“Our son had a fantastic experience and learned a lot. We have seen many positive changes in him and appreciated the parent seminar to walk us through incorporating them at home.”
Parent of a Sight camper 2012
“This program made a world of difference in my child’s life. She has opened up with conversation and interaction with peers at school. She is more adaptive to change and functions more independently. WOW! I never dreamed the program experience would improve her quality this much.”
Parent of a Sight camper 2012
“I learned that I can really communicate with my friends and the counselors here and I can really open up to them, which is something I don’t feel comfortable doing at home.”
Camper 2012
“This camp allowed (my son) to have an independent adventure. He also learned a lot about how to deal with stressful situations and broadened his horizons by being exposed to so many new things – people, foods, landscapes, activities. He matured so much and gained a lot of self-confidence.”
Parent of an Insight camper 2012
“I went to Back-To-School Night yesterday and had 3 teachers comment on his positive behavior/demeanor this year. The purpose of the night was not to talk about the students but focus on the curriculum. I gave credit to this growth to his being at Talisman”
Parent of a Krewe camper 2012
“His letter home to us said it all when he wrote, “I am having the time of my life!” We were thrilled!
- parent
I’m writing to say, “Thank you,” for giving my son such a wonderful experience. He had the time of his life. More importantly, however, he came home with new skills, and new friends. We are using the group process at home to facilitate discussion and minimize tantrums and yelling. The day after we brought him home from camp, he was sitting in group (at our coffee table) with appropriate body language, LISTENING to the issue at hand. I’m emphasizing listening because my Aspie son, who before camp, never maintained eye contact or used non verbal cues to show he was paying attention, was looking at us and nodding to show he understood, and NOT INTERRUPTING. We are very encouraged by this and plan to continue using the group process between now and next year when he goes back to Talisman for camp!
- parent of a Talisman Sight Camper
My son began there two summers ago in the Foundations program when he was 9 years old. We signed him up for one session at first. We went to pick him up and he kept telling me “this camp the kids are like me and the counselors understand me”. He loved it so much when I asked him if he wanted to stay another session at first he said he wanted to come home and as we headed toward the airport about 45 minutes later he said “Can I still go back this summer for another session, I decided I don’t want to have to wait a whole year before I go back”. We turned around and the camp said they had a spot for him and he stayed for a a second session.
- parent of a Foundations camper
Yes. You do a wonderful job of helping campers learn to get along and to see their issues and to verbalize them. The three-week session let us back home see who our other kids are without the interaction of our most attention-requiring child. And because we got a break from him, he got to see how much we miss him when he isn’t around.
- parent
I think Camp Talisman is incredible!
- teen camper
“He communicates differently now. he’s more confident in trying new things, better capable of handling stressful situations.”
- parent
“I learned that I can tell the truth and that people don’t have to control me.. And that I can be respectful of my parents and obey them.”
- Base Camp camper
“I wanted to write to let you know our complete satisfaction with our experience this summer…We were a bit nervous (ok, very nervous) about sending our 11 year old son 700 miles away for 2 weeks, despite all the positive feedback we heard…The results have been just amazing though. He had a fantastic time, and gained so much independence and confidence, I think the gains will show for years to come.”
- parent of Sight Camper
“Just a note of profound thanks to you and the staff of camp for making such a positive impact on my son…he saw his therapist this week, who remarked afterward that he was like a different person – more mature, self aware…she said she had never seen any therapeutic summer camp program benefit any of her patients so dramatically. “
- parent of child in Academic Program
“She has learned some good techniques for dealing with her anger and reframing responses in a respectful way”
- Base Camp parent
“It finally hit him that he is not alone in his struggles. He came away making new friends who he truly could relate to”
- Sight parent
“An extra warm thank you to Robin, who was part of his TOBA staff; he was very impressed with her and says that she showed him in his words ‘another way to live a life’”
- parent of TOBA camper
“Administrative staff were open, accessible, and always willing to talk”
- parent
“We were thrilled to find a camp that understood and appreciated (my son’s) specific challenges. He came home from his camping experience feeling confident in his ability to make friends on his own. He feels strongly about the skills he learned at camp and can’t wait to go back. As a parent, I can’t say enough about the staff at Talisman. They were outstanding! They were very supportive of a nervous child and a nervous mom testing the waters of independence for the first time.”
- parent of first-time Sight camper
The camp has helped Michael grow up.. If it was going to get done, it was up to him to do it. He responded well and we really have seen a difference in him since the camp. The camp is very good at working with each child at their level but at the same time challenging them to stretch. Seeing them as an individual is especially important in dealing with our kids. Talisman seems have a good grasp on this and works with each child rather than just seeing them as a whole group.
The best recommendation I can give is that Michael is really looking forward to returning. He has been back for one fall weekend “adventure” and is excited that Talisman is coming around again. I can vouch for the people, the effects on Michael and the program.but the kids are the best reference for the experience!
- Parent of returning Sight camper
“There is 1 camp that really cares about me. I was able to do harder things than the past years. Climb farther harder rafting, and hiking farther.”
- camper
