zions12
Zion Hills' Research Based

Therapeutic Methods

Zion Hills utilizes a number of therapeutic modalities in treating its young women. Every treatment plan differs depending on the nature of the individual’s struggles, but all treatment plans will utilize at least the following therapies. Our Treatment Team consisting of our Clinical Director, Therapists, Program Director and Educational Director, meet once per week to discuss each young woman’s progress and the effectiveness of her therapy. The combination of all of Zion Hills’ therapeutic methods has shown to create positive and lasting results.

Placement Specific Therapies

We recognize that being placed in a program is in and of itself traumatic to both her and her family. We utilize a number of therapeutic approaches to immediately address this traumatic experience thus allowing us to move more rapidly towards treating the underlying conditions.

DBT

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. It is also sometimes used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

View The Research Here

TF-CBT

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TB-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents suffering from early trauma.  Research demonstrates that TF-CBT successfully resolves a broad array of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with single, multiple and complex trauma experiences.

View The Research Here

EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal.  EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

View The Research Here

Equine Therapy

Zion Hills follows the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EGALA) program and has designed a unique equine therapy model for treating trauma and attachment issues and supporting other therapies used in the program.  Many of the benefits of equine therapy are likely due to the nature of the animals with which the patient and equine therapist are interacting. Horses are typically non-judgmental, have no preconceived expectations or motives, and are highly effective at mirroring attitudes and behaviors of the humans with whom they are working.  This gives our young women a unique and effective opportunity to identify and correct their tendencies to engage in self-defeating and otherwise negative thoughts and actions.

View The Research Here

Therapy Sessions

While in the program, each young woman will participate in the following weekly therapy sessions.

Individual Therapy

Each young woman participates in individual therapy at least once a week where they meet with a licensed mental health clinician who provides a safe and supportive, yet challenging, environment for them to process their thoughts, feelings and experiences.  Each clinician is trained in all Zion Hills’ therapeutic methods and will utilize them to best support healing.

Family Therapy

While in the program, each young woman and her family participate in weekly family therapy sessions.  Since our goal from the first day in the program is family reunification, these sessions are designed to address unhealthy family dynamics and to lay the groundwork for lifelong family relationships.

Equine Therapy

Equine therapy occurs once a week with a small group of young women in attendance under the direction of our Equine Specialist.  There are some ancillary programs that Zion Hills has developed for its young women to participate in including horsemanship, riding at the appropriate time and even involving mini horses.  These sessions are regularly scheduled throughout the program.

Group Therapy

Zion Hills operates at least four group therapy sessions each week to address issues that our young women may be struggling with and to provide additional opportunities for healing.  The four group areas are as follows:

SMART Recovery

This group is designed to help those young women who may be suffering from addictions or addiction-type behavior.

Emotional Resillience

This group is designed to help our young women develop high levels of emotional resilience to help them cope with the difficulties they have faced and will continue to face throughout life.

DBT

This group is designed to help reinforce and practice the DBT methods and skills that our young women are learning in therapy.

Zion Hills' Research Based

Therapeutic Methods

Zion Hills utilizes a number of therapeutic modalities in treating its young women. Every treatment plan differs depending on the nature of the individual’s struggles, but all treatment plans will utilize at least the following therapies. Our Treatment Team consisting of our Clinical Director, Therapists, Program Director and Educational Director, meet once per week to discuss young woman’s progress and the effectiveness of her therapy. The combination of all of Zion Hills’ therapeutic methods has shown to create positive and lasting results.

Placement Specific Therapies

We recognize that being placed in a program is in and of itself traumatic to both her and her family. We utilize a number of therapeutic approaches to immediately address this traumatic experience thus allowing us to move more rapidly towards treating the underlying conditions.

DBT

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. It is also sometimes used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

View The Research Here

TF-CBT

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TB-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents suffering from early trauma.  Research demonstrates that TF-CBT successfully resolves a broad array of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with single, multiple and complex trauma experiences.

View The Research Here

EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal.  EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

View The Research Here

Equine Therapy

Zion Hills follows the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EGALA) program and has designed a unique equine therapy model for treating trauma and attachment issues and supporting other therapies used in the program.  Many of the benefits of equine therapy are likely due to the nature of the animals with which the patient and equine therapist are interacting. Horses are typically non-judgmental, have no preconceived expectations or motives, and are highly effective at mirroring attitudes and behaviors of the humans with whom they are working.  This gives our young women a unique and effective opportunity to identify and correct their tendencies to engage in self-defeating and otherwise negative thoughts and actions.

View The Research Here

Therapy Sessions

While in the program, each young woman will participate in the following weekly therapy sessions.

Individual Therapy

Each young woman participates in individual therapy at least once a week where they meet with a licensed mental health clinician who provides a safe and supportive, yet challenging, environment for them to process their thoughts, feelings and experiences.  Each clinician is trained in all Zion Hills’ therapeutic methods and will utilize them to best support healing.

Family Therapy

While in the program, each young woman and her family participate in weekly family therapy sessions.  Since our goal from the first day in the program is family reunification, these sessions are designed to address unhealthy family dynamics and to lay the groundwork for lifelong family relationships.

Equine Therapy

Equine therapy occurs once a week with a small group of young women in attendance under the direction of our Equine Specialist.  There are some ancillary programs that Zion Hills has developed for its young women to participate in including horsemanship, riding at the appropriate time and even involving mini horses.  These sessions are regularly scheduled throughout the program.

Group Therapy

Zion Hills operates at least four group therapy sessions each week to address issues that our young women may be struggling with and to provide additional opportunities for healing.  The four group areas are as follows:

SMART Recovery

This group is designed to help those young women who may be suffering from addictions or addiction-type behavior.

Emotional Resillience

This group is designed to help our young women develop high levels of emotional resilience to help them cope with the difficulties they have faced and will continue to face throughout life.

DBT

This group is designed to help reinforce and practice the DBT methods and skills that our young women are learning in therapy.