Providing Creative & Expressive Outlets

blue-haired young girl smiles
The activities staff at Gulf Coast Treatment Center provides a variety of therapeutic activities and experiences for all residents to explore their interests, talents, and sense of self. The goal is to inspire residents to learn a wide range of interpersonal and social skills while expressing their feelings through creative and expressive activities in a supportive environment. Some of the activities include:

Recreation Therapy

Recreation therapy groups and daily enrichment groups focus on interpersonal skills, anger management, and leisure skills through cooperative games, exercise, and arts and crafts. Recreational therapy provides therapeutic activities that are adapted to the capabilities and needs of each patient.

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

An outside provider comes to the facility weekly with trained animals to work with our residents and provide play and comfort. The animals have a soothing effect on residents, stimulating them to express emotion. Research shows that AAT has positive impacts on patients suffering from reactive attachment disorders, PTSD, depression, anxiety, trauma, aggression and self-harm.

Independent Living Skills Training

We utilize a standard curriculum, called “Casey Life Skills,” as a guide in facilitating independent living skills training for residents staying for more than 60 days. The curriculum educates the residents on topics such as emergency and safety skills, education planning, job seeking skills and job maintenance skills. We also focus on personal life skills such as legal awareness, personal appearance, money management, food management, transportation, health, community skills, and housing. The independent living skills facilitator also brings real-life experience to the classroom by inviting guest speakers from various disciplines in the workforce to address the group. They provide education on careers and facilitate “mock interviews” in the resident’s chosen area of interest. This activity is for residents ages 13 and older who are in the custody of the state (and 16 and older for children in the care of their parent/guardian).

These group activities are supplemented by other group outings that help enrich the lives of our residents and leave them better prepared for the world outside of our facility. Our staff is dedicated to making sure that these young women leave Gulf Coast with the ability to lead long, healthy lives and become productive members of their communities. 

Providing Creative & Expressive Outlets

blue-haired young girl smiles

The activities staff at Gulf Coast Treatment Center provides a variety of therapeutic activities and experiences for all residents to explore their interests, talents, and sense of self. The goal is to inspire residents to learn a wide range of interpersonal and social skills while expressing their feelings through creative and expressive activities in a supportive environment. Some of the activities include:

Recreation Therapy

Recreation therapy groups and daily enrichment groups focus on interpersonal skills, anger management, and leisure skills through cooperative games, exercise, and arts and crafts. Recreational therapy provides therapeutic activities that are adapted to the capabilities and needs of each patient.

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

An outside provider comes to the facility weekly with trained animals to work with our residents and provide play and comfort. The animals have a soothing effect on residents, stimulating them to express emotion. Research shows that AAT has positive impacts on patients suffering from reactive attachment disorders, PTSD, depression, anxiety, trauma, aggression and self-harm.

Independent Living Skills Training

We utilize a standard curriculum, called “Casey Life Skills,” as a guide in facilitating independent living skills training for residents staying for more than 60 days. The curriculum educates the residents on topics such as emergency and safety skills, education planning, job seeking skills and job maintenance skills. We also focus on personal life skills such as legal awareness, personal appearance, money management, food management, transportation, health, community skills, and housing. The independent living skills facilitator also brings real-life experience to the classroom by inviting guest speakers from various disciplines in the workforce to address the group. They provide education on careers and facilitate “mock interviews” in the resident’s chosen area of interest. This activity is for residents ages 13 and older who are in the custody of the state (and 16 and older for children in the care of their parent/guardian).

These group activities are supplemented by other group outings that help enrich the lives of our residents and leave them better prepared for the world outside of our facility. Our staff is dedicated to making sure that these young women leave Gulf Coast with the ability to lead long, healthy lives and become productive members of their communities. 

help

Take the First Step

Our staff is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to provide a no-cost, mental health assessment for your child or patient. Call us at 800-537-5433 (toll-free) or 850-863-4160 to get started. For additional questions about our programs, you can also use our online contact form.

In the case of a medical emergency or crisis, please dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.