There are a few steps in the process:
1. Fill out a short inquiry form.
2. Our admissions staff will review each family’s inquiry and follow up with a phone call to determine if Seeds is right for your family.
3. We will then direct you to fill out the full application, which includes a full medical and psychological history (expect this paperwork to take about two hours to complete).
4. Our therapeutic leadership team reviews the application and decides whether your child would be a good fit.
5. If, during either of these steps, we determine Seeds is not a good fit for your student, we will share other options with you. Our goal is not that you come to Seeds, but that your family finds the way to peace in your situation.
6. Sign the acceptance letter.
7. Pay the initial deposit fee and complete the enrollment packet.
8. Arrange for your child’s transportation to Seeds.

Our admissions and parent coordinators will be available to walk you through each step of this process and answer any questions you have. They will also be walking with you throughout your student’s time in the wilderness. Feel free to contact them at any time.

You and/or your child do not have to be Christian to attend the Seeds program. That being said, we are distinctly Christian, and your child will be exposed to the teachings of Jesus. We do not use manipulation to “force” our kids to accept Jesus. No one in our program is forced to make a decision or say certain words. Your child will not be required to participate in prayer or Bible study; however, we do expect him/her to be respectful of the beliefs of others. For more information regarding our position, you can access it here.

The “wilderness experience” has inherent risks that we can not avoid. We believe that our trained staff are among the best in the industry. We have a passion for safety and seek to make every day safe. We have at least one Wilderness First Responder (WFR) who is trained in backcountry risk management and response with every group. WFRs are trained beyond simple first aid and are prepared for the unique challenges of wilderness medicine. Students complete a physician-administered physical exam before heading into the wilderness to ensure they are safe to participate. A doctor contracted with Seeds is always available for consultation and emergencies, and checks on students in the field halfway through the program. Our staff monitors cleanliness, nutrition, hydration, and health on a daily basis while training students in environmental risk management. Each group communicates with the office two times per day and receives visits from leadership and therapeutic staff three times per week. Students are always within earshot of the group and are supervised by trained and vetted field staff on a 3 students to 1 instructor ratio. As an additional safety measure for both students and staff, students are never left alone (1:1) with a single member of staff.

We have formal communication that we will facilitate as part of the program. This looks like letter writing once a week, allowing the whole family to slow down and take more time in reacting/responding. We will transport letters/printed emails into the field and pick up outbound mail from students once a week. Your student’s therapist will keep you up to date on the progress made.

Our field staff are trained in medication administration and will secure and administer medications while the student is in our care. A record is kept of all meds administered, and all medications are accounted for. The parents’ responsibility is to provide the list of medications, doses, and a 40-day supply.

We will provide a pre-wilderness assessment, post-wilderness assessment, and a 180-day post-wilderness assessment to track progress made by your teen during and after their experience with us. We will make specific recommendations depending on each child’s needs. If the child requires additional time in a therapeutic boarding school, we will discuss that before graduation. Additionally, we provide an aftercare program, which we call Paraclete, that continues after graduation. This is a time when we help your child make the transition from wilderness to real life. Your student will have weekly calls with their Paraclete Coach for three months following their time in the wilderness.

Seeds is committed to the mental, spiritual, and physical health of adolescents ages 14-17. Confident that we are created in the image of God, Seeds gives care and support to adolescents who are interested in effecting change in their family, community, peer group, and the local church. Through therapeutic strategies based on empirical evidence, Seeds provides experiential and interpersonal services that allow the individual to explore their emotional, spiritual, and physical needs in a safe, caring, supportive environment surrounded by the wonder of God’s creation.  

Each student is part of a positive peer culture of up to seven students, led by adult guides and mentors. Students attend group and individual therapy sessions weekly with experienced licensed therapists proficient in wilderness interventions. Trained in cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment-based therapy, family systems, trauma-informed, substance abuse treatment strategies, and motivational interviewing, our therapists are skilled communicators, educators, and role models to adolescents as they face the challenges of secular ideology. Through extensive assessment and treatment planning, individuals with their families build healthier strategies for bonding and togetherness. By partnering with the students’ support structures at home, Seeds’ aim is for our graduates to transition to the next healthiest environment for them, equipped with new skills for an increased likelihood of success and satisfaction.  

Our field staff are mature adults who have professional experience in the outdoors and working with youth. They are required to have over 100 hours of yearly training in addition to first aid, de-escalation, and emergency training.  Our clinicians are licensed therapists and have experience in wilderness therapy and working with youth.

Our child care license number for the state of Colorado is 1745202. We operate under a use permit by the USFS and BLM.  We are pursuing accreditation through AAE and OBH.