"The girls are being taught and shown by example how to be virtuous young women in a culture that places very little value on those old fashioned ideas."

Therapeutic Philosophy

Overview
Greenbrier Academy’s therapeutic philosophy is grounded in the premise that relationship is the most fundamental element of life. Our relationships to other people, the world, and ourselves define and enlighten us. Our students are not just individuals—they are daughters, sisters, friends, perhaps future mothers, teachers, mentors, leaders, scientists and advocates of worthy causes. These roles are based on our understanding of relationships with others and require an accepting relationship with ourselves.  We frequently form problematic emotional and behavioral patterns as a response to misunderstood or painful relational experiences.  As we identify and effectively change these old patterns in our lives, we are able to create healthier emotional and behavioral patterns leading to better quality relationships and life choices. Greenbrier Academy for Girls empowers students to recognize and change limiting patterns in their lives and to make choices resulting in fuller, more satisfying experiences.
 
Emotional Health
Many contemporary mental health therapists and practitioners often view good emotional health as a function of emotional independence and self-reliance. This is reflected in a methodology often used that encourages the client to look inside one’s self for answers rather than at one’s relationships with others. Many times emotional interdependence is seen as weakness or less desirable than total self-reliance. Few therapists focus on relationship as the essential origin and resolution of emotional pain. If contemplated, self oriented therapy is an odd way to resolve these deep issues because, by nature, we are social beings; we thrive in healthy relationships. At Greenbrier we understand that internal symptoms are connected to the pain of damaged relationships. We reconcile these relationships and this leads to personal growth and internal peace. Resolving and managing intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships facilitates healing. By removing isolating factors and creating virtuous connections, healing can begin. Therefore, happiness and good emotional health are defined as quality, loving relationships.

Past, Present, and Future Relationships
Our school culture centers on the quality of relationships among students, staff, parents and others. We are committed to helping our girls and their families improve the quality of all their relationships. Past relationships and future relationships are only manifested in the present. Consequently, past, present, and future relationships live in the here and now. These powerful transformations have the ability to resolve other behavioral symptoms. Students and families have much to learn and experience about the nature and chemistry of relationships, especially if the focus is on the relationship (the space between two or more) and not just the self as affected by connecting to others.  

How do you teach virtue?
We have created an interactive curriculum to help us in this process called "Creating the Authentic Relational Self”. Nicknamed the Creations, our students and counselors meet several times a week in groups that focuses on a specific relational theme with rich experiences and perspectives. The Creations are correlated to the four seasons of the year and teach students how to have relationships that are virtuous to themselves and others, rather than to work toward virtual independence from others. Our students learn to live in a world of interdependence rather than to strive for independence from these vital relationships. Exploring the Creations allows students to discover altruistic life purposes and new ways to connect to others in many contexts.  

Relationality in Action
Assisting our students to transform their identity in relating to the world around them is no small task; therefore, we have created a plan called the Aspirations.  By combining the Creations with individualized goals outlined in the Aspirations, students can increase the virtue of their relationships and mature at their own rate. Moving away from typical level systems, we recognize that each student is primarily motivated by relationship.  Many experts agree that our greatest fears center on rejection and isolation, and much of our problematic coping in life is an effort to prevent or compensate for rejection and isolation.  We see each student for what she is: an individual involved in a unique, complex array of relationships with herself, her family, peers, ideas, her community and the world. Therefore, each student aspires to her own set of relationally enriching goals specific to her situation. 

Relationality and Virtue in Academics
We incorporate different styles of learning in the classroom. The curriculum unfolds through individual and group projects, empathic experiences and philosophical/critical thinking. We utilize drumming, group interactions, exploring spirituality (connecting to conscience and inspiration), inspiration through literature and the arts, portfolio assessments, and one-on-one mentoring from teachers. This strategy appeals to different learning styles and unifies the learning experience. Additionally, the different themes that students are learning in the Creations are mirrored academically with a guiding question for each term.

Holistic Opportunities, Open Hearts
Our outdoor adventures, cultural events, community service, one-on-one and group therapies, as well as equine assisted therapy, all utilize the fundamental dynamics of strong relationality. As our students strive to find relational balance, our school integrates its programming to support the overarching goal: allowing your daughter - and family - the opportunity to heal.  

Read more about strong relationality from Dr. Brent Slife, Ph.D.:
 The Main Conceptual Assumptions of the Greenbrier Academy: Explanation and Research Support
 A Radical Approach to Psychotherapy: Radical Relationality
 Problematic Ontological Underpinnings of Positive Psychology: A Strong Relational Alternative