Integrated Approach to Therapy

Family Therapy

Family therapy at Asheville Academy is designed to include families from the start with the main goal of reconnecting you with your child in a healthy and meaningful way. Students come to a place where they genuinely desire a closer connection with people in their lives and parents often report that they feel closer than ever to their child once therapy is underway.

Family Therapy is designed to address the family system, including all relationships within the immediate family. As a part of your weekly contact with the therapist, you will also receive Family Support, which is designed to provide updates on your child, provide skill-based parenting interventions, and assist in decision-making and planning for visits.

Individual Therapy

Our therapeutic experience in working with students in this age range is a vital part of a student’s healing journey at Asheville Academy. Each student’s journey is personalized to meet their specific needs and reach their individual and family goals. Students are seen weekly for individual therapy. In addition to providing therapy, our therapists are involved with our mentor teams daily, weekly with our treatment team meeting, and weekly with your child’s academic advisor.

Group Therapy

There is tremendous power in the group setting, particularly for students in this age range. In the past, many of our students felt alone in their thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. In the group setting, they learn that other peers have had similar experiences and they are able to connect and support one another in a healthy way.

Students participate in groups multiple times per week, including two led by licensed clinicians. We offer specialty groups using experiential approaches including creative arts, mind/body connections, and equine.

Equine Therapy

Despite their size and strength, horses are very sensitive creatures. Because of this, they often act as a “mirror”, revealing the emotional state of those interacting with them.  Since horses are congruent all the time, they challenge students to become their authentic self. Often, students find it easier to recognize the animals’ reaction, which helps them to learn to regulate their own emotions.

We take a relationship based approach to equine assisted therapy where students learn to respect the animal and create healthy boundaries. Equine therapy provides “in the moment” feedback which is critical to developing healthy relationship skills.  Students learn and practice these skills with the animals, then are able to translate the skills to their human relationships.

Psychiatric Services

At Asheville Academy, we have 3 medication providers. Your child is initially seen after approximately 1 month so they can settle in, and so the provider can get an update on how symptoms are presenting at Asheville Academy. Your child is seen once per month following the initial psychiatric assessment. The provider will communicate with you after each session and is available in between sessions for you if you have questions.

Parent Support

At Asheville Academy families will have the opportunity to participate in a parent training twice per month via zoom; these are led by the clinical team and cover a variety of topics.

As a part of our Hero’s Journey phase work, you will have assignments to complete that parallel the growth your child is making. During each phase, we have webinars for you to watch and then process with your Asheville Academy therapist.