Medicine Wheel
A Tool to Measure Progress
The Three Springs Mind-Body-Spirit approach to healing the whole child is centered on this ideal: We believe that children must be nurtured and rewarded and must also be held accountable for their choices. The philosophy of treating equally the mind, body and spirit has been shared by many cultures for many centuries.
Three Springs respectfully borrows the Native American symbol of the Medicine Wheel to aid in the implementation of this philosophy while healing and restoring children and their families. We utilize the Wheel as a teaching tool to help our residents measure their progress and to celebrate their accomplishments. The symbols utilized in the Medicine Wheel help children to understand that change is an ongoing process. As they journey through this circle they begin to realize that change is more about gaining understanding than about achieving perfection. Our goal is not to break the spirit but to help guide personal energy and power more productively and positively.
Three Springs of North Carolina utilizes the Medicine Wheel to bring the Body, Mind and Spirit philosophy to life. By focusing on the four main directions of the Medicine Wheel we can guide children to organize and prioritize their needs and begin to look at the difference between needs and wants.
Your Child’s Journey
The journey begins in the South where children learn the importance of a healthy Body. They enter this direction after they have been oriented to the program and begin accepting some responsibility for their placement. The group helps them begin this phase of the journey by joining them in the ceremony site to celebrate the earning of their first stage. The group highlights his/her accomplishments as they provide feedback to their peer. From the time of admission children come to realize that this journey requires them to nurture their bodies in order for them to overcome the physical challenges that nature imposes. Balanced meals and adequate sleep teach children how restored physical health, free from substances, potential neglect and self injurious behaviors will allow them to begin the healing process. This is also where they learn to differentiate between their needs and wants and how to take appropriate steps to get their needs met.
From the South our residents will journey West. This direction is the catalyst for our residents to begin learning about the importance of thinking about their choices and how they affect themselves and others. After another ceremony and celebration the resident takes on his/her new responsibilities. This is where we begin focusing on the power of the Mind and the importance of considering more than one perspective when making choices. Because this is the first leadership stage residents quickly realize that with leadership and power comes responsibility. They strive to role model for their peers as they learn about integrity and assertiveness. As they struggle with considering the implications for their new role they begin to seriously consider their past as it relates to their future. These new leaders find the benefits of better choices, more privileges and some freedom to outweigh the unhealthy risks of the past. They have learned to embrace the structure and open themselves to some direction in order to find success. This is where they begin to understand the privilege of leading others.
From the West the journey moves North where Body and Mind intersect to help the residents learn the power of their presence in the group. This is the stage where the team works together to challenge this experienced leader to initiate the treatment process. They are asked to assess their progress by giving an honest account of where they see themselves as a leader and how they want to address their remaining issues. The staff are not taking a hands off approach but are empowering the resident to make choices for their future. How they think through problems and make decisions becomes a measure for their level of internalization. This is the stage where the team guides the resident towards autonomy as their confidence increases and their cognitive skills become more solid. They begin believing in their new found abilities and begin setting challenging yet realistic goals for the future.
From the North the residents journey East where they discover their own personal power. The campus comes together to celebrate this personal accomplishment as all members of the campus recognize the leadership abilities of this resident. This is where our residents reflect their Spirit as they become a model for all residents on campus to follow. They have grown to understand that struggle leads to success and that by learning to accept their strengths and vulnerabilities they are better able to formulate challenging but realistic goals for their future. They are an example for all their peers as they become a mentor for their peers who can learn from the experiences of the resident who chose the harder path. This final stage before graduation allows the child and his/her family to insure that transition plans are in place and that all areas of treatment have been addressed. This is also the stage where residents are challenged to take healthy risks both at home and on campus. This process increases self confidence and allows the resident to share what he/she has discovered about themselves through this journey.
Coming Together
The final celebration is the graduation ceremony which includes the campus and anyone who has shared in this child’s journey. This brings closure as each individual offers comments and stories about the struggles and triumphs of this process. The graduate offers final comments concerning their experience and this is where we find Body, Mind and Spirit come together. The graduate’s vision is clear as they look forward to returning home and beginning their journey again. The family is eager to welcome the graduate home and the graduate embraces his/her future as the Medicine Wheel continues to lead them South for another new beginning.
