Clearfork Academy

Clearfork Academy in Fort Worth, Texas, works with teen boys aged 13 to 18 who have issues with drugs, mental health issues or alcohol. It’s in a secluded corner of the city, with lots of woods and rural greenery nearby. A lot of families end up here after trying everything they can think of at home and realizing their son needs more support than they can give. There’s a separate facility for teen girls in Cleburne.

The campus runs both a full residential program, where boys live on-site with round-the-clock care. And they have an intensive outpatient program that works for kids who can still live at home and go to school. Both options provided give a ton of structure while not making it feel like every single little move a boy makes is controlled.

Real Help and Not Just Talk

The therapy here goes deeper than sitting in a room with a boring therapist and answering questions. The teens at Clearfork Academy work through evidence-based methods like behavioral therapy, but they still also get the chance to have hands-on help with activities that build confidence. And the families are a huge part of the process here, too.

The parents of the boys can join in on family therapy sessions and even get the chance to spend a week on campus for an intensive family program. That way, they can resolve parentification trauma that can undermine children’s development. And if faith is a big part of your daily life, there’s even an option to bring a Christian focus into the treatment your son receives here too.

A Texas Ranch That Feels Like a Reset

The setting at Clearfork Academy makes a big difference too. Clearfork sits on 80 acres of ranch outside Fort Worth and it has music therapy spaces, equine therapy spaces, and a gym. The heart of Clearfork comes back to Autisn Davis who is the founder and CEO. He started out in ministry and said he felt a personal calling from God to create a place where addicted teens and their families could find hope.