Shepherd’s Hill Academy offers families and teens a program of integrated evidence-based therapies led by a fully licensed therapeutic team. Our therapies work together in a holistic approach using proven scientific methods. We tailor our approach to the needs of your teen using a mix of individual therapy, group therapy, family counseling, and equine therapy.

Individual Therapy

Your teen will participate in individual sessions based in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), once per week. The Master’s level therapists are licensed by the state of Georgia and are trained to work with your teen’s specific issues. Female students work directly with a female therapist, while male students will see a male therapist. Our therapists coordinate with you and your teen in developing a plan, setting goals, and promoting healing.

Group Therapy

In weekly group therapy sessions, your teen will positively connect with other members of his or her group. Teens get to know each other more deeply, relate to one another in a healthy way, and find support in the group. They learn about healthy coping, self-regulation, and build interpersonal skills that lead to healthier relationships. Our group therapists use a variety of treatment modalities, including techniques derived from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), addiction recovery, experiential processing, mindfulness, and creative arts therapies.

Integrating Family in Your Teen’s Healing

Your family plays an important role in your teen’s healing process. We host two parent Conference weekends per year (one also includes siblings). During the conferences, parents participate in activities like support groups, dinners, home covenants, and learning sessions with their teen. Parents also engage through monthly workshops, student phone calls, and receive detailed monthly progress reports.

Shepherd’s Hill Academy also offers twice-monthly family sessions that start in the second month of your teen’s enrollment. These sessions are conducted through Telemental Health, a HIPAA-secure link for teleconferencing.

Equine Therapy

Equine Therapy takes place once per week, aiding your teen in healthy relationship-building skills. Your teen starts by selecting a horse. Through their time at Shepherds Hill, they care for the animal and form a rewarding relationship with it. They keep a journal to build skills and goals that will aid them in developing healthy relationship with humans, learning skills and coping strategies.