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Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness

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Clayton, United States

blueridgewilderness.com
Mental health service· Addiction treatment center· Life coach· Mental health clinic· Psychiatrist· Psychotherapist· Mental Health Care

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness Reviews | Rating 3.7 out of 5 stars (8 reviews)

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is located in Clayton, United States on 236 File St. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is rated 3.7 out of 5 in the category mental health service in United States. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is a licensed treatment program that uses wilderness immersion in a clinically focused intervention to teach students accountability, communication skills, and healthy emotional and behavioral habits. The direct experience of pure wilderness and the distraction free environment helps to facilitate extraordinary change and healing in our students.Treatment plans are individualized for each student and include flexible lengths of stay, single gender treatment groups for adolescents, daily group therapy, and individualized therapy sessions with masters or doctorate level therapists. Blue Ridge students rediscover the pathways to their strengths and resilience through primitive living while supported by an incredible staff team and healthy peer culture. The simplicity of wilderness life applies a gentle pressure and a metaphorical mirror for the challenges our clients face at home. Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is a flexible 8 to 12 week outdoor program. Students range in age from 13 to 18 and experience a range of emotional and behavioral issues including Depression, Anxiety, Learning Differences, Oppositional Defiance, ADHD, Attachment, Grief and Loss, and Substance Abuse Disorders. Many of our students have failed to respond to limits and rules, struggled with entitlement, chosen the wrong friends, have experienced low self-esteem and a decline in academic performance, and may be experiencing family conflicts. Blue Ridge utilizes a strong early clinical assessment conducted by a clinical psychologist. The family program guides parents through an individual and family change process that parallels student’s growth in the program and is integrated with the students experience. Families have weekly calls with their child’s therapist, additional weekly support through a Parent Therapist, weekly telephonic support group, and a parent workshop and field visit.

Address

236 File St

Phone

+18889141050

Company size

11-50 employees

Headquarters

Clayton, GA

Founded

2002

Open hours

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F

Froggy

Please for the love if God don't send your kids there. I went there myself because my parents sent me. They abuse children. And of course they're a lot of good reviews made by parents. They weren't there. They could be told something absolutely different from what actually happened. I got sent to the hospital after I got back home because of how badly I was treated.

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Rebecca Stephan

Wonderful place, good people and moderate cost. All the negativity surrounding wilderness therapy places seems to be by paid journalists or disgruntled employees / students that were way never successful even after so much care. I'll suggest doing your own research and reviewing accreditation first.

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james smith

I'm 30 years old, and was sent to Blue Ridge in 2005, back when they were called "Second Nature". Just this past weekend, I was backpacking in the Blue Ridge mountains and it brought back so many memories of being in that program, strong memories. Jeff Scott was my counselor, and I can't remember the others, but I remember it being an extremely challenging and extremely rewarding experience. At 15 I was a skinny, underweight kid and I remember lugging around a heavy pack. I remember, at that time, when we left to use the restroom we had to shout our own names every few seconds (to let staff know we weren't running away). I remember sometimes eating cold dinners. I remember feeling so proud of myself when my Dad picked me up, and was helping me load the backpack (which I still own to this day) full of my gear and he was shocked at the weight. He couldn't believe I had been carrying it - I remember grabbing it from him and tossing it into the car with ease. I also remember that the staff were firm but caring - it did not, at that time and on reflection now, seem like a "money grab" or a BS program. At the time, I was glad to leave Second Nature - it took me another few years before I really got my act together and got sober. However, I really do believe that Second Nature was one of the moments that "planted a seed", so to speak. I wonder sometimes if they have any Alumni program. I would love to reconnect with Jeff or the kids who were in my group.

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Celia

This place abuses children. Please do proper research on this place before sending your child. There are countless stories from survivors who recall being ignored, neglected, denied medical treatment, punished for asking for help, told they were fat and needed to eat less, had their food restricted, drank filthy water, slept in their own feces, punished for asking for help by not being able to talk for weeks, and so much more. Please please please read some of the stories from people who have actually gone to this program. And do not believe the whole innocent act this company is putting on. They are directly profiting from giving teenagers PTSD, permanent physical injuries, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and so much more.

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Sam Williams

I am a 15 year old who recently departed BRTW on June 5th. Before I start this review, I want to say every single 1 Star review on this place is fabricated bologna. It was written by either; A. Past students who did not embrace the program, B. friends of said students who listened to the lies they were fed, and C. Siblings of past students. There is not a single bad review from a parent. I have spent some time reading the bad reviews of this place. One past student said he was isolated for two and a half weeks before joining the group. That is false. You are alone interacting to only staff and your student mentor (so not really alone!) for 24 hours or less. Multiple students say they are forced to hike with packs almost 150 pounds. Packs are normally 50 lbs or less, which is not as heavy as it sounds, and take it from me. I went weak, chubby, and overweight and lost 12 lbs in 9 weeks and built muscle. The food is good. One past student stated that as a punishment the field staff would deprive them of meals. This is also not true. They are legally required to feed us at least 2 bowls of food a day. If you truly put in the work to improve and better yourself, you will. I was in G3 and Jeff S is amazing. Letters are written once a week, and there are normally parent visits but because of COVID-19 I received a parent phone call. The staff truly are there to help, sadly mental health doesn’t pay very well in this country so they don’t work here for the money. Some truly good experiences were made here for me. If you truly think the position in your household is drastic enough to consider sending a child(ren) to wilderness, I would highly recommend and suggest BRTW.

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Jill Cohen

I found BRTW to be the most amazing program. I have 2 daughters who went through BR and it changed their lives. I cannot say enough about our therapist Emily Miranda. She is an exceptional therapist and person in general. BR helped change the attitudes and outlooks on life of both my girls. My younger daughter would do anything to have the BR experience again. It is truly an outstanding program.

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Emily Murase

A year ago, our family was on the verge of collapse. Our beautiful daughter, a straight-A student athlete, talented visual artist, dancer, and musician was clinically depressed, anxiety-ridden, and 30 lbs underweight due to an eating disorder. For comfort, she resorted to substances and quickly became addicted. We burned through 2 outpatient programs, 2 psychologists, 2 psychiatrists, and a drug counselor without success. Finally, our daughter found healing and hope at Blue Ridge. Her therapist Christine was amazing. She knew just how to unlock the many issues my daughter had buried for so long. Soon, my daughter found her voice and became a mentor to others. She is the first to tell people that Blue Ridge saved her life, and I share her story with her permission. Today, she is so much healthier, physically and mentally. She graduated high school and is awaiting college admissions decisions. She is committed to her recovery and hit her 1-year anniversary. While she will continue to need support to navigate her life in recovery, I can honestly say, none of this would have been possible without the care she received at Blue Ridge. As a family, we are forever grateful.

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Ashley B

Blue Ridge staff and therapists truly care for the kids there. It is a well run, quality program.

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