In-Network With Most Commercial Insurers
*Please note that at this time, we are not in network with Medicaid/Medi-Cal
Teen Behavioral Health Treatment
When your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, finding the right level of care can feel urgent and overwhelming. Teen residential treatment at Muir Wood provides a calm, supportive environment that fosters healing, structure, and stability. Here, young people ages 12–17 receive short-term, residential care tailored to their unique needs. Each teen’s treatment plan is developed by licensed professionals who specialize in adolescent behavioral health and co-occurring disorders. Individual therapy sessions, group work, and family therapy are paired with academic support through our WASC-accredited school program—ensuring that progress in treatment aligns with success in the classroom.
Our trauma-informed approach incorporates a variety of evidence-based modalities, including art therapy, mindfulness, and skills-based learning that strengthens emotion regulation and real-world life skills. When clinically appropriate, medication management supports treatment goals and helps teens achieve balance and clarity.
Care is delivered on gender-separate campuses, in safe, focused environments where teens can connect with peers who share similar lived experiences. Every teen—including those who are transgender, nonbinary, or exploring their identity—receives individualized, affirming support that honors who they are.
Families remain active participants throughout care, learning new strategies for communication, boundary-setting, and emotional connection. As treatment progresses, our team coordinates a thoughtful discharge and aftercare plan—whether stepping down to our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or connecting with trusted community providers—to sustain the progress made here.
Most teens stay at Muir Wood for 45–60 days, depending on their clinical needs. Some may benefit from up to 90 days of treatment. During this time, teens engage in daily group and individual therapy, academic instruction, and supervised peer interaction. Before discharge, our team develops a continuing care plan that may include outpatient services, step-down to an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), or connection to local support services for long-term recovery.
Petaluma Mental Health Treatment Center Reviews
“From the moment we walked through the doors, we felt like part of a supportive com- munity dedicated to helping teens thrive. The staff here are compassionate, knowledgeable, and truly invested in the wellbeing of every teen in their care. The programs are tailored to address the needs of each individual, providing a safe space for growth and healing. I highly recommend this center to any parent seeking top-notch care.”
Krista Merlino – May 2024
“Our child had medication resistant severe depression. Muir Wood helped find the right medication and provided a supportive environment, over Covid, no less. My child is thriving and we both agree that even though it was a hard period, it was the best choice to get them treatment. The tutors worked with his teachers and he maintained a 4.0 while getting better.”
Tomasina Burgess – June 2024
“Ruby had a very positive experience overall both times. Many programs make lots of promises and don’t deliver. Muir wood was a transformational experience for Ruby and I think the experience of being part of a community of peers was especially helpful. I’m a mental health professional myself and have already recommended Muir Wood to friends with teens who are struggling.”
Sasha A. Blum – September 2023
“There really are other families that are struggling in more or less the same ways that we are,” she shares in the video below. “I think there’s a way that addiction can make people feel like it’s only happening to them, and it’s really not. It’s behind so many closed doors. And I only wish that more people would come out and get the help that they deserve and that is there to be had. I’m really grateful we found it.”
Katie F. – June 2024
“This program was really wonderful for our daughter and our family as a whole. We love the parent classes and the parent support group. L. loved most of the staff and made some great friends with other girls in the program. The communication between staff and parents is excellent.”
Ilene G. – Oct 2025
My daughter is at the Petaluma Site. She has been there for about 40 days and the therapist has been very communicative. I feel apart of her treatment and have been updated weekly as well as a fast response anytime I have had questions. The support has been great and I love the parent classes. I have learned a lot in this time.
Angela R. – Oct 2025
The Muir Wood Teen Difference
Our team partners closely with parents and caregivers from day one—clear updates, a personalized plan, and real-world tools you can use between sessions – so your loved one can move toward stability, well-being, and lasting wellness alongside peers facing similar challenges.
Some of our key differentiators include:
Specialists in Adolescent Care
Everything we do is built for teens ages 12–17, not adapted from adult models. Our team includes board-certified psychiatrists, highly trained therapists, nurses, educators, and recovery counselors who specialize exclusively in adolescent mental health and substance use treatment. Working as an integrated team, they deliver evidence-based, developmentally appropriate care tailored to each teen’s unique needs.
Environments That Foster Connection and Growth
In serene, nature-rich settings, our campuses are unlike any other. With 24/7 care, teens come together during the day as part of a broader campus community—engaging in therapy, academics, and outdoor activities that strengthen resilience and self-awareness. In the evening, they return to cozy home-like residences to process, decompress, and connect with others. This balance of community and intimacy creates a unique healing environment where every moment becomes a part of the recovery process.
Expertise in Primary Mental Health + Substance Use
With expertise in treating both primary mental health and co-occurring substance use challenges, our trauma-informed approach helps teens heal deeply and build lasting change. We focus on the whole person—addressing both emotional well-being and underlying behavioral patterns—to support lifelong healing.
Support for the Whole Family
Healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens together. At Muir Wood, families stay actively involved through therapy, education, and a 16-week aftercare coaching program that builds trust, communication, and stability long after treatment ends.
Accessible, High-Quality Care Covered by Insurance
Muir Wood is committed to removing financial barriers to care by partnering with most major insurance providers, ensuring families can access high-quality, evidence-based treatment when it matters most.
Educational Support that Restores Confidence
Through our WASC-accredited academic program, students continue their education with personalized support. Success in the classroom becomes a vital step in restoring confidence, structure, and a sense of possibility.
Continuum of Care
In Sonoma County, our residential and intensive outpatient programs work together as a true continuum of care. Teens stepping up or stepping down receive consistent clinical leadership, a shared therapeutic approach, and close communication between teams—ensuring progress continues without interruption. We are equally committed to strong collaboration when teens are referred from, or transition back to, outside therapists and IOP/PHP programs—ensuring coordinated, smooth transitions.
Speak With a Teen Treatment Specialist
Connect with our admissions team today to learn how Muir Wood can support your family.
Accreditations
Benefits of Residential Treatment
At Muir Wood’s Petaluma campus, residential mental health care provides more than structure—it offers sanctuary. In a calm, nature-rich setting, teens find the safety to pause, reflect, and learn the tools that help them thrive at home, at school, and within themselves. Every part of the program is designed to nurture growth that lasts far beyond their stay.
24/7 Clinical Supervision & Support
Our Petaluma team provides round-the-clock care and supervision in small, home-like residences. Teens have access to licensed clinicians and caring staff at all times, ensuring safety, accountability, and consistent support throughout treatment.
Structure That Builds Stability
Consistency is key to recovery. Each day balances therapy, school, and healthy routines that help teens regulate emotions, practice responsibility, and rebuild self-trust.
A Healing, Home-Like Environment
Petaluma’s serene, natural setting provides an ideal backdrop for reflection and growth. Residences feel safe and inviting, not clinical—helping teens relax, open up, and engage in the process of healing.
Meaningful Peer Connection
Within small peer groups, teens learn to communicate, empathize, and build genuine friendships. Shared experiences create belonging—a reminder that they are not alone in their challenges or their progress.
Residential treatment in Petaluma gives teens more than care—it gives them space to breathe, connect, and begin again.
Learn about Muir Wood or contact our admissions team today.
Highly Credentialed Treatment Team
At Muir Wood, healing happens through connection. Each teen’s progress is guided by a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, and educators who specialize in adolescent mental health. Working together every day, they coordinate care that’s both evidence-based and deeply personal—addressing the whole person, not just the diagnosis. Our team builds trust, teaches practical coping skills, and helps teens strengthen the confidence and self-awareness they’ll carry long after treatment ends.
The Lorhman Campus for Girls and the Skillman Campus for Boys
Surrounded by the quiet beauty of Petaluma’s countryside, our campus gives teens space to breathe—and families a sense of relief knowing real support is close. Days unfold with structure and purpose: therapy, school, and activities at the central treatment hub, followed by evenings in comfortable, home-like residences. It’s a setting where nature, routine, and compassionate guidance come together to help teens feel grounded, focused, and ready to grow.
Northern California — Sonoma County
Lohrman Campus for Girls
Mental health and substance use care for teen girls on a tranquil Petaluma property within Sonoma County, surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills.
Skillman Campus for Boys
Dual-diagnosis treatment for teen boys—mental health and substance use care on a serene Petaluma property in lovely Sonoma County.
Contact Us Now
Someone from our admissions team is standing by to help you find the best treatment for your teen.
Day in the Life at Teen Residential
Routine brings relief. Each day at Muir Wood blends therapy, learning, and connection within a consistent rhythm that helps teens regain balance and confidence.
Programming, offered 3–4 afternoons per week, includes:
Morning — Routine, meds, and school
- Wake-up and have breakfast in a small, home-like residence
- Staff support and 24/7 supervision.
- Short goal-setting / intention group to center the day.
- Transportation to the central treatment hub.
- ~3 hours of accredited classroom academics with on-site teachers (WASC). We coordinate with your teen’s home school when possible or enroll in approved online coursework so they earn credit and don’t fall behind.
Midday/Afternoon — Therapy, skills, and movement
- Individual therapy (scheduled 1–2×/week) for personalized support.
- Group therapy focused on emotion regulation, communication, relapse prevention, and peer connection.
- Family therapy is weekly to align home and treatment.
- Experiential therapy (mindfulness, art, recreation) and outdoor time—our campus model gives teens space to move throughout the day, with therapy, academics, and activities taking place across multiple settings in a calm, nature-based environment.
Evening — Community, reflection, and rest
- Return to the residence for a family-style dinner and downtime.
- Evening reflection group to review goals, practice coping skills, and set intentions for tomorrow.
- Quiet time, hygiene, lights-out—consistent routines that support sleep and stability.
- Gender-at-birth housing provides privacy, safety, and focused peer groups while maintaining an inclusive, respectful environment for all identities.
Weekends — Practice and connection
- Saturday: Clinical groups plus recreational therapy (outdoor time, movement, team activities).
- Sunday: Longer experiential outings (e.g., hiking, rock climbing, go-karts or similar) to build confidence, joy, and healthy peer connection.
*Some individual and family therapy sessions will take place Tuesday and Friday between 4:00-7:00 PM.
Mental Health Treatment Options
Every teen’s experience is different, and so is their path to healing. At Muir Wood Teen, we create individualized treatment plans that address each teen’s unique emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. Our licensed clinicians use evidence-based therapies—including CBT, DBT, and family systems approaches—to help adolescents build resilience, self-awareness, and lasting emotional balance.
We provide targeted care for teens struggling with:
Anxiety
Panic Disorder
Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Trauma and PTSD
ADHD
OCD
Disordered eating
Self-harm and Suicidal Ideation
Substance Use and Addiction
Every program integrates academic continuity, family therapy, and coordinated continuing care, ensuring that healing extends far beyond treatment and into daily life.
Experiential & Wellness Therapies
Healing isn’t just something that happens in a therapy room—it happens through experience. At Muir Wood Teen in Petaluma, experiential and wellness activities give adolescents the space to move, create, and reconnect with themselves in meaningful ways. Whether through art, mindfulness, or time outdoors, these experiences help teens regulate emotions, build confidence, and rediscover joy in everyday life.
- Creative Expression: Art and music sessions allow teens to explore emotions that are difficult to verbalize, helping them process feelings through creativity and self-discovery.
- Mindfulness & Meditation: Guided mindfulness practices strengthen focus, reduce anxiety, and teach awareness of thoughts and sensations—tools that can be carried into school, home, and life beyond treatment.
- Recreational & Outdoor Therapy: With the natural beauty of Sonoma County as a backdrop, teens engage in movement-based activities that promote physical health, stress relief, and positive connection with peers.
- Skill-Building & Reflection: Activities like journaling, group challenges, and community service help teens practice teamwork, empathy, and accountability—turning insight into action.
Every activity supports emotional regulation and identity development, complementing traditional therapy while encouraging teens to build balance, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Family-Integrated Mental Health Care
At Muir Wood, mental health recovery doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens within relationships. That’s why family involvement is built into every stage of care. Parents and caregivers participate in weekly family therapy, receive regular updates from their teen’s clinical team, and learn practical tools to reduce conflict and strengthen connection. Together, families learn how to communicate more clearly, respond to emotional distress with empathy, and create a structure that supports stability at home.
When treatment ends, our work together continues. We coordinate follow-up care with trusted outpatient providers and offer 16 weeks of parent coaching focused on real-world application. Teens stay connected through alumni touchpoints, ensuring they feel supported as they re-enter daily life. The result is more than symptom relief—it’s a family system that understands how to sustain emotional health together.
Hear From Families Just Like You
Jeanine’s son had been through several addiction and mental health residential treatment programs before finding the help he needed at Muir Wood.
Katie describes her son’s descent into a disturbed, angry existence. Things came to a head when he started failing out of his junior year of high school. Then Katie found Muir Wood.
Wes M. was a client during Covid. Now he’s a recovery counselor at a treatment center in North Dakota. He’s a wonderful success story and we could not be more proud! Watch the podcast.
Learn about Muir Wood or contact our admissions team today.
Modalities of Therapy
Every teen’s residential treatment plan at Muir Wood Teen in Penngrove is customized to their specific emotional, behavioral, and academic needs. Our licensed mental health professionals use a trauma-informed approach that addresses both underlying causes and presenting symptoms, while actively involving family members to strengthen home support. Programs are tailored for adolescents experiencing mental health disorders such as ADHD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, trauma, disordered eating, or co-occurring substance use. This individualized approach helps young people build coping skills, confidence, and resilience that extend into daily life.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Helps teens recognize unhelpful thinking patterns, challenge negative self-beliefs, and replace them with more realistic, constructive ways of coping.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Builds skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and healthy communication—helping teens manage intense feelings and respond more calmly in daily life.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Encourages mindfulness and values-based decision-making so teens can move toward what matters most, even in moments of discomfort or uncertainty.
Trauma-Informed Therapy & Seeking Safety
Focuses on creating stability, self-trust, and emotional safety without requiring trauma exposure, helping teens process difficult experiences at a healthy pace.
Mindfulness & Experiential Therapies
Incorporates art, movement, and guided mindfulness to reduce anxiety, increase body awareness, and strengthen focus and self-expression.
Process & Psychoeducation Groups
Offers a safe space to explore emotions, improve problem-solving, and learn about mental health, stress management, and daily routines that support wellness.
Family Therapy Sessions
Brings parents and caregivers into the process, improving communication, rebuilding trust, and ensuring new skills transfer smoothly from treatment to home life.
What Happens After Residential Treatment?
Support doesn’t end at discharge. At Muir Wood, we partner with families to create a comprehensive aftercare plan that supports continued healing after residential treatment. Depending on your teen’s needs, this plan may include:
- Step down into our Petaluma IOP or coordinate with another clinically appropriate IOP/PHP program
- Referrals to individual counseling and/or psychiatric care
- Alumni check-ins and virtual teen support groups
- A 16-week parent aftercare class at no cost