OUR PROGRAM COMPONENTS
24/7 Discipleship
At the core of our program is 24/7 discipleship. We believe that true inner healing and transformation comes only through the power of a loving and merciful Savior. It is in the context of a loving community of staff who model a transforming relationship with a loving God that teens are invited into that same transformational relationship. We strive to discipline and mentor the girls through grace-filled relationships and the truth of God’s Word. We use daily life activities to teach life skills, as well as work through triggers and past trauma
We provide the following training for our mentors to equip them to best serve our teen girls.
Training in trauma informed care
TBRI certification
Dealing with RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder)
Certification in Wilderness First Aid & CPR
Training in de-escalating and managing aggressive behavior
Training in inner healing prayer for emotional and spiritual wounds
Each teen who enters the program will be treated as an individual and have an individualized care plan including academics in the POG Academy, equine assisted learning, and wilderness trips. Teens will have the opportunity to live in a family setting with single mentors and other teens who are also actively pursuing change, creating an incredibly loving and supportive atmosphere.
Girls have an opportunity to speak with an experienced Christian counselor each week. If they are in crisis, the counselor is committed to meeting with them multiple times a week.
Equine Assisted Learning
Equine assisted learning offers a unique and effective approach to healing past trauma by leveraging the power of horses. Ms. Rena uses natural horsemanship to emphasize connection, trust, and clear communication between horse and human.
She uses natural horsemanship techniques to help girls build self-esteem, emotional regulation, and healthy relationships. By working with horses, our girls are able to experience a safe space to process emotions, overcome fear, and develop a sense of empowerment.
Each week our girls get 1 hr. Private session with Miss Rena as well as a group session with their house mates.
Horses are keen and vigilant observers. They are sensitive to movement and emotions. Horses can smell from as far as a mile away, identifying pheromones emitted by fear, stress, or anger. They can feel what the teen girls are feeling despite what the girls are saying and respond with 100% honest feedback.
The teen girls often find that their manipulation or bullying tactics don’t work on the horses. The equine specialist provides structure and gives directives based on what the teen girls’ needs are at that moment, focusing on the constant non verbal communication with the horses.
Wilderness Trips
Wilderness trips provide a unique opportunity for growth in teen girls. Trips range from day trips to 3 week trips depending on how the group is functioning. We go on trips to help the group bond and to strengthen the relationships between the ranchers and the mentors.
The hardships they face on the trail are ones that the ranchers have to band together and resolve. There is no room for selfishness and individualism when solving problems out in the wilderness.
Hiking, canoeing, school, and equine trips are the different kinds of trips we go on. Groups work for weeks in advance to plan menus and prepare the food. They do this by dehydrating food and packaging meals.
Each trip menu is planned by using a guide to make sure there are adequate amounts of protein, vegetables, and grain . The ranchers calculate the total amounts needed as well as the price to practice budgeting.
Academics
The Pearl of Grace Academy is committed to providing quality christian education through a trauma informed lens.
Teachers work with each student on their grade level to create an individual academic plan for each term. This emphasizes personal responsibility, problem solving, and accountability.
The school has a 1:6 ratio of teachers to students so that each student has the individual help they need to thrive academically.
Music and art classes are held twice a week and are leveraged to teach the teen girls how to express their difficult emotions in positive ways instead of destructive ways.
