Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read about my campaign to help my teen daughter.

As some of you know, my 16 year old daughter has struggled with a variety of mental health challenges for years. The COVID 19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, as it did with many young adults.

She recently completed a wilderness program near Dahlonega, GA called First Light Wilderness Therapy, and was successfully discharged late November. She spent 111 nights in the woods! She made incredible progress while at this program.

There is a concept called the parallel process, which describes the journey of discovery and healing that a parent takes alongside their child in the woods. I did in fact learn a lot about myself, my shortcomings, the ways I need to show up for my child, and methods to improve our communication and relationship.

We practiced our new skills by writing weekly letters. One thing I noticed was her ability to be more open and honest about her feelings. With a conscious effort (especially at first) I was able to do the same. She also began to take accountability for her actions, which left me utterly speechless. I have a renewed sense of hope for her future, and for our relationship.

At her FL graduation, each person presented her with an appreciation and a hope for her future. When it was my turn, I found it hard to contain my emotions. I had to turn away and take a couple deep breaths (more new skills!) to collect myself. When I faced the group once more, she was right there and gave me a big hug.

As you might expect, these programs are shockingly expensive, but I felt I had no choice. I feared for her safety and could see a disaster looming. Thankfully, after playing detective and using my accounting skills, I received my share of a family estate after working at it for two years. All of the funds went to pay for the cost of this program.

Her team at FL and at home strongly suggested that if at all possible she continue her journey at a therapeutic boarding school. Due to the cost I initially decided this was not a possibility for us. However, I'm committed to helping her practice her newfound skills, form healthy relationships, and reach her current educational goal of graduating high school. In addition, my sincere hope is that we can continue to improve our household dynamics and heal our family.

I was able to pull together some loans from family and friends, along with kicking in some of my own funds, to cover the first month of programming fees at Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy in Cedar City, UT. Her first day was 12/1/23. It would be amazing if I could get some financial support from others out there that have the ability to help.

She is an incredibly kind, bright, and creative young woman. I want to give her a fighting chance. In order to do this, I truly need your support.

If you would like additional information, please contact me. I am trying to protect her privacy as much as possible, so please bear that in mind.

Thank you for your kindness and consideration.

Many thanks,

Angie