When I was first referred to Barn Life from the residential treatment I was in, I had no idea what to expect. I've cycled between various therapists throughout my life and although I'd made some great strides, I still felt like I had reached the end of the road, and Barn Life aka "The Barn" couldn't have been further from the kinds of therapy I'd grown accustomed to. I'm a city kid through and through, so already I was thrown by the thought of being in a Barn or anything involving a Barn, but thankfully no farm work was involved 😆
And while I bring that up somewhat in jest, I also want to give my candid perspective because I did walk in with a lot of apprehension and nervousness. I also feel it's worth mentioning that I had my own ups and downs, but that was to be expected even if at the time those lows were intensified by the weight of being in treatment.
What stuck with me the most from my time at the Barn was how I was held accountable for staying on course, while still being met with empathy and compassion. By the time I left, I was not only far more attuned with my emotions, but I also had tangible coping mechanisms that I continue to use and ultimately helped me to avoid my slips becoming falls.
The only "caveat" or detail I feel was challenging at times was the adjustment to being in a community-based environment. I say caveat in quotes because as an extrovert I didn't typically struggle to speak in groups, but as a new client I could see it being jarring, especially for anybody with social anxiety. When I got there, I went from being in a small intimate setting of 4-5 other clients max to there being ~15-20 other people on average at the Barn and I noticed sometimes people felt drowned out easily in the crowd.
My advice to anybody starting at the Barn would be to always seize the opportunity to share in groups, even if it is to voice constructive feedback. The faculty is always open to suggestions and is committed to making the Barn a safe space to process emotions. Ergo, community is essential to the structure of the program.
Push yourself! Take inventory of what's being said in group if you don't get the chance to share! Reach out to other people if what they said resonated with you! Go to the groups you think will be uncomfortable! Be vulnerable! Try new things! And advocate for yourself if you feel you need a change--it's YOUR treatment, make the most out of it!
Bottom line is I would absolutely recommend Barn Life to anybody ready to commit to treatment and anybody feeling uninspired by traditional therapy. If nothing else, the Barn is a one of a kind facility where therapy doesn't feel dry or institutional.