Turning Winds

There are not enough words to express our deep appreciation for TWAI. We were immediately accepted, loved on, nurtured, and encouraged as we walked an unfamiliar path as parents. We were able to rest assured, knowing that our son was being given support and guidance along with a safe space to practice and develop the tools he needed over the course of more than a year. The weekly phone calls, letters, and well-timed visits were exactly what we needed to work through some important mending of our relationship. Staff worked closely with us as we made plans for our son’s transition home. We consider TWAI to be an extension of our family!

Change is a difficult process to undertake regardless of the circumstances. At Turning Winds, our team leverages therapeutic recreation to facilitate positive movement in treatment. Truly blessed to be part of this organization:-).

Incredible Residential Treatment Center for troubled teens. I visited last summer and spent a great deal of time interviewing parents of Turning Winds students, currently enrolled students, Turning Winds professional staff, clinical staff, teachers, alumni students, and parents of students who graduated from Turning Winds in the last 5 years. I filmed each interview. I toured the campus and facilities as well as the Turning Winds recreational activities over the course of a week. I attended academic classes, group counseling, meals, and a family conference. I went golfing with the students and spent the day horseback riding with Turning Winds students in the equine animal assisted therapy program. I have toured hundreds of therapeutic programs for troubled teens. I have worked in many residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools. I owned and operated an adolescent RTÇ and a TBS. In my 27 years in the adolescent behavioral health industry I have never experienced anything like Turning Winds. Everyone, and I mean everyone, told the same experience about Turning Winds. Each person I spoke to might have used different terminology and described different experiences, but ALL of the interviews were heartfelt, passionate authentic, and geniune. Turning Winds, according to everyone I interviewed was not perfect. But even in their imperfect hundreds of different folks I interviewed related a personal story filled with love, trust, renewed hope, recovery, restoration, and gratitude. Regardless if I was interviewing a current student, former student graduate, new parent visiting for the first time, parent of a current student who came to watch her/his son/daughter graduate, parent of an alumni, current or former teacher, therapist, admin staff, program staff, or kitchen staff... THEY ALL SHARED A SIMILAR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.... "Turning Winds saved my life... Turning Winds saved my child's life... Turning Winds renewed my spirit and zest for life... Turning Winds restored my faith in people... Turning Winds has been one of the greatest most beautiful experiences of my life, and it was hard, and nothing came without a cost. I had to give up all the negative thoughts and behaviors that had stolen my life's potential, destroyed my family, and ripped off my future - but it was worth letting go of every loss and regret I was holding on to in blame, shame, and resentment. My time at Turning Winds restored my present and returned my hope for a beautiful future. If you want to hear more, message me.

Sending my son to TWAI was the hardest day of my life. I felt like a horrible parent and a failure. I knew it was the right thing to do for him, I was just feeling so guilty and depressed. The staff at TWAI (namely Carl, Enoch, Owen and Emily) helped ease the pain and talk me through the initial process with such a caring and supportive attitude that I could finally start to relax and let go of the guilt knowing that my son was being cared for and was truly in a loving, nurturing environment. At TWAI, my son learned to grow as an individual in more ways than I thought possible. He went there as an angry, vengeful, teenager that was hell bent on destroying any happiness in his life, to a thriving young man who is now looking forward to his future. I am eternally grateful to TWAI and the Baisden family for creating a place such as this for teens who need that extra help to get back on track.

The amazing staff at TWAI has changed my son's life. I could not be more grateful!