Specializing in counseling and coaching for students and families transitioning to a traditional boarding school.
Onward's philosophy on transition
Onward is grounded in the belief that with specialized supports, students can successfully transition their progress in treatment programs to more traditional environments. Healthy coping strategies for stressors and relapse risks, enhanced assertiveness and self-advocacy in communication styles, and developing an even greater ability to tap into empathy and think before acting can all be supported in the more autonomous environment of the traditional boarding school. Leaving the more protective and insulated treatment environment for the "real world" challenges of boarding school can be incredibly taxing on the student, family and other invested caregivers. Onward understands these dynamics and offers additional coaching and counseling by developing a team approach to greatly strengthen the opportunities for success.
Onward's counseling and coaching model
Onward provides intensive, clinically informed support services to the student and their families during the critical time of transition from a wilderness or treatment environment to a boarding school. Onward believes the key to a successful transition is to establish cooperative, responsive and frequent lines of communication between the student, family, boarding school and the educational consultant. Onward works with clients to help them develop relevant academic, social, familial and behavioral goals for the transition period, and maintains the continuous flow of communication within this network via in person visits, and HIPPA compliant emails, phone calls and video conferences. Onward clients work with Darrell Fraize, M.Ed., LCPC, LADC as their counselor and coach in this process.
Recent Onward Clients were:
- Transitioning from a challenging wilderness program to a new traditional boarding school with a new perspective.
- Enrolled in Summertime Onward strengthening family bonds and building momentum to enter school in the fall.
- Transitioning back to boarding school with a renewed outlook after a medical leave.
- Allowed to remain at school, conditional upon receiving support from Onward, after a disciplinary review.
- Transitioning back to school after a successful experience in a residential treatment program.
- Hopeful first semester college students experiencing challenges with the transition, but committed to achieving success.
- Transitioning from a challenging wilderness program to a new traditional boarding school with a new perspective.
- Enrolled in Summertime Onward strengthening family bonds and building momentum to enter school in the fall.
- Transitioning back to boarding school with a renewed outlook after a medical leave.
- Allowed to remain at school, conditional upon receiving support from Onward, after a disciplinary review.
- Transitioning back to school after a successful experience in a residential treatment program.
- Hopeful first semester college students experiencing challenges with the transition, but committed to achieving success.
Onward students have an advantage.
Students coming from a successful stay in a treatment program have motivation and a plan. In addition they have some or most of the following:
- Recent testing and recommendations- a new awareness of learning differences, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, mood and substance use disorders, or other DSM 5 diagnoses
- Recent evaluation of medication, efficacy and prescriptions for psychotropic medications
- A sound state of mind, good health, are physically fit and clean of substances
- Have worked with the sending program, educational consultant and Onward to develop a treatment plan including an immediate contingency plan is the case of dismissal
- An active engagement in family therapy-lines of communication are open and parents are aware of issues and system dynamics
- The understanding of consequence for action and the impact of their actions on others.
- The demonstrated ability to accept and receive constructive feedback from peers and authority figures
- The readiness to practice better personal boundaries with peer relationships, electronic use and school work
- Preparedness to continue working on what needs working on....
Onward founder, Darrell Fraize, M.Ed.,LCPC,LADC has worked with hundreds of families. He specializes in the critical period of transition from a treatment environment to boarding school or college.
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Darrell Fraize, has spent the last decade working as a wilderness therapist at a northeast program that specializes in academics. Summit Achievement is often considered a first choice for working with students for short term residential treatment after a temporary or permanent separation from boarding school. For some, the return to the school was conditional upon the successful completion of the program and recommendation of the wilderness program therapist. For others, successful completion of the program was the gateway to another or to re apply to their first boarding school.
While at Summit Achievement, Darrell was the founding Program and Clinical Director for Summit Traverse, a residential transition program for students stepping down from a therapeutic environment to a more traditional environment , such as boarding school. |
Critical Facts
- Onward is not an educational consulting practice. Please contact Darrell or IECA to locate an independent consultant.
- Onward works with students after they have been accepted to boarding school and referred by an educational consultant.
- ONWARD clients work directly with Darrell Fraize.
- Summertime Onward is a limited seasonal option and does not include correspondence with schools.
- Darrell Fraize meets in person with the student, family and school staff just prior to, or on the day of enrollment and periodically during the duration of the service. Individual, HIPAA compliant messaging, phone and video conferencing sessions are weekly.
- Onward works with no more than 8 students per quarter. Please email for current availability.
- Parents contract quarterly with Onward. There is no fee for the educational consultant or boarding school for students services.
- Onward is based in the northeast. Geographic exceptions are carefully considered and may be appropriate.
- In strict accordance with federal HIPAA compliance, Onward requires a Release of Information Form (ROI) for every contact. A ROI must be secured in advance to discuss specific clinical information about the student from the parent, or the student if over the age of 18.
- Onward makes every effort to maintain client privacy and confidentiality. As a tele mental health and life coaching service, ONWARD employs encryption, password protection, secure data storage and remote memory wiping to safeguard against threats to client records. Onward utilizes BestNotes, CRM for its client records management.
- Darrell Fraize is an individual professional member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs.
