“Trails Carolina is a wilderness therapy program that offers an innovative approach to helping troubled teens and young adults overcome their challenges. The program combines outdoor adventure activities with therapeutic interventions to create a unique healing experience for participants. At Trails Carolina, the discovery process begins with an assessment of each participant’s needs and goals. This helps the team develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses specific issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or behavioral problems. Participants are then immersed in nature-based activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, and canoeing. These activities help them build self-confidence and resilience while also providing opportunities for reflection and introspection.
As they explore the natural world around them, participants learn new skills and gain insights into their own strengths and weaknesses. They also develop meaningful connections with peers who share similar struggles. In addition to outdoor adventures, Trails Carolina provides individualized therapy sessions designed to address each participant’s unique needs. Therapists use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), family systems therapy (FST), and trauma-focused therapies to help participants work through emotional pain or past traumas. Group therapy sessions provide additional support by allowing participants to connect with others who have faced similar challenges. Through these interactions, they learn valuable communication skills while also gaining insight into how their behaviors impact others.
Family involvement is another critical component of the Trails Carolina program. Family members participate in weekly phone calls with therapists where they receive updates Trails Carolina on their loved one’s progress and learn strategies for supporting ongoing recovery after leaving the program. Research has shown that spending time in nature can have significant mental health benefits including reduced stress levels, improved mood regulation, increased creativity levels among other things . At Trails Carolina , this connection between nature & mental health is leveraged effectively . By combining outdoor adventures with evidence-based therapy, Trails Carolina offers a unique and effective approach to helping troubled teens and young adults overcome their challenges.