. By choosing this option, you can instruct us to bill your credit card for ½ of the balance of the total of the registration due based on your accepted accommodation type on July 31, 2007 and the second half on August 13, 2007. You may also mail in checks to be received on these dates. Holding your registration will be contingent on receipt of your additional registration fees on these dates. Any registration which is not paid in full by August 13, 2007 is subject to cancellation and a $50 cancellation fee. Any cancellation after August 13, 2005 will be subject to the loss of all monies paid, unless we can find a replacement for your space in the weekend.
If you want to take advantage of the early registration discount, then all payments must be received by July 31. You can indicate on the registration that you want to pay that in full now, or you can pay it in 2 additional payments.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
Dependent on MaleSurvivor’s scholarship fund balance, a limited number of partial scholarships will be available for this weekend. If you have a need for a scholarship, please click here and you’ll be directed to a form to complete, which will then be emailed by MaleSurvivor to Howard Fradkin, the Weekend Chairperson. Once your scholarship is approved, Howard will email you back with your approval and then you will be able to register. We encourage those requesting scholarships to apply for partial scholarships and to commit to paying some portion of the registration yourself (or ask others to assist you in your support system). This enables MaleSurvivor to make more scholarships available to more participants. We can only provide assistance with registration costs, and cannot at this time provide any assistance with transportation costs.
If you are in a position to assist with our scholarship fund, you can contribute through the MaleSurvivor website or on the registration form. Thanks for any help you can provide.
DINING:
Chef Paul Raddon has been preparing meals of exceptional quality for Alta Lodge guests for over thirty years. The outstanding cuisine will certainly be one highlight of your Weekend of Recovery. A special treat is in store on Sunday, when we’ll get to visit the Alta Lodge Sunday Buffet, a grand buffet featuring gourmet breakfast and lunch and dessert items! All of your food and snacks are included in your registration fees. The Chef is prepared to provide vegetarian cuisine if you request it ahead of time. Other special dietary restrictions or needs must be indicated on your registration form. Bottled water, juices, coffee and tea, half and half and soy milk will be supplied all weekend long for you
Other information about Alta Lodge:
No alcohol or un-prescribed drugs may be brought to the weekend. There is also a no smoking policy anywhere in the Lodge-including guest rooms, out of consideration for other guests. Cigar and pipe smoking are also prohibited. Guests may smoke outside the Lodge on the sundeck. Please bring a jacket, gloves, hat, & some warm clothes if you are sensitive to the cold. Temperatures may be as low as the 30’s at night and should be in the 50’s & 60’s during the daytime. There is always the possibility of snow in September! Average high temperature is 61, and average low is 40. Remember mountain air can feel chilly once the sun sets. Sunscreen is strongly advised - remember that sunrays are considerably more intense at mountain elevations. A hat with a brim is also very helpful to protect you from the sun.
Alta Lodge is handicap accessible, however if you have any special physical needs, please let us know at the time of registration so that we can make plans to accommodate your physical abilities. There are some spectacular hiking trails around Alta. If you plan to participate in any hiking activities, please pack hiking boots (or shoes comfortable for easy & moderate hiking trails), a hiking stick (if you use one), & a day pack.
All bedding, towels, hair dryers, shampoo and shower gel are provided.
COPING WITH THE ALTITUDE
Alta Lodge is at 8500 feet altitude. It is not uncommon for people to experience minor physical symptoms above 8000 feet. (Symptoms can include headache, loss of appetite, & fatigue.) There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility to the effects of altitude. Some people get it and some people don't, and some people are simply more susceptible than others. Here’s some tips for how to deal with any effects of altitude that you may experience during the weekend:
- Stay properly hydrated. Acclimatization is often accompanied by fluid loss, so you need to drink lots of fluids to remain properly hydrated.
- Take it easy; don't over-exert yourself when you first get up to altitude. Be prepared that tasks such as climbing stairs may require more physical exertion than you’re used to for the same task at a lower elevation. Light activity during the day is better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleep, exacerbating the symptoms.
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol and other depressant drugs including, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. These depressants further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep resulting in a worsening of the symptoms. The acclimatization process is inhibited by dehydration, over-exertion, and alcohol and other depressant drugs.
- If you have any concerns about your susceptibility to the effects of altitude, please consult with your physician. Diamox (Acetazolamide) is a prescription medication that can moderate the side effects of altitude for most people. However, since it takes a while for Diamox to have an effect, it is advisable to start taking it 24 hours before you go to altitude.
WHEN TO ARRIVE AND DEPART-MAKING PLANE RESERVATIONS
The weekend begins at 12 noon on Friday, and ends Sunday at 3:00 pm. Alta Lodge is only 32 miles from the Salt Lake City International Airport, generally a 45 to 60 minute cab ride, and 40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. The final 8 miles of the drive is up a winding, but scenic canyon road. MaleSurvivor can arrange your transportation from Salt Lake International City Airport to the Alta Lodge through Canyon Transportation . Your cost will be $58 per person round trip (not including gratuity). Price is subject to change. You can make your own reservation at 800-255-1841 or www.canyontransport.com/main and reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Rental car information is available at www.slcairport.com/transport/rentalcars. Once you register, we will send you a transportation form to fill out, and then we will do our best to provide free transportation to the center for anyone who requests it. Fifteen airlines offer service to Salt Lake City International Airport: AeroMexico, America West, America West Express, American, Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Continental, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Northwest, Salmon Air, SkyWest, Southwest, United and United Express.
Given travel time, we recommend all participants plan to arrive on Friday no later than 10:30 am; and plan to depart on Sunday no earlier than 5:30 pm from Salt Lake City. Please be sure to review our arrival policy below before making your travel plans. If you cannot accommodate your schedule to arrive and depart at these times, please be considerate and do not register. We also ask that all participants plan to stay until the end of the weekend on Sunday to allow you sufficient time for closure. If you find that the only airline reservations you can find will require an overnight stay on either Thursday or Sunday, we are sorry, but we cannot provide overnight accommodations on Thursday or Sunday evening at Alta Lodge. However, a number of alternative accommodations can be found near the lodge or airport, and if you need help finding one, please indicate this on your transportation form.
BUS , TRAIN and CAR TRANSPORTATION
Salt Lake City is serviced by train on Amtrak (www.amtrak.com/destinations/index.html) . Buses are provided by Greyhound (www.greyhound.com) Salt Lake City is accessed via I-80 (east-west) and I-15 (north-south)
Arrival Policy
Safety for all participants is our utmost concern. Therefore, it is a requirement that in order to participate in the weekend, participants must arrive at the beginning of the weekend, by 12 noon on Friday. In planning your trip, you are expected to take into consideration the unpredictable delays that may accompany your travel. While we understand you may encounter delays for many reasons, we are unable to allow anyone to begin the weekend if your delay is greater than 2 hours. In other words, you cannot be admitted to the weekend after 2 pm for any reason. If you are experiencing a delay, we request you to call us to inform us of your arrival status. It is important to understand that in the event of your inability to attend due to late arrival, you will forfeit all monies paid for your registration. One strategy to avoid this situation is to arrive in the city of the weekend the night before, or a city near the airport. MaleSurvivor will provide you with information about budget hotels near the facility to help facilitate your stay. Your consideration of this policy will help strengthen the feeling of safety for all participants and help us to build a community.
Therapist Recommendation Letter:
When you register online, you will notice a link to a therapist recommendation letter (click here). If you register by mail, we will mail you the letter. We ask that all participants who are currently in therapy bring this letter to your therapist prior to the weekend, and ask them to complete it with you and send it back to us by September 12th. The information in this letter will help us to provide for any additional needs you may have for safety. It is our intention to use this letter to help ensure your safety, and in no way is it intended to disempower you or cast doubt on your own judgment about your readiness to participate in the weekend.
ANY QUESTIONS:
Questions can be directed to Howard Fradkin at
800-285-9397, ext. 11, or emailed to hfradkin@malesurvivor.org ; or to Trisha Massa, MaleSurvivor Administrative Assistant, at 800-738-4181, or emailed to admin@malesurvivor.org
TO BEGIN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, CLICK HERE
