Wilderness Therapy

GEORGIA

About Our Program

Frist Light Wilderness is conveniently located in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia. We provide the highest impact, evidence-based outdoor behavioral healthcare. First Light’s individualized trauma treatment model is focused on achieving meaningful change, creating the capacity for joy and laying the foundation for sustainable development of the self. We are a team of professionals dedicated to transforming the experiences of struggling students and families.

Established in 2020, First Light’s therapy is rooted in the principles of neurobiology and relational immersion. By utilizing an attachment-focused and brain-based model, First Light helps clients learn to better regulate their nervous system and build resilience. Additionally, through meaningful and strategic interactions, we help students transfer relational work to their family system and peer dynamics. First Light’s individualized trauma treatment model is focused on achieving meaningful change, creating the capacity for joy and laying the foundation for sustainable development of the self.

Our Practices

In addition to our shared divisional approaches, which are’ Canine Therapy, Brainspotting, HeartMath, and Mastery Projects, First Light Clinical Model offers 4 tenets to our students and their families.

Developmental Re-Integration:

Focuses on evidence-based trauma treatment to reset neurodevelopment. We do so by integrating Trust-Based Relational Interventions® within the treatment milieu and practicing the highly relational model with our students to meet them where they are at and help them get back on track.

Interactive Education:

Encouraging our students to earn academic credits while enrolled. Students have the ability to earn 2 full credits, divided among 4 core subjects, without traditional academic guidelines and coursework.

Three-day family intensive:

that includes child’s primary treatment team at First Light. These intensives occur primarily mid-way through the child’s stay with us and includes three days of family therapy and parent-child engagement. These intensives are multi-family experiential workshops aimed at addressing family system issues (ex: like communication styles, establishing connections, intergenerational trauma and the foundation for healthy caregiving.)

Generational Empowerment:

First Light Clinicians offer three weekly touch-points for parents.

- Individualized parent session focused intently on the parent-child dynamic and underlying issues related to attunement and more effective family relationship dynamic.

- Offer weekly parent webinar’s with New Vision Wilderness co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer Steve Sawyer. These webinars are specifically designed to address the current needs of all New Vision Wilderness families.

About Our Location

First Light Wilderness accepts students through a rolling admissions process and operates year-round in our lush landscape provided by the Oconee and Chattahoochee National Forest where we call home. This ideal setting is a temperate rainforest, with lush forest floors, endless streams and beauty that stays as the seasons pass-providing a profound environment to evoke change in our students.

We are conveniently located a short drive from the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport with several options for overnight lodging if needed. Our administrative office is located in downtown Clayton, which is less than an hour’s drive from our field area, allowing staff and supplies to be easily accessible which supports our intent to preserve the nomadic experience for our students. In the event that a student requires medical evaluation or care, our centrally located field area has several options available, with professionals and a variety of services, in most directions.

Meet the Team

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“You have 100% potential, and although it’s always been there, it may have not always been seen by you. Leaving wilderness you have a new outlook on life.”

- A New Vision Student

Admissions

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