Who are we?
Is your teenager struggling? We are specialists in trauma, commonly known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Aces can have many mental and behavioral issues that can be difficult to deal with. This can present as ADHD, OCD, difficulty with forming healthy attachments, history of self-harm, trouble in school or education, high-reactivity, depression, or high anxiety.
As a parent, you may not have the resources on your own to support your child or provide the level of help they need. Havenwood Academy is expert at providing the tools necessary to overcome these difficulties for you and your child.
Havenwood Academy is a long-term residential treatment center, or a place your child can stay for the necessary length of time needed in order to get the healing they need. With our highly-structured program and immersive therapeutic methods, our clients finally find relief from past trauma and gain the strength needed to move forward. Havenwood also helps students who have suffered in their education and need extra support with attaining the credits they need to graduate high school.
Here's what you need to know
- We work with young women from age 12 to 18
- We specialize in treating early complex trauma and attachment related issues
- We often work with adoptive families
- We offer a multi-faceted approach to treatment utilizing every therapeutic modality and technique that is beneficial to our young women and their families
- We offer accredited education with experiential opportunities
- We are licensed by the Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Licensing
- We are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations
- We accept Medicaid Insurance, California Adoption Assistance funding, regular medical insurance policies and private pay funding
If you wish to have more information about how we may be able to help you, fill out the form below. Our team will reach out within 15 minutes to answer any questions you have about how to best support your child. If we aren't a good fit, we will gladly help you find other treatment to help your family.
If you wish to have more information about how we may be able to help you, fill out the form below. Our team will reach out within 15 minutes to answer any questions you have about how to best support your child. If we aren't a good fit, we will gladly help you find other treatment to help your family.
Research Based Therapy
Havenwood Academy uses evidence-based therapies to deal with complex trauma. We regularly use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neurofeedback, Brainspotting, and to some extent Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT); all of which are well researched and proven trauma-specific therapeutic interventions. We often pull information and methodology from leading and pioneering researchers including Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Dan Siegel, Dr. Gabor Mate, and Dr. Bessel van Der Kolk to ensure that we stay on the cutting edge of the best practices in our specialty.
Each of our homes has a hedgehog that the girls are in charge of nurturing. Hedgehogs are used in our program to provide real time feedback to the girls related to their emotional regulation. Hedgehogs will not interact properly with an emotionally dysregulated girl. Our girls learn to keep themselves regulated in order to interact with our hedgehogs. In this way our hedgehogs are part of the therapeutic team, teaching our girls to self-soothe and how to be safe.
All of our therapeutic methods, systems and interactions are trauma-informed and carried out with connection, attunement and care. Every treatment plan is specifically and carefully designed to best respond to and treat each young woman’s struggles and address her needs. Every treatment plan is carefully supervised by our Treatment Team--which consists of our Clinical Director, Therapists, Program Director and Academic Director. This Team meets weekly to review each young woman’s progress in the program and the effectiveness of her therapy.
We utilize a multi-therapeutic approach under the supervision of the Treatment Team that includes individual, family, group and recreational therapy on a weekly basis. We believe that “treatment” is an integrated approach combining therapy with academics and life skills designed to promote future success and personal empowerment. The combination of all of Havenwood Academy’s therapeutic methods has been shown to create positive, long-term results.
"This is an absolutely amazing program. I felt so safe and loved at all times. These people are my family!"
-Program Graduate
"Being a high school dropout, a former meth addict, a teen runaway.. etc. was all in my decision to make, but the day I voluntarily accepted help is one of the days I am most thankful for in my life. This place truly works miracles. I am now 2 1/2 years sober, living on my own, & sharing my story with hundreds locally."
-Program Graduate
"I had always had problems with reactive detachment disorder since I was 7 months old. I was at a lost getting into trouble not really obeying my parents being disrespectful. My parents were at a loss also. That is till they found Havenwood Academy. I went there against my will but little did I know that they were going to help me so much. They had staff that love, care and support you. Not only did they say it they showed it. Even though I was not very happy about going to Havenwood at first by the end I was thankful that I had gone. They have changed my life forever. They taught me how to deal with my emotional problems in the right way. So I would recommend Havenwood as a very good place to send your daughter if she is struggling."
-Program Graduate
Meet Our Team
Executive Director
Ken Huey, Ph.D., LMFT
Clinical Director
Christina Hauritz, MS, LCMHC, NCC
Education Director
Scott Sharp, M.Ed
Program Director
Albert Behling
Take Our Online Assessment
Havenwood is a specialized program that helps young women and their families who are struggling with complex early childhood trauma and attachment related issues, including Reactive Attachment Disorder. Take our online assessment to find out if we can help you and your daughter heal.
Leah Sparkman, Havenwood Academy Graduate and Ph.D. Student
The inspiring story of Leah Sparkman is one example of what makes Havenwood Academy special. Leah, a Havenwood graduate, became a national debate champion as an undergraduate and was recently admitted to a Ph.D. program at the University of Houston. Read her inspiring story and her message to the young women we work with.
Leah Sparkman, Havenwood Academy Graduate and Ph.D. Student
The inspiring story of Leah Sparkman is one example of what makes Havenwood Academy special. Leah, a Havenwood graduate, became a national debate champion as an undergraduate and was recently accepted to the University of Houston Ph.D. program, a tier 1 research institution. Read her inspiring story and her message to the young women we work with.
Our Response to Press
As you are also probably aware, there have been a number of sensational and mainly false attacks in the press and in other places against the youth treatment business generally and Havenwood, as well as other programs, specifically. We have considered for some time whether or not to publicly respond to these attacks. In consultation with our Officers and Directors, outside professionals, and past and present parents, we have decided that the time has come to push back against the rather sensational and mostly false attacks directed towards us.
We are often asked why we have chosen this work that is both difficult and seems to attract those who want to destroy what we do. We have chosen this work because we get to witness and even participate in miracles in the lives of young people and their families. There are few greater privileges in life than to see one of the young people we have worked with and cared for change their lives and move towards success and happiness.
Our Response to Press
As you are also probably aware, there have been a number of sensational and mainly false attacks in the press and in other places against the youth treatment business generally and Havenwood, as well as other programs, specifically. We have considered for some time whether or not to publicly respond to these attacks. In consultation with our Officers and Directors, outside professionals, and past and present parents, we have decided that the time has come to push back against the rather sensational and mostly false attacks directed towards us.
We are often asked why we have chosen this work that is both difficult and seems to attract those who want to destroy what we do. We have chosen this work because we get to witness and even participate in miracles in the lives of young people and their families. There are few greater privileges in life than to see one of the young people we have worked with and cared for change their lives and move towards success and happiness.
Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.