In This Issue:

	The Healing Desert
	The Kids Go Camping!
	Mirasol Joins Natsap
	Recipe: Vegetarian Chili

A Letter from Mirasol's Founder and CEO

Dear Friends,

I am just returning from a trip to Oahu to meet my new grandson, Kai. I feel so blessed right now. I am completely in awe of this miraculous new being. My favorite time was taking a nap with my grandson curled in my arms, and awakening to the smell of new baby.

I am also blessed to be able to come home to Tucson, which is every bit as beautiful as Hawaii, but in a much different way. Tucson is on the northeastern fringe of the Sonoran Desert, a region renowned for healing qualities that have made it the spiritual home for many people who come here.

"Tucson is known as a healing place," said Dr. James Gordon, founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. "It's a place of great natural beauty and it feels healing to be there. You can feel the connection to the sky and the earth."

There's nothing like 360 days a year of pure sunshine to cleanse the soul and renew the spirit. A Mirasol client and wonderful poet wrote that, "The most remarkable aspect of all was the deep abiding peace that felt like a shawl of white light encompassing Mirasol and all who entered this spiritual, healing sanctuary."

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The Kids Go Camping!

A winter camping trip for teenage girls with eating disorders? Only Mirasol would attempt anything so obviously nutty — and turn it into a resounding success!

The logistics were daunting: tour organizers had to assemble enough tents, folding tables, chairs, sleeping bags, climbing gear and cooking gear for six girls and a support crew including two therapists, a chef and a counseling assistant. Then the weekend before the trip, Tucson experienced a freak snowstorm that turned the campsite into a muddy mess.

"We were ready to pull the plug at the last minute," says therapist and organizer Diane Ryan. "But we had prepared the girls for cold weather camping, and given them a full schedule of what we were going to do."

This was the second such trip organized by Ryan, a therapist at Mirasol's adolescent residential eating disorder treatment center. An experienced hiking guide, life coach and personal trainer, Ryan is a firm believer in the healing power of the desert.

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Mirasol Joins NATSAP

Mirasol is pleased to announce that our adolescent program was recently welcomed as a member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP). Founded in 1999, NATSAP a national association that serves as a resource for programs and professionals who assist young people suffering from emotional difficulties. Mirasol's residential treatment program for girls ages 12 to 17 includes a fully-accredited school.

Mirasol will now be listed in NATSAP's annual directory and will support NATSAP's recently-announced campaign to preserve and protect programs for children and families in need of specialized educational and treatment services.

"Children and their families face far too many barriers to access to the care they need, sometimes being forced to relinquish custody of their young son or daughter to obtain public mental health services," according to Jan Moss, Executive Director of NATSAP. "We seek to ensure the availability of a full range of options with accredited programs using credentialed professionals, the highest ethical standards, and principles of good practice," Moss continued.

For more information about NATSAP and its member organizations, visit the NATSAP website at www.natsap.org.

Recipe: Vegetarian Chili

Here's the recipe for the vegetarian chili that the girls cooked and ate on their camping trip!

Sauté onions and garlic in large saucepan, stir frequently and add water if necessary to prevent scorching. Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat until bubbling hot. Serve hot.

Serves 6