Trails Carolina has generated controversy due to safety concerns and its high cost. Yet despite these criticisms, this wilderness therapy program remains an invaluable asset for troubled teens and their families.
According to research conducted by CReATE, over 98% of Trails Carolina participants reported continued improvements in mental health one year after graduation. Many factors have contributed to this success, such as its wilderness setting and therapeutic methods.
Job Opportunities
Trails Carolina “Investigation” is an ideal environment to build a career in outdoor therapy. The wilderness setting and supportive team provide an encouraging work environment where employees can develop and expand in their roles as field staff or licensed therapists – and feel empowered that their efforts have an impact on clients lives.
Western North Carolina-based program utilizes expedition and base camp programming to assist young adults struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, technology addiction, academic challenges and low self-esteem. Our passionate and caring staff form lasting bonds with students while nurturing their personal and academic development.
One of the greatest joys of working at Trails Carolina is seeing how they make a difference in students’ lives – some employees even describe it as life-altering! Additionally, Trails offers professional development opportunities which enable employees to continue their education and improve their skillset.
Therapy
Wilderness therapy is an unconventional form of therapeutic intervention that is growing increasingly popular. Advocates point to its power to foster independence, resilience and self-discovery through an immersive journey rooted in nature’s simplicity.
At wilderness therapy programs, reports of abuse and neglect have generated widespread controversy and calls for investigation. Such inquiries have revealed the complex dynamics inherent to this therapeutic approach and underscored its necessity.
Trails Carolina, as part of a therapeutic community, specializes in producing long-term changes for its participants through wilderness expeditions and group therapy sessions. Accredited programs follow stringent safety protocols during wilderness excursions. Students also benefit from individual and family therapy with their primary therapist; collaborate closely with specialists who help create personalized treatment plans; as well as work directly with full-time certified teachers to enhance classroom skills or earn credits through coursework brought from home. Trails Carolina also prioritizes academic progress – students work directly with full-time certified teachers to improve classroom skills or earn credits through coursework brought from home – while students also work closely with primary therapists and specialists to develop personalized treatment plans. Additionally, students receive weekly individual and family therapy with their primary therapist as well as weekly individual and family therapy with their primary therapist. In addition, students benefit from weekly individual and family therapy as well as working closely with specialists from all across disciplines who help create and review personal treatment plans as well as working closely with full-time certified teachers to enhance classroom skills/gain credits or create individual treatment plans with emphasis placed on academic progress by students working alongside an FT certified teacher helping improve classroom skills/gain credits from coursework brought from home or receive lessons via coursework brought in.
Outdoor Activities
Outdoor recreation is a key part of Trails Carolina’s wilderness programs for youth. Students push themselves physically with hikes and other immersive experiences that build self-esteem and increase confidence while simultaneously teaching teamwork and interpersonal communication skills that may prove helpful in future situations. Rehearsing these skills in various environments ensures long-term success because adolescents may return to similar scenarios later in their lives.
Trails Carolina’s program integrates the therapeutic approach of residential treatment centers and boarding schools with wilderness adventure therapy to offer teens immediate intervention and trauma-informed care in a natural setting, before returning to base camp to apply what they learned out in nature to everyday life.
Trails offers an Adolescent Girl Wilderness Therapy program called Common Ground that gives families the chance to experience Wilderness Therapy together. This helps young girls build self-reliance, develop healthy coping techniques and gain internal sense of control as they interact with family members and peers. Trails also offers its Common Ground program where families can experience Wilderness Therapy together.
Support for Families
Trails Carolina is committed to helping families heal and reconnect through our unique Common Ground adventure family therapy experience, held at an offsite campus separate from our main wilderness treatment center. Through family involvement we have seen stronger therapeutic outcomes for teens.
As part of our program, we teach adolescents real-life coping skills that will assist in managing anxiety, depression, school stress and behavioral issues. In addition, they gain effective interpersonal communication abilities which will serve them throughout their lives.
Families are actively involved in their child’s treatment at Trails Carolina and receive weekly calls with their child’s therapist to work on changing family dynamics, in addition to attending family skills workshops and mindfulness classes for parents. This promotes holistic change within the entire family system – one way in which Trails Carolina stands out among other teen treatment programs.
