At Shepherd’s Hill Academy your teen will be engaged in a variety of proven therapeutic activities and programs in order to reach their goals. Shepherd’s Hill Academy offers families a fully licensed Therapeutic Team practicing an evidence-based, holistic approach to scientific therapeutic methods.
Our team is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities in order to offer your teen a thorough program conducive to their individual needs.
Our Therapists are trained in the areas of:
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Mindfulness (ties directly to our Wilderness Component)
- Unplugged Methods (allows a digital detox and increased healthy coping skills)
- Addiction Therapy (including both substance and behavioral therapies)
- Family Trauma
- Family Systems
- Components of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Art Therapy Techniques
- Sand Tray Therapy Techniques
- Anger Management
- Equine Relationship Therapy
What Does Therapy At Shepherd’s Hill Academy Look Like?
While our program is truly tailored to meet the individual needs of your child, there are components of our program that are applicable to all students enrolled in the program. These components include: individual therapy, group therapy, family counseling, and equine therapy.
Individual Therapy:
Your teen will participate in Individual Therapy at Shepherd’s Hill Academy once per week in order to best meet their healing goals. Shepherd’s Hill Academy therapists are Master’s level therapists and licensed through Georgia. Each therapist is trained to work with your teen’s specific needs. Female students work directly with a female therapist, while male students will see a male therapist.
Each therapist works directly with your student, as well as with your family, to assess the needs and issues of your child. Together your family and therapist will develop a plan and goals for your teen in order to promote healing and healthy development.
Group Therapy:
The power of the group setting provides a tremendous opportunity for our students. In group therapy, your child will have the chance to positively connect with and support other members of his or her group. Many of our students have reported that it was in group therapy where they got to know each other more deeply and had the chance to relate to one another in a healthy way. Group therapy allows students to better learn healthy coping mechanisms and self-regulation skills, as well as develop interpersonal skills that lead to overall healthier relationships.
Upon enrollment into Shepherd’s Hill Academy, your child will attend weekly group therapy sessions until his or her program completion. Our group therapists utilize a variety of treatment modalities, including techniques derived from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), addiction recovery, experiential processing, mindfulness, and creative arts therapies.
Equine Therapy:
One unique aspect of Shepherd’s Hill Academy is our Equine Therapy Program. Equine Therapy takes place once per week, aiding your teen in healthy relationship-building skills. During this program, your teen will select a horse to work with for the duration of their time at Shepherds Hill. They will work through a personalized journal to build skills and goals that will aid them in developing healthy relationship skills and coping strategies.
Integrating Family in Your Teen’s Healing:
Shepherd’s Hill Academy believes that healing is possible and that the family plays an important role in this process. Because of this, Shepherds Hill hosts two Parent Conference weekends per year (one of these events also includes siblings). During the conferences, parents have the opportunity to participate in activities like support groups, dinners, home covenants, and learning sessions with their child and develop an aftercare plan.
Shepherd’s Hill Academy also offers twice-monthly family sessions starting at the 2nd month of your teen’s enrollment. These sessions are through Telemental Health. This is a HIPAA secure link for teleconferencing and is available to parents who cannot attend live family sessions for the adolescent.
Parents are also provided with monthly workshops, student phone calls, and monthly progress reports.
