It is the mission of Hill Country Youth Ranch to provide a safe, loving, and life-enhancing environment for children with special emotional and developmental needs.
Philosophy of Healing and Growth
We believe that God has endowed each human being with a unique set of instructions to carry out his life. One of the most profound disturbances to the early development of this guidance system occurs when a child is prematurely separated from a protective environment, such as through loss of important relationships owing to abuse, abandonment, or catastrophe. Only time, along with the experience of being nurtured, can dissipate fear and anger and return the child to his appointed journey.
Contact with a patient and disciplined person who has an effective understanding of the healing process can play an important role during this time of recovery. Since it is rare for a wounded child to move adeptly into a trust-based relationship, it is also essential to provide a structured environment that can secure the child in moral and personal safety until the complex and perilous task of recovering treasures lost is achieved.
Building Trust
Before healing can begin, a child must feel safe. Part of feeling safe is being accepted despite poor behavior choices. HCYR’s team focuses on gaining understanding of each child’s trauma, seeing potential and reaching out to the child to build mutual trust. Moreover, we believe that a child needs to experience relationship that lasts, knowing someone who endures with him over time until the best and worst has all been seen.
