We offer an integrated farm therapy program for those seeking recovery and healing around trauma, and other co occurring emotional or mental health challenges.
Farm Therapy
Gardening, permaculture lessons, cooking, animal care, farm project work and more.
EcoTherapy
The Gunnison National Forest is minutes away for nature walks & other outdoor healing.
Arts, Yoga & More...
Arts, music & movement are a part of the daily routine and therpy program.
Our therepy horses are happy to meet you!
One of the core principles of equine therapy is the understanding that horses are highly attuned to human emotions and body language. Due to their intuitive and sensitive nature, horses can mirror the emotions of those around them, providing clients with real-time feedback on their behavior and feelings. This unique interaction allows individuals to explore their emotions in a non-judgmental environment, making equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) especially beneficial for those dealing with anxiety, trauma, depression, or stress-related conditions.
In equine therapy sessions, clients engage with horses through various activities, often focusing on groundwork, such as grooming, leading, and communicating with the horses rather than riding them. This process helps clients build trust, develop self-awareness, and improve their emotional regulation skills.
Learn more about Equine Therapy.
*Some clients may advance to therapeutic horseback riding as their personal sessions and groundwork progress.
Experience farm life with a therapeutic approach
Hands-on gardening, farm work, and animal care are paired with daily therapy sessions and customized activities tailored to your unique needs.
Supportive Housing and Meals in a Healing Environment
Nestled on a 40-acre working horse ranch in Delta County, western Colorado, our retreat offers participants a unique therapeutic experience. The evolving farm embraces permaculture design principles and is expanding its gardens and orchards. We love animals and have horses, alpacas, goats, ducks, cats and dogs.
Guest may make arrangements to bring their service dogs with them.
Participants stay in a spacious farmhouse with private or semi-private rooms. While staff is on-site around the clock, participants enjoy a balance of independence and support, without constant monitoring, fostering personal responsibility in a healing setting.
Program Details: Is Farm Therapy Right for You?
Our Residential Farm Therapy Program is for adults 18 and over who feel their lives are negatively impacted by mental or emotional health issues. The program is not for detox or individuals requiring 24-hour monitoring. Clients should have personal responsibility and a desire to improve their health. (For those under 18, see the Teen IOP program.)
Our program combines supportive housing and food with a community-focused farm therapy experience.
Participants live onsite and engage in therapy and farm sessions six days a week, with early morning farm therapy on Sundays and the rest of the day free. While staff are available 24 hours a day, participants are not monitored outside of therapy sessions or during free time.
We have a psychiatrist available to renew prescriptions or consult on medication changes but will not conduct regular sessions.
Clients engage in all aspects of the farm’s daily work, including caring for animals, gardening, and baking. Participants will learn new skills and rediscover their strengths, building confidence and self-esteem.
Participants progress at their own pace, learning to take on leadership roles and independently managing various campus tasks.
Mental Health Issues we work with in this program.
- Childhood trauma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Major Depression without psychotic features
- Social Anxiety
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Bipolar disorder I and II
- Alcohol or Substance abuse
- Disordered Eating or under control eating disorders
- Extended grief
- Panic disorders
- Failure to launch issues
- Autism related issues
- ADHD
Clinical Support
Participants work closely with therapists, a transition counselor, and psychiatric staff when needed. Our clinical approach is relational and mindfulness-based, using various modalities tailored to individual preferences, including CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) , neuroscience, ecotherapy, somatic therapy, music, art, DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), and psychodynamic interventions.
Sessions and Therapy Focus Include:
- Clinical and wellness groups
- Skills groups
- Individual and group therapy sessions
- Ecotherapy and specialty groups
- Vocational sessions
- Mindful Farm Work
Program Requirements:
Gateways to Transformations Farm Therapy is voluntary. Participants must be willing and able to engage in farm life and activities.
Exclusion Criteria:
We do not accept applicants with:
- Significant cognitive impairment
- Active substance use disorder or eating disorders (not a detox facility)
- Active psychosis
- Recent or ongoing violent behavior
- A history of arson or sexual offenses
Therapeutic Farming & Ranching Experience
At Gateways to Transformation, participants engage in a collaborative, multigenerational environment, where staff and expert volunteers work alongside them on campus. Meals, holiday celebrations, and special events are planned with participant involvement, encouraging interpersonal connection and boosting self-confidence.
Participants live in one of three houses, each offering individual rooms, shared semi-private bedrooms (two beds), a semi-private condo, or a private apartment. Everyone has access to shared bathrooms and common living areas, offering both privacy and shared spaces.
Service and Therapy Dogs
Service dogs are allowed if the owner can fully care for them. Owners with service dogs are prioritized for individual rooms and will receive and sign the campus rules after making contact.
Participants may also bring well-socialized dogs to join the Companion/Service Dog Program for therapy dog training, with additional fees. They should contact Gateways for program details and the necessary rules and contract.
Transition Support and Extended Services
Participants progress through services at their own pace, including transitional living on campus, maintaining structured activities like work or academic pursuits. Non-residential services allow ongoing engagement with Gateways, offering priority readmission if needed.
Financial Information:
Gateways to Transformations Farm Therapy Program is a private pay facility. The daily fee is $400 or $12,000 per month, billed monthly on a 30-day cycle. New participants are charged for the first month at intake, with billing 10 days before the next month starts.
We do not accept insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
Continuum of Services Includes:
- Life in a supportive therapeutic environment with peers and staff
- Clinical services (licensed therapists in Colorado)
- Certified support staff (life coaches or expert volunteers)
- A structured work program with various on- and off-campus activities
- Transitional services in Delta County, Colorado
Please contact us with questions or to join this program
Call: 303-859-7385
Download the Admission Application