More than a break – this is a reset.
A curated, immersive experience that helps teens and young adults reconnect with who they are and who they desire to be in this world.
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Alter the Course of a Young Life
7 days can
This isn’t therapy.
It isn't wilderness.
It isn't rehab.
ATC Retreats is a 7-day/6-night immersive experience for teens & young adults.
This is the pause that changes everything.
It is an opportunity.
A week designed to awaken.
Every retreat — whether The Group or our signature Individual Intensive — is meticulously crafted. Each element is curated with intention, reflecting the unique interests, passions, and potential of every participant. No two experiences are the same. Because no two young people are.
Mornings can include sitting at the surf’s edge or overlooking the city while easing into a life changing day ahead.
Tour universities, renowned institutions - meet with professors, researchers and intellects - in areas you are interested in.
Meet artists, athletes, founders, agents, entrepreneurs, real estate, finance to music, film and theatre - people living their passion who share their orgin story as you are defining yours.
Debrief under the stars each night - reflect, reset, and connect.
Enroll in a Retreat
For parents and professionals.
This is the option that feels like a gift, not a consequence.
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Some families come to ATC Retreats with a young person who is simply stuck. Others come having watched them lose faith entirely — in the process, in the people around them, in themselves.
ATC Retreats is a high-impact, short-term experience built for both. For young people who need direction, clarity, or to feel genuinely inspired and motivated again — re-engaged with life. And for those who have stopped listening, stopped trying, stopped believing that anything can actually change.
We know that place. And we believe — even when they don't.
The pause that invites the pivot.
ATC is the trusted space for clinicians, educational consultants, and treatment professionals - an enhancement to your work. And for those clients stepping down from residential treatment, ATC is a place to land. Where everything gained in treatment can settle, take root, and become truly theirs. Moving directly from RTC to home can feel like re-entering the atmosphere. It can he overwhelming. ATC allows them to ease back into life feeling ready, grounded, and genuinely excited for what's next.
FOR PROFESSIONALS
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ATC Retreats is the launchpad to high school, college, boarding school — or simply the next chapter of life. A step away from the traditional, and a step toward the possible. This non-threatening experience resonates with families who have never pursued therapy, and equally with those who have tried coaching or treatment but are looking for a fresh approach.
ATC Retreats is the refuge — the opportunity for a reset. Whether the struggle is anxiety, depression, isolation, marijuana or nicotine use, excessive device use, gaming, online gambling, or simply the weight of navigating life — ATC creates the space between a young person and their patterns. That space is life-altering. They arrive caught in a cycle. They leave with something far more powerful — a choice.
ATC Retreats is a Proud Member of:
For Young
people.
No one’s coming here to be “fixed”. What you’ll find is real people, and a space to explore who you are and who you want to be – with zero pressure to be anyone else.
For one week, you'll hit pause—on all of it. Surrounding yourself with people who know how to make things happen—in music, film, business, real estate, fashion, science, sports and more. Tell us what your thing is, or what it used to be. Don’t know? Even better—we’ll help you find it.
No pressure. No grades. No noise. This isn’t school. This isn’t a test. This is your chance to try new things and get fired up in a way that leaves you winning.
Leave with stories worth telling, friends and contacts who get you, and a plan to take you to the next level of your amazing life.
We know you’re not broken.
You just need a break.
Not a treatment center.
Not a crisis unit.
Your next right step.
What this is
Curated, dimensional,
life-altering
Built with expertise and inspiration
Real people,
real connections,
real life
What this isn’t
Your mother's retreat
One-size-fits-all
A treatment center
For "troubled teens"
Meet the Founder
Led by a woman who saw what was missing – and built it.
Lynne Pedersen, CADC-II, ICADC-II is one of the most respected leaders in adolescent and young adult mental health, with 35+ years of experience at the forefront of the field. Her visionary leadership has shaped some of the nation’s most influential programs, and her pioneering work in early intervention has given countless families a lifeline before crisis hits.
Featured on ABC, NBC, FOX, KTLA and Spectrum News, contributed to MTV’s Rock Against Drugs campaign, and earned recognition from the LA District Attorney’s Office, Paramount Studios, and the NBA for her impact and vision.
Learn more about Lynne’s story
What parents & young people are saying
“It was amazing! Such a blast. I didn’t want to leave. No one was more shocked than me. The connections I made were insane!"—Ben, 19 Y-Adult
"My son got motivated, set goals for his life. Before he was lost in his own fears, limitations, boundaries – he couldn’t let himself succeed emotionally, mentally, physically, socially or in business.
I am proud of my son’s change and realization - in just 7 days.”
— MOTHER, Y-ADULT participant
“I will highly suggest ATC first because Lynne pours her heart and soul into your child. She is engaged and invested in igniting a change.
My son got motivated, set goals for his life before he was lost with his own fears, his own limitations, his own boundaries – he couldn’t let himself succeed emotionally, mentally, psychologically, physically, socially and business wise. I am proud of my son’s change and realization - in just 7 days.”
— Mother of 18 year old male
“I can’t thank you enough for helping our family. I was able to regain that piece of unconditional love I thought might be gone forever with my daughter.
I have the strength to move through this bit of the middle. From the bottom of this tired heart, thank you.
— Mother of 17 year old female
“It’s a place to just get away from the world and just have a different environment without drugs or alcohol or nicotine.
It changes your mindset on the decisions that you make, and it proves that you can have the same amount of fun if not more without being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
— Adolescent participant
“My personal favorite comment out of my son's mouth - which blew me away, “Do you think I could go back for another week?” I literally cried.
All things I never expected to come out of my 14 (soon to be 15) son’s mouth when I picked him up at the airport after his week at Alter the Course.”
— Mother of 16 year old male
“ATC provided a safe supportive and positive transformational experience for my son.
He arrived feeling down and stuck in a rut and after completing the program he left with his his confidence and his beautiful happy bouncy personality restored. We can't thank you enough!”
— Mother of young adult male
READY TO
Alter the Course?
Whether you're a parent looking for clarity, a school exploring alternatives, or a teen ready for something real… we’re here when you’re ready.
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