In the Bible, Proverbs 4:11 tells us “I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.” Much like this directive, we use the word of God to direct our guiding principles, so we can best light our students’ path of recovery. Our seven guiding principles include:
- Choosing love over fear
- Forgiving self and others
- Having accountability
- Being truthful
- Creating safety
- Maintaining confidentiality
- Seeking joy
Yes, here at Clearview Girls Academy, we have chosen Jesus Christ as our guide and savior and have based our guiding principles on his teachings. However, we would like you to know upfront that we are not here to convert your child to any specific religion.
Building a Compassionate Recovery Community
We utilize the teachings of Jesus Christ, not just because we have accepted him into our hearts, but also because we have found that his broader message of love, tolerance, and understanding applies itself well to the growth our students are seeking. We do, however, honor the spiritual path that each person chooses for themselves.
Our guiding principles arise from the spiritual verse of scripture. Yet, they primarily highlight the golden rules of any compassionate community. We encourage our students to acknowledge a higher power (whatever that may be) because we have found that connecting to something outside of themselves can be one of the best steps toward recovery.
The Principle of Choosing Love Over Fear
Is it often said that fear is the root of all negative emotions. Matthew 7:7-8 states “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Choosing to enter into a recovery program can be one of the scariest moments that both parents and child may experience. Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we understand this. This is why our program focuses on love and understanding when it comes to our students.
We want our students to feel welcome, heard, and seen when they come to our ranch here in Montana. We want them to express themselves to the fullest. We want them to purge all of those fears they may be harboring, so they can then begin to let the light of love in.
There is a saying in many 12-Step programs that goes, “we will love you until you learn to love yourself.” That is exactly what we aim to do here at Clearview Girls Academy.
Being Accountable for Self and Others in Recovery
Accountability is something that is often lost when struggles with mental health begin to take center stage. Galatians 6:4-5 states that “Each one of you should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.”
When mental health issues take hold it can be hard to focus on anything else. When your daughter has lost interest in her own well-being, it is no surprise that she too loses interest in others.
Accountability is something that can be regained in recovery. When our students begin to do the work it takes to recover, they begin to see how amazing they are. They simply had lost their ability to see their self-worth.
Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we restore that self-worth. When our students begin to care about themselves again, they begin to care about their actions. They hold themselves accountable, and when they respect themselves they expect others to be respectful as well.
Creating Safety: Physical, Spiritual, Emotional, and Relational
2nd Peter 1:5-9 explains how we should “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Every aspect of our recovery program here at Clearview Girls Academy is linked. Just as the scripture exemplifies, there are layers to our program that create the foundation of a well-balanced and healthy recovery.
At Clearview Girls Academy, we are a safe space, first and foremost. Our students are completely free to express themselves to the fullest, for in doing so we can better understand the underlying issues that we need to address.
We aim to create a sense of community here. Many of our students come to us having lost their connection to their peers and the outside world. We want to restore that here. As we help our students grow, they too help each other do the same.
The Principle of Seeking Joy
How gray life would be without joy. Acts 2:28 tell us “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”
Just as we get joy from seeing our students succeed, we encourage our students to seek joy in all that they do. Yes, recovery can be hard. But when it is filled with love and joy, those hard edges become softened. Your daughter has gone through enough struggle, we want to strip that struggle away to reveal the joy that lies underneath.
Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we have a set of guiding principles that help us ensure our students receive the utmost respect and care. We believe that choosing love over fear helps us convey the empathy that we aim to impart to our students. We feel that displaying accountability helps remind our students that they have a responsibility to care for themselves and others. We create a safe environment for our students to grow, so they can continue that growth once they leave the ranch. Lastly, we teach our students to seek joy in every aspect of their lives, because joy is what can help set us free in recovery. For more information, call Clearview Girls Academy today at (888) 796-5484.
