Clinical Program

Dear Prospective Parents,

At Lake House Academy, our treatment approach is collaborative and multi-disciplinary so that we best address the underlying clinical issues that give rise to specific behavioral and emotional troubles. We believe that a blend of clinically sound and research-based modalities, such as cognitive-based therapy, recreation therapy, experiential therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, family systems therapy, and body-centered therapy, along with relationship building creates the best outcomes with young teens and their families. It is through relationship that we nurture, guide, and challenge girls and their families to maximize their potential as individuals and families. Creating a stable sense of self that is grounded in a balanced view of strengths and growth areas, provides young teens with the internal resources that they need to successfully navigate life and the challenges it brings.

Cultivating relationship therapeutically and within a family, we must appreciate that we all have a need for emotional security, reassurance, and connectedness. By teaching young girls and their families communication skills, listening skills, healthy boundaries, and emotional awareness--and working through past wounds in their relationships--damaged and fragile relationships can heal and grow strong and even resilient once again. By teaching personal authority, accountability, respect of oneself and the other, as well as self-care, individual family members can grow and nurture a healthy family system. Our young girls are unique in their challenges and development. Developmentally, from approximately ages 10-12, concrete thinking predominates a young girl’s worldview. She sees the world in very black and white ways at times and needs to see how ideas are grounded in practical living. Experiential therapies lend themselves specifically well to not only meeting the student where she is at, but also fostering the relationship that they will come to appreciate and respect as they progress through the therapeutic process. For our students in the older 13-15 range, we have more cognitively sophisticated forms of therapy that nurture their growing sense of wonder with the world, as well as recognition of the paradoxes life holds. Our treatment approach is to work with each girl at their developmental stage with appropriate treatment approaches that will best nurture their level of competence.

As a clinical team we meet regularly, formally and informally, to discuss cases and share ideas so that we provide our girls and families with a breadth of knowledge and resources. Our treatment team approach guarantees that Lake House girls and families receive the expertise of clinicians with years of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings including wilderness, residential, outpatient, and private practice.

We appreciate the opportunity to support and nurture the girls and families in our care. It’s exciting and meaningful work that we feel lucky to be part of.

Thank you for considering Lake House Academy for your daughter and family.

The Lake House Clinical Team