Emerald Arrow, a Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness program for young adults 18-29, announces the addition of its student retreat property, Anchor Point. Designed to be a point of consistency for students to experience connection, and community and to ‘anchor’ in their work, the introduction of Anchor Point supports Emerald Arrow’s mission to provide emerging adults opportunities to deepen their capacity to thrive in lasting, sustainable ways. 

Nestled in the mountains of Franklin, North Carolina, Anchor Point spans 110 acres and features amenities such as cabins, running water, hot showers, toilets, electricity, a commercial kitchen, hiking trails, a creek, and grassy fields. During intermittent retreats to the property, students engage in a range of unique activities which are directly relevant to real-world young adult experiences such as self-care days, cooking classes, skill-building workshops, creative intensives and visits from professional guest speakers. Through these encounters, students have access to foundational habits, skills and resources for living with more confidence, vitality, and independence.

Beyond its facilities, Anchor Point offers students access to a constant point of connection and community in an otherwise nomadic wilderness therapy environment. When retreating to the property, students are afforded time and space to focus on grounding and reflecting upon their personal journey and therapeutic process.

Emerald Arrow Primary Therapist and Clinical Director, Anne Wilzbacher, LCMHC, explains “In archery, when preparing to release an arrow, the anchor point is the location at which one keeps their hand while at full draw. This point is used as a reference for consistency — having a clear anchor point can greatly increase your accuracy… We believe in opportunities for individuals to slow down, to ‘anchor’ in new mindsets, patterns and experiences, and to gain clarity on what the next step forward will be. For our young adult students, Anchor Point will be a place which to return, a place to understand and be understood. We are anchoring in what we’re discovering and learning so that we have more consistent points of reference for ourselves, which will support further sustainability and lasting change. We are instilling the idea that it is constant and imperative that we continue, no matter what stage of life we’re in, to come back to ourselves, re-align our intentions with our actions, and assess what our needs are. Anchor Point represents getting to know this part of ourselves.”

Emerald Arrow: A Bold Path is a Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness program for young adults. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Emerald Arrow provides a safe, holistic, and clinically sophisticated environment for struggling young adults to reflect upon themselves, their family systems and their futures, and to work through challenges in an immersive wilderness environment.