
Wilderness Therapy Programs for Troubled Teens in Virginia
Thanks to today’s rise in troubled teens, residential facilities like wilderness therapy programs are also on the rise - including facilities targeting families from the state of Virginia.

Wilderness therapy programs are residential treatment facilities that have the unique distinction of operating completely outdoors. According to wilderness therapy advocates, wilderness therapy programs are effective in rehabilitating the negative behaviors of troubled teens largely thanks to its wilderness environment - one that is completely removed from the distractions, and more importantly, the negative influence of the outside world.
While there may not be any wilderness therapy programs in the state of Virginia, there are plenty of wilderness therapy programs that serve families from all over the nation.
However, parents from Virginia considering utilizing this type of treatment should first be made aware of its downside.
Like many of today’s ‘cutting-edge treatments offering the latest behavioral and mental health treatments to families of troubled teens, there are some wilderness therapy programs that are simply out to make a quick buck, understaffed, or clinically untested.
The Unfortunate Truth About Some of the Nation's Wilderness Therapy Programs Near Virginia
Some Wilderness Therapy Programs are Exceedingly Expensive
According to a March 2020 survey conducted by the website, All Kinds of Therapy, there are currently 28 industry-recognized wilderness therapy programs in the United States. The average cost of these programs is $558.00 per day, while the average enrollment fee is a steep $3,194.
According to the site, the average price of a wilderness therapy program has gone up 9% since 2017 while the enrollment fee has skyrocketed over 28%.
What makes these prices so steep, however, is the fact that most wilderness therapy programs operate as a preliminary treatment facility that primes its campers for residential treatment upon finishing the program - leaving parents to pay for two separate programs and transportation services (from a transport agency) to safely transport their child from one program to another.
After all, is said and done, parents might end up paying several thousands of dollars just in transportation fees.
(According to the latest data, the only type of programs most insurance companies will give coverage are residential treatment centers, namely, therapeutic boarding schools.)
Thanks to Negligent Programs in The Past, The Industry Has Been Viewed As Dangerous and Harmful by Critics
Since its emergence in the field of residential therapy for troubled teens in the 1980’s, wilderness-oriented programs have proven that, if poorly ran and understaffed, can be highly dangerous. In some cases, even fatally so.
In fact, thanks to a few poorly staffed and criminally mismanaged programs in the late '90s and early '00s, three teens have died due to mistreatment, negligence, and abuse.
The parents of the deceased teens subsequently sued the guilty wilderness programs, claiming they had been “duped and swindled” by the program’s owners. Due to their litigation, several programs lost their state licenses or decided to shut down before they could be litigated.
That said, thanks to congressional oversight, systemic change, and a rise of new, well-funded and properly staffed wilderness programs, the industry is still back stronger than ever.
Elk Mountain Academy: A New Kind of Wilderness Therapy Program for Troubled Girls in Virginia
Elk Mountain Academy is a wilderness therapy and residential treatment program for troubled girls rolled up in one dynamic and reputable facility.
We offer troubled girls from Virginia a unique treatment opportunity in participating in both wilderness therapy and residential treatment. By providing both forms of treatment in one destination, we guarantee our students will receive the most effective and consistent care that no two separate programs could possibly provide.
At Elk Mountain, it is our mission to provide excellent behavioral, emotional, and spiritual balance to teen girls whose lives have become unmanageable due to out of control behavior.
While our residential treatment center is located in Idaho, we have proudly served families from all over the country (including those from ~region) for over 20 years.
Elk Mountain Provides Innovative Therapy, including individual, group and family counseling to troubled teens from Virginia.
We also provide specialized help for students dealing with trauma and/or abandonment issues. Whatever the underlying issues may be, our goal is to uncover the psychological factors contributing to our student’s unhealthy behavioral choices.
"The Elk Mountain Academy students learn therapeutic tools that will assist them for the rest of her life... to be a healthy young woman."
Students at Elk Mountain Academy live together in our beautiful lodge and meet regularly with their therapist, who helps them confront fears and gain confidence in a safe, nurturing, and structured environment. Elk Mountain Provides Innovative Therapy, including individual, group and family counseling. We also provide specialized help for students dealing with trauma and/or abandonment issues.
Girls who are having emotional and behavioral problems tend to be failing in school. So, our on-site, accredited academic program is intentionally computer-based and assisted by a licensed teacher, so that girls get caught up and even get ahead in their schooling.
Regular academic progress reports are available at any time.
For more information regarding our treatment program, please call us today at (208) 266-1122.
Help for Believers from Virginia
24/7 Crisis Lines for people living in Virginia: If any Christian man, woman, or child is dealing with alcohol and drug abuse, anorexia, binge eating, bipolar disorder, Borderline, BPD, bulimia, cutting, depression, sexual abuse, runaways, or self-injury.
List of hotlines for people from Virginia (see below). Help for people from Virginia who have found themselves in bad situations should Dial 911 immediately, or call:
Christian Counseling Centers in Virginia
Christian Suicide Prevention Hotline for Virginia: 1-888-667-5947
Prayer and General Counseling for People from Virginia: www.prayerandhope.org, 1-866-599-2264
National Prayer Line for People From Virginia: 1-800-4-PRAYER
Biblical Help for Youth in Crisis in Virginia: 1-800-HIT-HOME
Rapha National Network for Virginia: 1-800-383-HOPE
Association of Christian Counselors in Virginia: 1-800-526-8673
National Christian Counselors Association for Virginia: www.ncca.org/directory
At Elk Mountain Academy we've created an intimate environment where emotional and spiritual growth is personal and rewarding. We aim to lead, mentor, coach, and edify our students from Virginia so that they become self-motivated and governed by the standards Christ set for us.
Virginia Suicide Hotlines
Virginia Suicide Hotlines: Virginia Suicide Hotlines: If you would prefer to call a Virginia suicide hotline instead of a national hotline, there are several Virginia suicide prevention hotlines available. However, unlike most national options, some Virginia hotlines may not be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Virginia suicide hotline numbers include:
NAMI Virginia: 888-486-8264
Mental Health America of Virginia: 804-257-5591
AFSP of Virginia: 646-632-5189
The Crisis Center: 276-466-2312
ACTS Helpline/Suicide Prevention Hotline: 703-441-8606
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services - PRS CrisisLink: 703-536-9000
The Planning Council: 800-410-9774
Elk Mountain Academy is a non-denominational Christian therapeutic boarding school for struggling girls from Virginia. We focus on therapeutic intervention, college-preparatory academics, Christian discipleship, emotional growth, and leadership training.