Who is our Staff?
All clinical staff is trained and extensively experienced in substance abuse treatment and in the Program's philosophies, including respect for each resident. All primary counselors are fully licensed in their specialty. Many staff members are successfully recovering from addictions.

Joel W. Hanson, MD Program Supervisor, Medical Director
Dr. Hanson is licensed in Psychiatry and Internal Medicine. Research includes, "Hepatitis C in Substance Abuse" and "Spirituality and Alcoholics Anonymous". Attended U of Utah's School of Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies. "Addiction treatment is about healing the physical and the emotional... the soul". "Assisting a person through this is a pivotal opportunity which, if undertaken, should be done with full energy and expertise!"

Jack Wiseman, MEd, LSAC (Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor)
Supervising Therapist
Mr. Wiseman, affectionately known as "One-Armed Jack", is well-known and respected in the recovery community. He has over twenty years of addiction clinical experience and carries a reputation of tremendous rapport and success with his clients. His dedication to 12-Step, spirituality-based, bio-psycho-social treatment fits right in with the Summit Lodge approach.

Gordon Day, PhD Consulting Clinical Psychologist
When a Summit Lodge client displays particularly complex psychological symptoms, significant academic or functional limitations Dr Day performs a detailed independent evaluation and appropriate testing. The resulting diagnostic clarifications and treatment recommendations become a valuable part of the client’s plan both at Summit Lodge and thereafter.

Polly Martinez, LSAC.  Primary CD Therapist
Polly is a primary counselor and the program’s experiential activity coordinator. She has that valuable combination of over 10 year’s counseling experience and outdoors
enthusiasm & skills. She safely leads the clients through intensive, memorable therapeutic experiences, whether it be at the Lodge or up one of the local Rocky Mountain canyons!

Shawn Ashworth, LSAC.  Primary CD Therapist
Shawn has over 10 years of experience in treatment leadership and program development. He’s a rancher, a true cowboy and a seasoned equine and experiential therapist. At Summit the client’s value him for his genuine love and respect for them and for his thoughtful, spiritual influence.

Scott Beck, Director of Equine Therapy
He has several years of experience working with patients and has conducted several seminars throughout the western United States. Scott is well-known and respected in national equine therapy circles. The horse work is consistently rated by clients as one of the most memorable and impactful programs at Summit Lodge.

Brent Swanson, Intake Coordinator
Brent has over 20 years of dedicated volunteer and leadership service on the “front lines” of community 12 step work. Over the years he has helped hundreds of people find their path in the recovery process. His main role at Summit is to receive the initial phone calls and guide struggling addicts and their families through their struggles to get treatment started. This includes help with interventions when needed. His respect for the cunning and baffling nature of addictions and his “been there, done that!”  rapport with addicts help move people in to treatment who might otherwise not.

C&M Behavioral Consultant Services Program Development
The director of this excellent service has been involved in substance abuse treatment for over twenty years. He is currently program director of a large, well established treatment program. He was co-creator and early program director at a highly successful residential program in the region. He currently serves on the Mental Health Board for the Utah Hospital Association.

Testimonials

B.S. Northern Utah. Female. Age 31. Nurse. National Athlete.
Being at the lodge removed me the stress and distractions of my life and placed me in a secure spiritual environment allowing me to focus entirely on me and my recovery.
Summit offered a therapeutic setting that took away the feeling of the "institution"…
Entering the Summit Lodge program for inpatient residential treatment of my alcoholism was crucial to my recovery… I needed the 24/7 recovery-only environment to survive this critical period in my sobriety.  I am grateful for the opportunity I had to get back on my feet and get back to life again."

P.F.  Colorado. Mother of female client K.S. Age 20
After two DUI's, and two totaled cars, in as many months from a kid that had never been in trouble, it became apparent that she needed professional help.  I cannot tell you the relief I felt when she entered the program at Summit Lodge, she was safe.
 When she first entered she "did not" have a problem, when she left she saw how self destructive she had been.
 She left in November '08 and is still sober in March '09.
  I am so grateful to Summit Lodge for providing inpatient treatment.  I have my healthy  daughter  back. The hills and valleys are still there but she now has the tools to deal with them.

 L.A.  Arizona  Age 64 Male, married. Business exec.
I found all the staff  very well trained –very professional .
The best staff quality however is the feeling I got that they were seriously interested in me & in helping me to put my life in a better place .
The facilities were wonderful to say the least –to include the building –grounds –small nearby towns –beautiful mountains & lakes nearby .Very peaceful –very inspiring.
Discussion group –very open –tough confrontation but never abusive.
Counseling scientific as well as interpersonal –very interesting .
The environment is quiet –peaceful –serene –friendly –serious –good food – lot’s of rest –exercise –very focused .
Peer Group –basically good human beings –sincere –open –working –trying to help themselves & the group .
 focused activity based on a subject I needed to understand better & taught by highly competent people
all the activities related to the subject & were not hard to understand
Although I was very ashamed of myself for allowing my life to lead me to this treatment , I am very happy & proud of what happened at Summit .

 C.J.  Central Utah   Female, married, mother.  Homemaker.  Age 21
The people at SL understood me.
 I’m 420 days clean & sober! I can feel things again. We just had a baby boy and it’s awesome to be able to feel real excitement again!