The Amygdala (amygdalae; plural) are a pair of small organs within the medial temporal lobes of the brain. The amygdala are part of the limbic system and their primary role is in the processing and memory of emotional reactions such as the anxiety reaction or 'flight or fight' response. The Amygdala reacts to fear conditioning.
I recently returned from my second Parent Week-end at LaEuropa. Salt Lake City is so much prettier in the summer time and I had a new appreciation for the city. You can almost reach out and touch the mountains that surround it. Their strong, rugged structure comforted me and I felt protected in their presence.
Miya looked good―healthy and happy. Just like the mountains surrounding the city, the exercise and activity at LaEuropa is making Miya’s body strong and firm. She’s more independent and has settled into a life there. It saddened me, however, as I quickly realized Miya and I are now living two separate lives. And it saddened me more every time she would refer to LaEuropa as “home.” I know this was just a response to my own insecurities. Her independence and emotional growth were only stirring up my own fears. It was through these fears that I made the conscious decision to observe Miya in her element and to always be “in the moment.”
As with each Parent Weekend, the girls put on a Fine Arts Festival. Miya participated in 3 events for the show. She and 4 others girls dressed up as male rappers and danced to the Backstreet Boys song, “That Way.” Miya was a real hambone and stole the show! She also participated in a moving dance interpretation to “All the Colors of the Wind.” Last, but not least, she modeled the outfit she had created in fashion class. The assignment was to reconstruct a garment the girls had purchased from the local thrift store. I delighted in her smiling face and watching her entertain in front of a group of people―something she would never have done a year ago. All in all, I couldn’t be more proud of her and the woman she is becoming. She is doing well in school (even an A in Algebra), and all of the teachers commented on her good manners and willingness to help them. It’s clear to see that LaEuropa has become Miya’s safe haven. It’s very structured and every girl is dealing with some issue, so Miya doesn’t feel like the odd man out. It’s a very positive environment and there is something going on at all times. There is no time to get bored or get into trouble.
This Parent Weekend seemed to be more dedicated to me, than Miya or Miya and I. I was assigned to 3 sessions on my own: Emotional Reactivity (learning about the Amygdala); Relapse Prevention Planning for Parents; and Parenting Styles. Not only did I get a great deal out of the classes, but it provided me with a great opportunity to get to know some of the parents on a more personal level. While our girls are all dealing with separate issues, we share two things in common: where we have been and where we are going.
Miya and I did to get some bonding time, as she was allowed to spend Friday night with me at the hotel. We went out to a lovely restaurant in downtown Salt Lake and contributed to the Salt Lake economy with hours of shopping on Saturday.
Miya has been struggling with the completion of her Level 2 work and move on to Level 3. For some reason, a couple of simple tasks seem to be holding her back from completing this level. The staff feel she is in a place to move to level 3, but wanted to instill the importance of completing all assignments before she moves to the next stage. Once a girl reaches level 3, she is allowed to come home for a long weekend; something I've been anxiously waiting to have happen for weeks.
Miya is very good at shutting down instead of dealing with things that might be too painful for her. Miya’s therapist and I felt she could possibly be sabotaging herself to avoid coming home. After observing and talking with her over the weekend, it’s not that she’s afraid to come home, I believe she’s afraid to leave LaEuropa.
