Trails Carolina: Providing Lasting Connections For Teens and Their Families

Trails Carolina has stayed very true to its beliefs since launching over a decade ago. With many success stories from graduates, their staff enjoys helping their students succeed in life and overcome challenges they face.

It all comes down to the simple yet effective belief system that leads to success. Three particular stand out, with everything they have to offer, branching off from those beliefs.

Families Benefit From Being Involved in their Teen’s Healing Process

Going off to wilderness therapy in a new part of the United States can seem like an escape from everything else. While students must enroll and learn to operate independently, families must stay involved to get the most out of treatment.

When a student struggles at home, it affects the entire family. Even if time away from home is beneficial, it can still weigh on families once they leave to go to Trails Carolina.

Updates throughout a student’s time at Trails Carolina help bridge the gap between families back home and students. There’s also an opportunity for families to connect with others going through the same issues with their children. 

Bouncing off ideas and learning how to support one another makes a big difference. 

Applying the Lessons Learned

Wilderness therapy is an excellent opportunity for students to experience new things and learn social skills. Exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina is something that few students have done in the past. 

With activity every single week, there’s plenty to experience. Wilderness therapy is all about learning lessons in an enjoyable way that can later be used for practical situations later on. 

People should see Trails Carolina’s success by their graduates and how well they hold onto lessons learned years later. Social skills are perfect examples of this. Students come to Trails Carolina struggling to work with others and communicate. 

They can become more confident through the wilderness therapy program, socializing with peers to complete tasks, challenges, and more.

The settings aren’t the same, and there’s always that little bit of doubt at first without teachers and staff surrounding teenagers. However, the programs are specifically designed to help out long-term without feeling like a lot of work.

Wilderness Setting Enhances the Benefits of Therapy

Every sense seems to elevate when in nature. With wilderness therapy, having a good time and learning new skills can help teenagers realize that therapy can be fun. 

Being surrounded by peers facing many of the same struggles helps out. Not having to face issues and challenges alone keeps students from feeling alone in the process. 

Creating bonds within a therapeutic setting can last for years after graduation. Staff members of the Trails Carolina Wilderness Therapy Program work together to evaluate students as they progress.

They have the opportunity to adjust individual plans based on observation. The initial assessment isn’t set in stone, but very individualized help is available for every teen.

Accredited Academic Opportunities

On top of their core beliefs, Trails Carolina for each student enrolled academically. With so much time away from home, teenagers should never feel like falling behind in traditional school. 

That’s why they do what’s a bit unique in wilderness therapy programs by providing accredited academic opportunities. Students get a chance to earn real credit in the classroom at Trails Carolina. 

Schoolwork is done in a traditional setting and outdoors to combine learning in a fun, interactive way. Teachers at Trails Carolina receive training in helping out students who need an extra bit of assistance. 

They work exclusively with top-notch teachers willing to go the extra mile and play a huge role in success during and after their time in North Carolina.

Transitions

The final difference Trails Carolina provides comes from their transitions back home. They have focused a lot on ensuring this process goes smoothly once returning to an old situation.

The month-long transition starts with a backpacking expedition that lasts for two weeks. Afterward, they return to base camp through an academic and equine program. There is an on Trails Carolina “Investigation”.

That lasts for a week before having one final week at Sky Valley base camp to work on mindfulness, body wellness, and more. Since implementing the transition, students have a better chance to return home and retain as much as possible. 

This is excellent news for students and families who worry about having them return and revert to past habits.

Graduating From Trails Carolina

After a student completes their time at Trails Carolina and transitions back home, the actual testing begins. The overall success rate of the program has the administration only making small tweaks from year to year, ensuring minor details are covered. 

Results speak for themselves, as past graduates continue to leave positive reviews and speak highly of their time in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.