Our Story: Told By Parents, Students And Staff

At Turning Winds Academic Institute, transforming lives is our passion. We are crisis workers, interventionists, who are constantly made aware of how fragile life is. And yet, because of what we have seen, we are also believers–believers in the reality that people can conquer anything, when they have something worth fighting for.

Parents of teens in crisis often come to us in a state of despair and hopelessness, desperately trying to make sense of the road they are travelling. But once they see how we work and discover what we’ve accomplished, they gain a renewed sense of optimism, and given new hope for the future of their child.

We offer a proven therapeutic experience called Adventure Therapy. The power behind this model is its ‘hands-on’ approach, which forces teens to disengage from the distractions which have overrun their lives. Adventure Therapy places the teen in a wilderness type setting, void of electronics, where they are given daily assignments to fulfill, and have to participate with the group in order to accomplish the tasks necessary to move forward. It is a powerful, revealing experience that reconnects the teen to a larger sense of purpose and identity.

In the midst of this connection, the teen is also committed to re-engaging their mind to the importance of academics and the need for learning and progress. At Turning Winds Academic Institute we believe education is paramount to success and have created an academic supplement to our program that is second to none. We know the importance of balance in a teen’s life and we make sure the value of learning is a primary target of the healing process.

As their child progresses in our program, parents begin to catch glimpses of the child they remember–the child they thought was lost. And as they see the light in their child’s eyes return, their hope is restored. This story plays out over and over again.

After 12 months at our therapeutic boarding school in Montana, that hope turns to deep, heartfelt gratitude, as our parents experience the immeasurable joy that comes from seeing one’s child healthy, confident, and re-engaged with family, school, and life.

If you’re a parent of a troubled teen who is in crisis, we want you to know we have been where you are, and we know what to do. At Turning Winds your child will find the hope and healing you are searching for.