this is NOT
a treatment program

You may remember a simple childhood toy that first made the stores on July 12, 1960.  The Etch-a-Sketch took the world by storm and became one of the best known toys of that era.  Etch-a-Sketch was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Toy Industry Association has named this simple plaything one of the most memorable toys of the 20th Century.

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So what captivated us as children?  What was the allure that made this toy so popular?  It was the concept of starting over.  The very concept of being able to create something and then completely erase it and start over is something that as adults we no longer have the pleasure of.  How often have you looked at your life, situation or predicament and wished you could turn a small white knob so you could start over.

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Let’s look back to our childhood toy.

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The toy is a kind of plotter. The inside surface of the glass screen is coated with a powder, which is then scraped off by a movable stylus, leaving a dark line on the light gray screen. The stylus is controlled by the two knobs, one of which moves it vertically and the other horizontally. To erase the picture, the user turns the toy upside down and shakes it. Doing this causes tiny beads to smooth out and re-coat the inside surface of the screen with powder. The "black" line merely exposes the darkness inside the toy. Scraping out large "black" areas allows enough light through to expose parts of the interior.

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Our programs are very similar.  Oasis is not a treatment center but rather a refuge where you can turn your life upside down and give it a shake.  It is a place where you can allow serenity, peace and community to scrape out the black areas allowing the light to shine through and ultimately giving you a fresh slate on which to create.

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