TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A new summer camp in Twin Falls is offering support and community for young people recognizing signs of behavioral health disorders like OCD and anxiety.
The Anxiety Avengers Camp combines therapeutic techniques with games and activities to help participants develop coping skills in a group setting.
Trina Bonman's daughter Lydia traveled from Pocatello to attend the camp. Lydia has struggled with anxiety and some OCD tendencies.
"She has been having an amazing time. She comes home super excited, bouncing off the walls, excited to tell all of the different things that she's done," Trina said.
"And she would explain kind of how she was able to work on some of the skills that she's learning, as well as the fun activities on the side," she added.
The camp incorporates exposure therapy into its activities, encouraging participants to face their fears in a supportive environment.
Watch how this camp puts some fun into facing your fears
"Something that we do here at camp is exposure therapy, and so part of exposure is facing your fear, even when it's really uncertain," said Miranda, one of the camp leaders.
Some of the camp's activities include challenges like reaching blindly into a box without knowing what's inside – a practical exercise in confronting uncertainty.
Brian Olsen, the lead psychologist at St. Luke's, says the summer program shows remarkable results.
"Some of their research shows that the campers in the one week that they were at camp made more gains than they had in their previous last six months of treatment," Olsen said.
He believes summer is an ideal time for this immersive approach to therapy.
"We know that if we pair some fun with fear, then it's a lot easier to overcome some of those fears that the kids have," Olsen said.
The camp also provides valuable peer connections for participants who might otherwise feel isolated.
"It's also a great way for kids to meet other kids who have a similar experience, which is really important because if you have something like OCD or one of those related disorders, it can feel pretty isolating," Miranda said.
For parents like Trina, the results are already evident.
"She's definitely added a lot of tools to toolbox being here this week," Trina said.
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