Christian boarding schools and other therapeutic boarding school options and residential programs for troubled teens, boys and girls, with teen counseling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Heartlight Girls1. How long do residents stay at Heartlight?

The average stay for young people at Heartlight is 9 to 12 months. Changes of heart take time, and they require commitment on the part of the parents to stick with the program, no matter how difficult it is to be away from the child. The child will at first drag his or her heels and then after 2-3 months will settle in, allowing the counseling and the overall program to begin to spark a new way of thinking.

The 9-12 month program also provides time for parents to complete the series of three retreats required by the Heartlight program. It is critically important for the student to see his or her parents also making an effort to “change.” The Heartlight mission is to get kids back home as soon as possible after a true “change of heart” has taken place. Heartlight staff never extend a child’s time at Heartlight beyond what is necessary for completion of the program, since there are always more needy teens waiting to get in.

2. Do the residents attend public school or do you offer schooling at Heartlight?

The answer is “Yes” to both questions. For residents who can function in public school and continue their growth process at Heartlight, we offer the privilege of attending Hallsville High School, a 4-A school that excels in academics, discipline, and activities. For boys and girls who find it hard to work through issues and attend public school simultaneously, we offer two separate programs, Heartlight East for boys and Heartlight South for girls. This second option provides home-bound schooling that is accredited through Texas Tech University and taught by our our own certified teachers on the Heartlight staff, and overseen by our Academic Director.

3. What does a child’s stay at Heartlight cost?

Please send in the contact form to receive our current rates or call 903-668-2173.

4. What role do parents play in their child’s stay at Heartlight?

Parents play a vital role. Parents are asked to attend three Family Retreats and a series of three Parent Retreats that do not involve the residents. Parents are encouraged to particiapte in a 30-minute weekly phone call with their child and also communicate with staff and counselor on a regular basis for updates on their child’s progress. Parent involvement will be based on the progress of the child and as the Level System dictates. Parental visits to Heartlight are welcome, but time with the child may be limited if the child is still on the lower levels or is on restriction.  Every connection with parents and family is orchestrated to ensure progress in the student’s way of thinking and acting.

5. What does the Counseling program at Heartlight involve?

Each resident meets on a regular basis with a Heartlight counselor. In addition, residents are involved in group therapy meetings twice a week. Whereas the actual counseling program utilizes professional staff, much more counseling “simply happens” with our in-house residential staff members, who take advantage of opportunities to deepen relationships with the residents. Counseling for parents is offered by consulting staff on an “as needed” basis. Family counseling involving Heartlight residents and their parents is offered on a limited basis, yet parents are extensively involved in.

6. What types of activities does Heartlight have for the residents?

Heartlight believes in the seriousness of counseling and dealing with issues and struggles, and at the same time believes that activities must be provided for fun and active involvement of the kids with our staff. Heartlight’s activities include water skiing, fishing, horseback riding a rappelling and rock climbing tower, swimming, waverunners, water skiing, paintball, basketball, tennis, Frisbee golf, golf, softball, pottery, photography, biking, aerobics, and weight-lifting, as well as other lake activities. We work very hard on issues and problems…but we also play.

7. How many kids does Heartlight deal with at one time?

Heartlight has a maximum capacity of 48 residents at the present time.

8. Is Heartlight affiliated with any particular church?

Heartlight is a non-denominational Christian ministry, and is not affiliated with any one church. Heartlight utilizes a Biblical counseling model that brings the message of Jesus Christ to the lives of residents in a non-threatening way. We do not “force-feed” kids with the Gospel, and have no requirements for their spiritual growth in order to progress through the Level System. The staff’s background in church ministry, Young Life, Campus Life, Campus Crusade, camping ministries, and other residential facilities, have all come together to develop the very best program possible to meet the needs of our Heartlight residents. See our Statement .

9. Is Heartlight coed

Yes, Heartlight has both boys and girls on campus in separate housing units.  Since our focus is on helping each individual child work through the emotional issues that brought them to Heartlight, we do not encourage nor facilitate interaction between the opposite sexes. Students are under adult supervision at all times and are not free to roam the campus nor are they allowed to enter each other’s homes. Coed programs within Heartlight are limited to group counseling sessions and supervised group outings, recreation and group activities. Meals are in the student’s home, not in a cafeteria setting, and in the initial 4-6 months students work on self-paced high school courses right in their home with the assistance of qualified teachers, so interaction

10. How do you handle doctor or dentist appointments and medicines?

The residential staff arranges for doctor visits and transports students wherever they may need to go. Heartlight has a number of local medical and dental professionals who handle Heartlight students during their stay.  The staff also distributes medicines according to prescription schedules and generally keeps an eye on the health of each student, caring for them in times of illness and ensuring they get medical attention if needed. Parents are continually kept in the loop and must approve of all medical procedures, prescriptions and expenses.



Christian residential schools and behavioral therapy for troubled teens with teen counseling to improve behavior problems of teenagers struggling with anger, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), attention deficit, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance abuse, depression, reactive attachment disorder (RAD), intermittent explosive disorder (IED), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, self-harm, or rebellion.

THERAPEUTIC BOARDING SCHOOLS AND BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR TROUBLED TEENS, BOYS OR GIRLS.

Heartlight's therapeutic schools provide troubled teens with the help and counseling troubled teens need. It gives time for the whole family to heal. Everyone can then look past the anger and teenage rebellion to focus on the troubled teenager's healing. Our Christian residential schools serve Texas, California, Oregon and Washington on the West Coast and Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Nevada in the Southwest, from Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois in the Central States, from Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Idaho in the north, and from Georgia, Florida, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey along the east coast. Teens come to Heartlight from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Heartlight is a Christian boarding school with loving and relational behavioral
therapy for troubled teens; a therapeutic boarding school for
girls and therapeutic boarding school for boys.