Help For Troubled Youth

Along with wilderness skills, academics, and equine programming, our students also have a unique opportunity to interact with snakes, possums, lizards, fish, and other unique animals.

Taught by our resident ecology expert, Steve O’Neil, also known as “Science Steve”, our students take part in a hands-on ecology program that teaches them about the environment, ecology, and perception. This noteworthy aspect of our program provides academic and therapeutic benefits as students reflect on how they are misunderstood just like these animals.

Years of research studying troubled youth and animal interaction in therapeutic environments has shown important gains made in self-esteem and self-concept. Many traditional assisted animal therapy programs involve dogs and horses. Coupled with Trails’ equine relational programming, we find our students interacting with our misunderstood animals of snakes, spiders, turtles, possums, and others help our students gain self-esteem and confidence.

Struggling teens oftentimes see themselves in these animals and are given the opportunity to re-create their relationship with these feelings by confronting their fears, actively caring for these animals, and teaching others about why these creatures behave the way they do.

Steve describes this process simply by saying, “the students often don’t know how to respond to others,” and like a snake shedding its old skin, Trails gives them a supportive, structured environment to navigate through the challenges of confronting old beliefs and fears. The animals also help students find new ways to communicate and cope with the challenges of growing up.