Parent Testimonials

Mother and Father Recommendations

These stories of success and transformation are from Elk Mountain’s sister program at Clearview Horizon. Sharing oversight and resources, these two institutions are dedicated to ensuring all young women who attend receive the care, direction and love they deserve. 

While these stories are from Clearview, they paint a picture of the powerful changes our staff works tirelessly to achieve for every girl at Elk Mountain.

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  Our daughter is a graduate of Clearview and is doing great! If you ask her who made the most profound impact in her life and who she misses most, her answer will be Mike. Mike Linderman, the head counselor at Clearview, is an amazing therapist and a very compassionate, insightful, wise and caring person to whom we will be forever grateful for his service to our daughter and this family. If we had to do this all over again we would want Mike as our leader and guide.

   

  – Mother of a Resident (from Facebook)

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  I would like to recommend the Clearview Horizon Therapeutic Boarding School to every parent who is looking for a place that heals, builds self-esteem, rebuilds family relations, or helps with addictions and any other problem your teenage daughter might be facing. I am confident that the dedicated, experienced and qualified Clearview Horizon staff will be able to provide the best possible environment for recovery, not only to the child, but the parent as well.

   

  – Mother of a Resident (from Facebook)

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  Dear Clearview,

  As with a lack of expertise in the English Language and deep humility I would like to address the families at Clearview and whoever will be at the next workshop. My heart is poured out before God because of what God is doing at Clearview.

  We all know how difficult it has been to send our daughters “away” to a boarding school. This is a complexity that we all face. I know one thing for sure, that the last two years of my life have been the most transformational and productive years in my life. I am a seeker of Christ and I want to be transformed by the love of Christ. I truly believe now that healing in every way, shape and form can only come through true humility; (This does not mean a door mat).

  The staff have shown the upmost love and respect to my daughter and have been used by God to shape her in the last two years to become what she is now. (Yes, and I hate to say it, trust the process, I think God’s process). He truly loves us and he is not done with any of us until our last breath. God bless you all richly with His great love and humility because he died for us. Rejoice and thank God for all the things and do the next right thing. To Him be glory and honor and praise.

  I want to thank Mike from the bottom of my heart being the therapist to my daughter the last two years. I trust him wholeheartedly to be a male therapist in an all-girls boarding school. I trust him with my whole heart to have the integrity and gift to do the work that he does. He has the fear of God in him.

  I do want to thank Alicia and Jo the teacher especially, for their way and gift to look at each person and give the remedy necessary to guide each girl in the right direction. And Last, but not least all the House moms that fill in the gaps in the tapestry of Clearview.

  I ask for your forgiveness for my lack of humility and trust in God at times, and I Thank God for all of you. May we stay in the race until our last breath.

   

  – Parent of a 2016 Graduate

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  “I just want to take a moment to express my appreciation for all your hard work with [my daughter]. The staff at Clearview have exceeded my expectations. She is a rough nut to crack, and it is often frustrating tying to make an impact with her. Believe me, I know that! With us she was constantly “in refusal” and a request to help sweep the floor could result in a screaming tantrum. I was surprised when Clearview got her to do any chores at all. She has achieved a level of self-awareness and ability to discuss feelings that I find impressive. Your work with her gives me hope for her future. Thank You.”

   

  – Parent of a Current Student 2016

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  “I think what impacted me the most was to see the girls be honest and open with each other. It was a real blessing. It required courage and authenticity ….I guess it was one of the best examples I have seen of “Speaking the truth in love.” It was nice to see them be so real and so encouraging – to care for each other. “

   

  – Parent of a Current Student 2016

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  “Clearview has had a profound impact on the entire family. We have seen an incredible change in our daughter and a refreshing new level of maturity and accountability. Our family has learned so much about the things we were doing to contribute to the insanity in our home, pre-program. We now have tools to use as we incorporate changes necessary to be a healthy family. We are extremely grateful for the regular workshops that were provided to equip us with new knowledge and awareness to do our work as individuals and as a family.

  I will remember that I brought my daughter to Clearview feeling as though I had failed as a mom – the clinical staff helped me to begin the process of shedding the guilt so that I could in turn be able to look at my self honestly and begin to identify the work I needed to do. As we healed our hearts and gained new perspective, the staff of Clearview were supportive and ALWAYS open to open to hear our feedback and suggestions in regard to creating new challenges to move our daughter forward. We truly were a team (staff plus Mom and Dad) working towards the goal of getting our daughter into a healthier place so that she would have the potential to thrive outside of the program.”

   

  – Parent of a Graduate 2015

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  “My daughter is totally owning her school work and showing great responsibility for getting her homework done…I am so proud of her! I cannot stress the importance of the home contract enough to the parents — a plan developed at the end of the Clearview program. Whenever I go into fear-based thinking, I remind myself to read the contract and see what I am suppose to do, and then I own that.”

   

  – Parent of a Student 2015

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  “Results don’t lie. What Clearview does, works! God used Clearview to work a miracle in our lives! Kathryn is now a joy to be around! We are functioning as a healthier family unit, and I have new ways to deal with my pre-program non-working behaviors.

  I am in awe of Mary and Mike and are impressed with their knowledge of what makes a teenage girl act the way she does and their skill in turning around non-working beliefs and behaviors. I am thankful for their dedication to the girls at Clearview.”

   

  – Parent of a Graduate 2015

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  “I just had to drop you a quick note to let you know how [our daughter] is doing. We continue to be amazed at the progress and positive changes in our daughter. (WE LOVE IT!) She was able to stand up at a fundraising banquet in front of 600 people and share her testimony. She was able to share openly and honestly about the good and bad things in her life. We know that [our daughter] has done a lot of hard work but we truly don’t think that she would be at this place had we not found Clearview. Kim, Mike, Mickey and the rest of the staff we want to thank for working so hard with [our daughter] during her stay. Thank you so much for never giving up on our family. You were ALL so instrumental in helping her start her healing journey. We hear so many comments that [our daughter] looks so joyful and content. All we can do is smile and agree with them.”

   

  – Parents of a Graduate 2015

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  “We are very, very grateful for all you’ve done for our daughter. You have changed the lives — three lives — of us!”

   

  – Parents of a Student

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  “Our family just completed our daughters first home visit and words cannot express the growth we see in her. During her time at Clearview we have seen her face many challenges and even more growth. We have seen her grow in maturity, self-control, ability to follow directions, make healthier choices, effectively manage her emotions, and communicate skillfully.

  We have seen her grow spiritually as she has committed her life to Christ. For the first time in many years our family was healthy and truly enjoyed our time together. Although all of these areas of growth have been a gift and perhaps the most evident change was for the first time she did not create drama to get attention. She actually was one of many in our large extended family and one of five in our immediate family. This allowed us all to experience so much joy during the holidays.

  The professionals at Clearview have guided my husband and I in doing our own emotional work. This has strengthened us as individuals, parents and in our marriage. We truly see the growth in our daughter from working her Clearview program and deeply appreciate how the staff have invested in her life and our family.

  We are hopeful for her future and for the future of our family. What a gift that when I was on my knees praying for a way to help my daughter we were led to Clearview. Our test is becoming our testimony. May God bless each of you as you inspire and teach the girls to live out their God given potential.”

   

  – Parents of a Student

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  “When everything else failed and future seemed hopeless, when there was no place to turn for help, Clearview Horizon accepted my daughter into its program and did what seemed impossible; it gave us new hope and a turning point in my daughter’s life.

  Coming to Clearview Horizon with problems of anorexia nervosa, sexual abuse, substance abuse and problems with the family and law, and dealing with it all trying to heal the pain was not easy, but the dedicated Clearview staff did a wonderful job to help my daughter start recovering and get her on the right path to return to life. The ongoing intensive individual and group therapy sessions, with the qualified expert therapists such as Mike and Mary, and the application of the level system really worked and slowly my daughter started dropping her protective shells and trusting again and opening up to reveal her pain that was causing her problems and her act out in destructive ways. She started to heal. Our mother/daughter relationship started to recover. We could have normal conversations again; I could hear my old real child again, who started to talk to me and smile and just be herself. With the therapist assisted weekly phone calls we could work on the family issues that otherwise would never be brought up and would’ve caused more pain in the future.

  As a result of my daughter’s stay at Clearview Horizon, she has become a new person, one who is open to accept life’s challenges in a positive way, one who is open to recovery and the work that needs to be done to accomplish that, one who has gained the self-esteem needed to get to a better place in life and one who started to trust others and…. herself.

  I would like to recommend the Clearview Horizon Therapeutic Boarding School to every parent who is looking for a place that heals, builds self-esteem, rebuilds family relations, or helps with addictions and any other problem your teenage daughter might be facing. I am confident that the dedicated, experienced and qualified Clearview Horizon staff will be able to provide the best possible environment for recovery, not only to the child, but the parent as well.”

   

  – Parent of a Student

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  “I have been very pleased with the way my daughter has responded to the mental therapy, home environment, socialization process, and overall concern and attention given her by the Clearview program. My daughter began the program as a withdrawn, sullen fourteen-year-old, using deception and cunning to manipulate and control her environment. She is now blossoming, exhibiting a burgeoning positive attitude, is more open with her feelings, and has learned that all actions do indeed have consequences for which we all must take responsibility. She is now earning back the respect of her family. Her main focus no longer being simply on herself, but rather on how to work together as a whole to get a job worth doing done well.

  I can’t express how much I appreciate my daughter’s new, open, up-front positive attitude and seeing how her priorities have changed so entirely. Her grades are back up to the level they were prior to her involvement with drugs, alcohol, and abusing ‘friends.’ Her confidence is gradually coming back, and her sense of self-esteem increases daily. She is also much more responsible regarding the saving and spending of money. I attribute all of this to the time she has spent in the Clearview program.

  Overall, I cannot give a higher ‘thumbs up’ to the Clearview program, set in the beautiful northern Idaho community of Sandpoint on Lake Pend Oreille, and to its director, Mary Thielbahr and the effect she and her program have had upon my daughter, and therefore, upon the healing of our whole family.”

   

  – Parent of a Student