Wilderness Therapy

At Trails Carolina, we will give your child the skills to manage anxiety in real-time as soon as they arrive on our campus. They will very quickly gain a sense of belonging at Trails because of the sense of community that naturally occurs with the other students who are dealing with the common struggles of learning to manage adolescent anxiety.

Not every person can tolerate modern psychotropic medications intended to treat many of these psychological conditions. At least 20% of people cannot tolerate medications for allergies or other reasons. Because of that, finding alternative solutions that can be adjusted to personal treatment plans is important. Exercise has many health benefits for both mind and body.…

Adolescence is a significant period of emotional development, where the therapeutic needs of middle schoolers are different from the needs of high schoolers. Teachers understand this and apply different techniques in the classrooms, so why shouldn’t wilderness programs? Currently, Trails is the only wilderness therapy program for middle school students with single-gender middle school programming…

Social media has an unavoidable impact on how we view ourselves. Excessive use of technology is often associated with a distorted worldview and less time devoted to healthy behaviors. Researchers have spent a lot of time analyzing the effect of social media on teen mental health but are just starting to take a look at…

The wonderful part of therapy is that it is not a “one size fits all” practice. And while the word therapy often conjures images of couches or circles of people sitting in meeting rooms, there are actually many ways for teens to engage in therapeutic activities. Therapy doesn’t always have to involve a therapist and…

Individual therapy is a wonderful tool for helping teenagers overcome their fears, improve their moods, and explore their feelings. But sometimes individual therapy is only one component in an effective treatment plan. For young girls dealing with a traumatic event in their past, group therapy can provide therapists with the rare opportunity to see how…

Preteen girls face a unique set of challenges compared to their male peers or even older teen girls. They are just beginning to enter the world of teen girl social dynamics, higher expectations in school, and negative peer pressure. This can be an overwhelming time in their lives, and for some, a wilderness therapy program…

People don’t have to go outside to enjoy nature’s restorative effects. Living close to green spaces or even having a view of nature from a window is associated with greater health benefits than living in an industrialized area. As public green spaces are disappearing and teens are spending more time inside, some teens are turning…

One of the biggest unspoken threats of the climate crisis we are facing is the effect of the environment on children’s mental health. Teens are spending more time inside because of the draw of technology, but it is possible that outdoor environments are less appealing in urban neighborhoods with fewer green spaces. While we typically…

There should be more than one day a year dedicated to giving thanks and showing appreciation for people in your life. The holiday season is a good reminder to focus on spending time with loved ones, giving to others, and acknowledging the positives in one’s life. This can be particularly difficult for teens who are…