STAR Guides Girls Program

STAR Guides Girls Review

Located along the Utah-Arizona border in the small city of St. George, STAR Guides is a treatment organization that provides a comprehensive wilderness curriculum. It’s for adolescents and young adults struggling with a range of addictions from technology, sex and pornography. The facility offers gender-specific programming for girls that includes experiential therapy, counseling, mentoring, skills training and psychoeducation.

Accommodations and Food

STAR provides clients the opportunity to completely remove themselves from a world of distractions and triggers. Living in the high desert, students are immersed in the rawness and simplicity of nature. Without any of the amenities of home, STAR empowers clients to get to know themselves.

Individuals hike several miles a day, and are responsible for a host of chores including setting up their own tents, building fires, cleaning up, preparing and cooking their own meals.

Treatment and Staff

Before starting the program, clients go through an extensive evaluation that includes medical, psychological and psycho-sexual assessments as well as a history of substance use. An individualized treatment plan is tailored to address the specific needs and goals of the person. While the length of treatment depends on the needs of the individual, clients typically stay approximately 60 days.

STAR offers several specialized tracks for adolescent girls including technology, sexual addiction, learning disorders and substance use. The facility incorporates an array of complementary therapeutic methods into a wilderness curriculum. These includes holistic practices, therapy, skills training and psychoeducation. Clients participate in individual and group therapy as well as field group discussions. Individuals also see a medical professional every couple of weeks.

STAR employs a multidisciplinary team of mental health counselors, addiction specialists, field staff, therapists, a physician, psychologist and nurse. Clients in need of dual diagnosis support are treated with medication management. Dual diagnosis support is available for clients with co-occurring mental health conditions including anxiety, substance use and learning disorders. The 12-step recovery model is not a component of the programming.

Extras

STAR believes in the vital role that family plays in the life of an adolescent girl struggling with dependency. To this end, families play an integral part in the program. The students write to their parents regularly and participate in family therapy sessions over the phone.

In addition, the facility offers a comprehensive academic component that includes credits for english, creative writing, nutrition and health.

In Summary

STAR Guides is a wilderness treatment organization that specializes in the care of adolescent and young adult females with process addictions and co-occurring disorders. Offering a completely new environment, the facility provides not only a necessary wake-up call for students but also the proper guidance to live a more fulfilling life. For anyone seeking a truly unique treatment experience, STAR provides a dedicated team, robust curriculum and a fresh start.