“Skyland Trail has not only changed the trajectory of my life but has given me the tools to build a life worth living.” Lauren M. Starting My Journey Starting my journey toward better mental health was like trying to unravel a complex web of experiences and emotions. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that triggered…
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My name is Carol. I’m 21 years old. I grew up in a rather neglectful and abusive household, so I’ve been struggling with anxiety my entire life. It’s led to a lot of generally negative values and sentiments throughout my entire life. That has led to lots of depression starting at age 17, and that…
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I got (to Skyland Trail) after a pretty extensive hospital stay. I was not looking forward to doing anything or being here at all. And that actually changed quite quickly because of the people that I met here, the staff that’s here, and also the groups. Before I didn’t have any sort of goals or…
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One of the things that a lot of people ask is, “What led you to Skyland Trail?” It’s never as simple as one thing. It could be trauma from childhood that came into adulthood, substance abuse, or this warped idea of how I needed to be strong. And to be strong I had to take…
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So Many Parts of Me Were Addressed and Celebrated “When my insurance coverage ended, I knew I still had more work to do. But financially, I was unable to cover any treatment out of pocket. Thankfully financial aid stepped in, allowing me to continue the work I was doing at Skyland. I know leaving Skyland…
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My name is James. I was diagnosed with severe depression a little over a decade ago, and this, my second major episode, began near the end of 2019—just a few months before COVID-19 turned the world upside down. I was already considered treatment-resistant after my first four-year episode, so we had to pull out the big…
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I grew up in a family and community where mental health was not talked about or accepted as a real illness. The common sentiment towards those who were struggling was to “be stronger” or to just “pray about it.” It didn’t help that movies and TV often portrayed mental health conditions and the facilities they’re…
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As a client in the adult residential DBT program, Maylie learned how to acknowledge emotions without letting them control her life. As a resident of the Skyland Trail transitional living program, she learned she could create her own family of choice and live independently. And as part of the “green team,” a horticultural therapy work…
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“Skyland Trail was truly an unforgettable experience that has helped me feel like I can take on life and not let my mental illness hold me back!” Liz T., a Skyland Trail graduate When I was admitted to Skyland Trail, I was terrified. I had given up all hope that I could ever get better…
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Caring for Myself “Skyland Trail gave me the time and permission to know that ‘All you have to worry about right now is getting better.’ And I needed it. I was never going to until I shifted my focus onto caring for myself , working through what happened, and working through my perfection obsessions and…
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