First Light Wilderness Therapy is a trauma-responsive, attachment-based outdoor behavioral healthcare program located in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Georgia. As a New Vision Wilderness program, First Light Wilderness treats adolescent males and females, ages 13-18. Utilizing an integrated nomadic model, First Light focuses on treating issues related to developmental trauma, adoption and attachment, as well as depression, anxiety, and co-occurring addiction disorders.
First Light’s treatment model focuses on building our students’ capacity to co-regulate, creating a basis of safety, and implementing thoughtful assessment and treatment interventions designed to motivate sustainable healing. First Light utilizes trauma-responsive and evidence-based modalities such as Brainspotting, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), and HeartMath. Our students participate in community-based activities that allow for practiced integration of skills into real-world settings.
Our family-systems focused approach allows parents to engage in a parallel therapeutic process with their child. Through three weekly clinical touchpoints and a two-day on-site family intensive, as well as weekly parent/child communication, parents develop skills to create a more secure caregiving relationship. First Light’s goal for every family is to achieve meaningful change by creating an environment in which joy is rediscovered and nurtured, where adventure leads to self-discovery and where relationships heal and grow.
