One of the many special things about Turning Wind is the way the team is able to create a family environment for the teens in treatment. One of the awesome people who make that happen is head chef Veronica Langton.
She is an experienced and excellent international cook who is in charge of ordering, preparing, and creating delicious meals for the students and her colleagues. Veronica puts her whole heart and love into every meal she prepares but she does much more than cooking.
“The first thing I do when we have a new student is trying to connect,” says Langton. “Sometimes it’s not that easy. They’re often kind of upset when they arrive. So, after a while, I go around and say, ‘hey, what is your favorite food?’ After they tell me, I can fix something that makes them feel better. Soon they say, ‘Veronica, what is for lunch? What’s for dinner?’ I like to make them fun food, for them to be connected and they like it.”
When she is not preparing yummy meals for our teens and pouring over new recipe ideas, Langton enjoys sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She particularly enjoys making costumes and quilting. Veronica is also someone who enjoys the outdoors that the Northwest offers, particularly fishing.
“I really enjoy being the mom of the group, she says. “Fellow students tell newcomers, ‘you can tell Veronica if you get hungry. Talk to her and she will give you something,’ they say. I don’t want them to go to bed and feel hungry. I want them to feel comfortable as if they were at home.”
Langton appreciates the struggles Turning Winds students go through. Her way of providing a home-like environment is by asking them about specific dishes that make them happy. She knows that healthy, nutritious food makes for a good mood and a happy heart.
“Food is really important. When I see someone struggle with their diet, I try to help them also by getting their input: I often ask them to make me a list of the foods they like to eat and then I work with that.”
The entire therapeutic environment at Turning Winds emulates a functional family system. Since its founding, the idea of family has remained a foundational precept of the program. Team members at Turning Winds are carefully selected based on their ability to comfortably and productively operate within the home-like atmosphere of the program and to exceptionally and consistently model values.
Turning Winds uses comparatively long treatment durations, a specialized milieu, and experiential programming to deepen the effectiveness of care. The program’s holistic approach, relational focus, and emphasis on achieving authentic client openness make Turning Winds especially effective at facilitating positive outcomes and long-term change.
At Turning Winds, it’s the people who make the difference. We have built a team of academic and therapeutic professionals who share the same goal: helping teens re-engage meaningfully with their lives, families, and their futures.
Our mission is to rescue teens from crisis situations, renew their belief in their own potential, reunite them with their families, and put them on a sustainable path to success. Contact us online for more information, or call us at 800-845-1380. If your call isn’t answered personally, one of us will get back to you as soon as possible.
