Trails Carolina provides more than just a safe, therapeutic wilderness environment; we also help families address issues at home through regular calls from a Family Therapist dedicated to changing family dynamics.
Natural environments serve as an invaluable mirror, encouraging participants to confront their fears and discover their strengths. Together with professional therapy services, these experiences foster long-lasting transformation.
Personalized Treatment
Trails Carolina “Investigation” provides therapeutic modalities and experiential learning activities tailored specifically to each student’s unique needs, in order to promote resilience, adaptability, practical life skills and help facilitate transition back home.
Grace’s time at Trails was well spent; she learned how to manage the symptoms of her depression and severe anxiety while simultaneously developing communication skills that allowed her to resolve family disputes in healthy ways. Furthermore, Grace gained knowledge about coping strategies to enhance both her focus in school as well as overall academic performance.
Trails Carolina stands out from other wilderness programs with its robust assessment process. When students arrive, they undergo an in-depth assessment designed to identify their strengths, challenges and underlying issues; using this data, we then create personalized treatment plans incorporating therapy modalities as well as experiential activities for maximum outcomes during their program participation. This method ensures everyone gets maximum benefit out of each experience!
Nature-Based Therapy
Clients in this program are taken out of their comfortable homes and into the tranquil wilderness of North Carolina for an incredible outdoor adventure experience, including hiking and expeditions on mountaintops to build mental health and confidence. Therapy services and mindfulness practices can also be provided while immersed in nature – this has proven itself as beneficial to mental well-being; studies have proven this to be true.
Trails Carolina believes in taking a comprehensive approach to treatment. Their staff have developed the “multiple systems approach”, a technique which assists students through transitions and equips them for life after leaving Trails. Parents are included through family workshops and an optional Common Ground experience.
The program includes an animal component. This helps teens build emotional connections with animals while learning responsibility – essential skills that enable them to form healthy relationships with themselves and other people. Furthermore, interactions between animals in natural settings teach teens how to regulate their emotions in an emotionally safe setting.
Family Involvement
Trails Carolina’s wilderness program relies heavily on family engagement for its success. Through parallel family programming and therapeutic exercises, parents gain empathy for their children as well as learn to communicate more effectively and support positive changes in the home.
Families of our students staying on our Winding Gap campus are invited to a three-day and two night family workshop, or reunification experience, which provides them an opportunity to practice newly learned communication skills, participate in family therapy sessions, and take part in Middle Ground and Common Ground adventure family therapy experiences if applicable.
While their student is at Trails, families participate in weekly family calls with a Family Therapist in order to work on altering their relationship dynamic and gain insight into their child’s progress. Furthermore, families are invited to reunification events as well as Family Camp and Institute programs; upon graduation they may continue receiving support via psychoeducational workshops and parent support groups.
Safety
Western North Carolina is a paradise for hikers, boasting majestic mountain scenery and thousands of trails to explore. However, with coronavirus pandemic underway, hiking experts advise taking extra precautions.
Staying safe on the trail begins with having an understanding of what you’re doing, including which equipment and supplies to bring. Be sure to plan for and check weather forecasts prior to leaving home; also tell someone where you plan on going as well as estimated arrival and return times.
Prepare your body for hiking with sufficient rest and healthy nutrition, wearing appropriate footwear and gear as well as carrying a first aid kit. Remember to follow all CDC regulations: Be courteous!
Stay at least 6 feet apart when meeting others at trailheads and parking lots as well as on trails to prevent contact and possible transmission of COVID-19. Avoid overcrowded trails and overlooks where it might be hard to keep six feet apart; also, don’t stop talking to strangers on trails as that could result in congregations that reduce this six-foot passing distance.
Concluding Words
Trails Carolina is an invaluable program that offers troubled adolescents a safe space to assess their strengths and weaknesses in an open and supportive environment. They can rewrite their life stories while learning from each experience – so it is unfortunate when its importance is misrepresented through sensationalist media reports that create a false impression of danger and deceive parents.
An exploration of wilderness therapy programs would include an in-depth investigation of their safety protocols and interviewing former participants, while also emphasizing their transformative journey which can be quite powerful for young minds.
The article may explore various therapeutic approaches and interventions used in this program, such as individual and group counseling, adventure-based therapy and other forms of treatment. Furthermore, success stories would be highlighted from both participants and families who participated. Furthermore, family involvement would be stressed. Finally, emphasis would be put on prioritizing well-being and safety among all participants.