Young Adult Whole Life Therapy is a two-week, residential therapy program hosted on the campus of Salve Regina University in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. We provide life skills development, sports and recreation independent-living mentoring to young adults ages 18 to 22, with traumatic spinal cord injury as well as congenital neurological disorders. The program accepts participants from all over the country.

Young Adult Whole Life is built around the commitment to help young people work towards independent living: transitioning towards responsibility for their personal care, education and life goals and toward productive careers.  The profile for these programs is primarily that of the disabled young person preparing to enter the work world and live on their own.

This program’s holistic approach coupled with its top notch, experienced and credentialed staff of therapists, counselors and mentors assists participants to develop the physical, mental and emotional skills necessary to maximize their potential for independent living and community involvement

A pilot program for Shake-A-Leg in 2007, the Young Adult WLT sessions focus on the socialization issues facing the young adult – such as making the transition to college, entering the workplace, and living independently.  Like the Teen Therapy program, the intensity of the peer-to-peer interaction will be a strength of this program as participants of varied backgrounds and experience with their disability share the knowledge and techniques they have learned through time.

During the two-week program, the attendees will participate in sessions of physical and occupational therapy, aquatics therapy, strength and conditioning, therapeutic massage, Rolfing (a type of deep tissue massage), relaxation/meditation, health lectures and group classes on wheelchair and mat mobility.  Included in the group recreational activities will be events and functions, as well as sports such as sailing, kayaking, hand bicycling and kite flying.   Additionally there will be instruction and advice on job-related issues such as interviewing, computer skills training and the office environment.

This summer, the Young Adult Whole Life Therapy session will be from Sunday, June 1st to Saturday, June 14th, 2008. The session is limited to 13 participants- first come, first served. Program fees, room and board for the two weeks is $2,800 and need-based scholarships are available upon request.   

For further information, or to apply, contact our Program Director, Angela McCloy, at angela@shakealeg.org.

To see our documentary video on the 2006 Whole Life Therapy session, click here.

Click here  for a PDF Brochure (1.8MB) outlining the program.