Program Overview
Mountain Valley is designed specifically for adolescents and young adults whose lives are severely impacted by anxiety and related disorders, such as OCD. We apply a combination of evidence-based therapies—including exposure and response prevention (ERP), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—over the course of each resident’s highly personalized three-phase treatment journey. Our innovative use of licensed occupational therapists ensures that insights gained in therapy are effectively translated to practical life applications. Set on a gorgeous riverside campus in the tranquility Upper Valley of New Hampshire, residents make lifelong friendships while supporting each other toward healing and growth. We have a very strong resident and parent alumni network who stay connected and credit Mountain Valley with changing and, in many cases, saving their lives and their futures.
Life at MVTC
Life at Mountain Valley Treatment Center is a blend of therapeutic support, meaningful activities, and opportunities to develop deep social connections. Since many of our residents are coming from and will return to a school environment, our program is structured to reflect a typical school schedule. Monday through Friday, the daily routine consists of individual and group therapy sessions, experiential learning, academic work, and life skills training. Our experiential activities include farming, animal care, art, yoga, outdoor recreation, and more. On the weekends, we focus on restorative activities, challenging residents to have some fun while stepping outside of their comfort zone. Typical weekend activities may include hiking, skiing, kayaking, rock climbing or getting out in the community to attend the movies, go to dinner, explore museums, etc.
The therapeutic environment at Mountain Valley is designed to foster deep, meaningful relationships. We provide a highly supportive and intimate community that feels less like a treatment center and more like a family. This intentionally curated social culture fosters a sense of safety and belonging, allowing residents to be open, vulnerable, and supportive of each other on their therapeutic journeys. By living and learning alongside peers facing similar challenges, residents develop a powerful sense of camaraderie and mutual support. It is this deep sense of community and connection that sets Mountain Valley apart from traditional therapeutic treatment centers. Many of our residents’ graduate from our program with wonderful memories and life-long friends to share them with.
Location
Mountain Valley Treatment Center is located on a beautifully restored historic inn on a 33-acre campus in New Hampshire’s tranquil Upper Valley. The campus has been thoughtfully updated to offer a blend of comfort and modern amenities while preserving its classic charm. Our property includes a full therapeutic farm, outdoor sports court, art studio, walking trails, and more. Despite our campus being set in a quiet rural area of New Hampshire, we are conveniently located near Dartmouth College and major interstate highways, allowing us access to more urban resources that we utilize to enhance our residents’ treatment experience.
Curriculum
Mountain Valley Treatment Center’s therapeutic curriculum is designed to help residents overcome their fears and reclaim a sense of control in their lives. Central to this approach is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the gold standard for treating anxiety and OCD. ERP encourages residents to face and gradually reduce their fear—and their responses to fear—in a safe, supportive environment. This evidence-based curriculum is complemented by other therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which collectively help residents understand and challenge anxious thoughts. Integrated with experiential learning, recreational therapy, and mindfulness practices, Mountain Valley’s holistic program of care empowers residents to confront anxiety head-on, fostering the confidence necessary to “fear less” so they can be more.
Weekly Schedule
Schedule Key
*Individual Therapy
Each Treatment Program Resident receives two individual therapy sessions per week with their primary therapist. Family therapy occurs weekly via secure video conference, phone or on-site. Review of a resident’s multi-disciplinary treatment plan occurs weekly.
1—Exposure Response Prevent (ERP) Group
A key component of the treatment programming – the unique and specialized evidence-based component of Mountain Valley Treatment Center. ERP is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) modality designed to provide gradual exposure to what causes a particular anxiety or compulsion. Willingness and learning from the exposure work is individually tracked. As psycho-education, this group therapy component of exposure therapy supports the individual therapy in which a resident is participating.
2—Activity Therapy Module Programming
This is the holistic, experiential program component of Mountain Valley Treatment Center. Modules are designed to foster skill development and mastery, stewardship, and fitness. They include Stewardship activities (animal care, gardening, community service), Yoga & Meditation, Academics, Creative Arts, Emotional and Physical Wellness and Therapeutic Recreation (on-site low ropes course and climbing tower weekly).
3—Milieu Strengthening Activity
Making “TRACKS”; Trust, Resilience, Acceptance, Courage, Knowledge, and Service. This is a time where residents can build healthy community living skills, practice gratitude, and support each other’s treatment progress. TRACKS is the cultural backbone of our therapeutic community.
Group Therapy
As a short-term residential treatment center, Mountain Valley offers multiple group therapy sessions per week in addition to the Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) groups that occur twice per week. Current Thematic Group Therapy includes Expressive Arts, Process Groups, and Acceptance & Commitment Group.
Weekend Activities
Residents participate in diverse, seasonally specific programming on Saturdays and Sundays. Extended off-campus cultural, arts and recreational activities such as trips to nearby Dartmouth College, local ski slopes and trails, seasonal adventure activities such as canoeing and spelunking, and sports are just a small part of the weekend programming.
Dorms & Facilities
The dorms and facilities at Mountain Valley Treatment Center were originally the rooms of a popular, five-star inn. They have been thoughtfully repurposed in order to create a comfortable, supportive living environment that promotes healing and community. Our dormitories balance the need for privacy with opportunities for community, fostering both individual reflection and peer connection. Each room is well-appointed and designed to feel like a home away from home, providing a sense of safety and stability essential for therapeutic progress. Beyond the dorms, residents have access to various shared facilities, including cozy common rooms, therapy spaces, and activity areas. Our campus is designed to help residents to focus on their treatment in a peaceful, nurturing atmosphere.
A Supportive Community Feel
Mountain Valley Treatment Center fosters a deeply supportive community where residents, staff, and clinicians co-create a growth-oriented environment of trust and encouragement. We emphasize the importance of peer connections, recognizing that shared experiences among residents can be a powerful force in overcoming anxiety and related challenges. Through group therapy, community activities, and shared living spaces, residents build strong bonds and learn from one another, developing a network of support that extends beyond their time at Mountain Valley. This tight-knit community of residents and staff helps residents feel less isolated in their struggles, empowering them to face their fears with confidence and ask for help when needed.
Questions? Get in Touch
Give us a call or submit a question to learn more about
Mountain Valley Treatment Center.