Former Blue Ridge Student Returns as Field Staff, Inspiring Families

A former student who arrived at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness six years ago as an adolescent struggling with his mental health has returned to the program in a new role: field staff. His journey is a full-circle moment for him and his family, who describe Blue Ridge as an important early part of a longer mental health journey that ultimately changed both his life and his relationship with his parents. Before Blue Ridge, the family had pursued outpatient therapy, psychiatric care, and medication changes, but continued to watch their son struggle. During approximately 16 weeks at Blue Ridge, he participated in an immersive, nature-based therapeutic environment combining clinical work with experiential learning, peer relationships, daily responsibilities, and life outdoors. He credits the program with helping him see a new perspective on how he operates, think, and act, and with developing communication skills to express his feelings instead of hiding them. His parents were engaged in their own therapeutic work, and his mother says they carried the knowledge and skills learned at Blue Ridge throughout their mental health journey with their son. Following Blue Ridge, he transitioned to residential treatment and continued his therapeutic work. Today, he describes his relationship with his parents as “infinitely better” and says he is grateful they had the courage to send him to Blue Ridge. Now, he works with adolescents himself, providing the same connection he once received from a field staff member who had also been a Blue Ridge student. For families, clinicians, and referring professionals interested in learning more about Blue Ridge, the admissions team can discuss whether the program may be an appropriate fit for a young person.