About Our Mental Health Workshop

Learn more about The Bridge to Recovery.

Our Story

Founded in 1972 by the visionary couple, Paul and Carol Cannon, The Bridge to Recovery emerged from their unwavering commitment to helping individuals find a path to fulfillment beyond the grip of Depression and Anxiety. Their quest for the ideal location led them to 120+ acres in rural south-central Kentucky, where the serene surroundings provided the seclusion and privacy crucial for clients to embark on their healing journeys.

With only a log cabin on the property, the initial participants of The Bridge to Recovery completed the program within this historic dwelling. During this period, our iconic bridge was constructed, ensuring safe access over the creek that traverses the property.

Driven by a vision of a world where well-being is accessible to everyone without barriers to recovery, The Bridge to Recovery aims to deliver unparalleled therapy for those struggling with a history of substance abuse or mental health concerns. Our ultimate goal is to guide clients toward a newfound freedom.

In 2020, Paul and Carol Cannon, inseparable in life, passed away just months apart. Their legacy lives on through the enduring impact on our program.

We invite you to learn more about us, ask questions, or share your journey by calling (877) 866-8661 or emailing info@thebridgetorecovery.com.

The Bridge to Recovery is a distinguished residential program dedicated to healing individuals affected by trauma, anxiety, depression, codependency, and other negative behavior patterns. By addressing the core causes of emotional pain, our program facilitates emotional recovery and a renewed zest for life.

We aspire to provide accessible and affordable opportunities for individuals in pain to uncover their hidden struggles, discover their truth, and embark on a transformative journey toward a revitalized life.

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Our Values

At The Bridge to Recovery, we are committed to our clients, their families, our industry, and our community. It is our goal to nurture our innate perseverance to survive painful events, our need for human connection, and our desire to help individuals and families heal from the toxic issues plaguing ourselves, our families, our industry, our society, and our world.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethics and maintain the highest level of integrity in our services. We pride ourselves on being a program of excellence.

What Sets Us Apart

Our Approach

“The Bridge to Recovery is a Workshop Model with a Treatment Mindset

Our approach to care is extremely unique and sets us apart from other programs. We have five decades of experience helping clients heal from unresolved trauma with proven positive outcomes.  

We are one of only a select few programs in the US & worldwide that is dedicated ONLY to addressing trauma & codependency as a primary issue.

To understand more about our program, it is essential to understand our team's approach to care.

  • Because of our unique program model, we have outreach staff around the country, creating relationships with Therapists, Treatment Programs, Family Programs, Interventionists, to provide education about our program and our care model.
  • Set Admission Dates: We admit groups beginning every other Monday.
  • We only admit up to 10 individuals during an admission cycle.  
  • Small, closed groups create a safe and secure environment for clients to open up and do the deep work necessary for healing (meaning no new admits after the workshop cycle has begun).
  • Our Milieu can consist of men and women of all ages.
  • Each individual group is filled with diverse ages, ethnicities, community & culture, family systems, socio-economic background and experiences.
  • While trauma “symptoms” and individual stories are unique, group members find that their underlying and unresolved pain is their commonality, creating a community of connection, empathy, and healing. 
  • Real and authentic healing is nurtured in this setting.
  • Our unique program curriculum was created by our Co-Founder, Carol Cannon. Since then, over the past five decades, we have continued to supplement, when available, breaking advances in trauma care to provide the most well-rounded, evidence-based, foundation-rooted program.
  • Our residential workshop focuses on unresolved trauma and provides space for the experiential modalities to work.  
  • We have found that deep and authentic healing happens in the group setting with clients who are ready, willing, and physically/emotionally able to dive into deeply rooted, unresolved trauma, family systems work, and attachment work.  
  • Our admissions team and clinical teams work closely together to ensure we are the best fit for every client.
  • We employ a diverse clinical staff with many different backgrounds, genders, experiences, educational accomplishments, professional accomplishments, accreditations, and specialties.
  • We utilize multiple modalities of experiential therapy that best help our clients foster healthy connections with themselves through awareness and productive use of their physical sensations and emotions.
  • The work you will do at The Bridge is geared toward growing and strengthening emotional intelligence.
  • We believe that your healing journey, once started, is a forever journey filled with ups & downs. Once a part of our Bridge family as a client, you are forever part of that family, and our aftercare team is dedicated to supporting you through those ups & downs.
  • Our Alumni Program provides ongoing connection, support, referrals, and more for the lifetime of our clients.
  • Our aftercare team provides referrals and contacts for a wide array of needs, helping to build the “aftercare toolbox” necessary for a successful return home.

At The Bridge, we recognize that every individual is unique in their recovery process, including the amount of time it takes for healing to occur. The Bridge to Recovery is a safe space for this process to take place.

What to Expect at The Bridge to Recovery

A typical day at our mental health workshop might look like:
The Bridge to Recovery
Bowling Green, Kentucky  ·  Est. 1972
Daily Client Schedule
Time Activity
7:00 am Lodge Opens
7:30 am Coffee & Tea Available
8:00 – 8:30 am Morning Meditation / Check-In
8:30 am Breakfast
9:15 am Medications
9:45 am Group Session
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Yoga Activity varies by day
12:30 pm Lunch
1:45 – 5:00 pm Group Session
5:00 pm Dinner
6:00 pm Evening Activity / Weekend Outing Activity varies by day
7:00 pm (approx.) Checkout
7:30 pm (approx.) Downtime
10:00 pm Lodge Closes
10:15 pm Back at Residence

Just an hour and 20 minutes North from Nashville, Tennessee sits our healing refuge. Hidden away on 120 acres of rolling Kentucky hills.

What we help with

Discover Serenity at Our Tranquil Location

Nestled on 120+  acres of lush, rolling hills, The Bridge to Recovery offers a tranquil retreat in Bowling Green, Kentucky, just over an hour north of Nashville, Tennessee. Our program campus embraces a woodsy, rustic ambiance with natural surroundings, including expansive forests, picturesque pastures, enchanting natural caves, a serene creek meandering through the property, and a diverse array of wildlife.

Bowling Green, incorporated in 1812, boasts a rich history and is home to approximately 68,400 residents. Recognized for housing Western Kentucky University, the city remains a vibrant outlier to Nashville. The Bridge to Recovery, having settled just outside Bowling Green in the 1970s, has flourished in this picturesque locale ever since.

Explore Our Accommodations

Our 120+-acre nature setting in the rolling hills of southcentral Kentucky serves as the backdrop for our program campus, which has thrived over our 50-year history. We are committed to providing a high standard of accommodations, where each house is maintained and staffed with a gender-specific House Manager overseeing routine needs and maintenance. Far from a clinical setting, each residence exudes a warm, home-like atmosphere.

Lorne's Place (The Women's House)

Constructed in the 1990s, this three-story residence becomes a cherished home for our female clients. It can accommodate approximately 12-15 women, depending on room setup.

Dzenski House (The Men's House)

A ranch-style residence situated on the opposite side of the creek, accessible via our pedestrian bridge built in 2020. It can provide residence to approximately 11-13 men, depending on room setup.

Cannon Cabin

This Civil War-era log cabin, lovingly restored in 2013, serves as the home for our Accelerated Program for Behavioral Health Professionals and other small group workshops. It can accommodate approximately 8 workshop participants.

Expectations and Amenities for Our Guests

Our guests can anticipate the following amenities in each residence:

  • Laundry facilities (Detergent/Pods provided)
  • Pillows and Bedding
  • Additional Snacks and Beverages
  • Games and Puzzles for use during downtimes

What Guests Should Plan to Bring

To enhance their stay, guests are encouraged to bring:

  • Towels (2)
  • Toiletries for personal bath use

This harmonious blend of nature and hospitality ensures that our guests at The Bridge to Recovery experience a nurturing and transformative environment during their journey to healing and well-being.

Length of Stay

At The Bridge to Recovery, we understand that everyone's healing journey is unique. Our minimum length of stay is 2 weeks (14 days), a timeframe during which many clients experience remarkable progress and healing, choosing to conclude their transformative experience with us.

For those who feel the need for more time or wish to explore additional aspects of their healing process, we offer the flexibility to extend their stay. The decision to prolong one's stay is entirely personal, and clients collaborate with their counselors, group members, and support team to make an informed choice.

Our commitment is to maintain an open and supportive environment, allowing your healing process to unfold naturally. Clients may extend their stay beyond 2 weeks if it is recommended by the support team. Our average length of stay typically ranges from 2 to 4 weeks, emphasizing the importance of aligning with your unique timeline, not ours.

Your healing journey is a personal evolution, and we are here to provide the time and space necessary for your comprehensive well-being.

This concept is another aspect truly unique to The Bridge to Recovery. 

  • It is up to the individual, with encouragement and support from their care team, to determine what is best for their mind, body, and soul.
  • You will not find yourself in a situation where you have opened up, engaged in the process, and then told your “time is up.”
  • Our clients thrive in an environment where they feel safe to open up on their own healing timeline.
  • Our clients learn to see their experience as an emotional healing journey and not an emotional “cure” – this leads to less feelings of failure and better engagement in long-term recovery. 

Attending The Bridge to Recovery is an emotional surgery. Like any surgery, every person’s healing process and progress is unique. We nurture that need.

Amenities at The Bridge to Recovery

Embarking on a transformative journey, The Bridge to Recovery offers an intensive program, ensuring clients are actively engaged in our clinical activities for the majority of the day, seven days a week during their stay. While prioritizing the therapeutic process, we recognize the importance of physical activity, self-care, and rest, incorporating these elements into our daily schedule. We encourage clients to embrace the surrounding environment, fostering a holistic and enriching experience.

Immersing ourselves in nature, our clients can indulge in walking and hiking along numerous trails, traversing grasslands, and exploring forests. Delve into area cave systems boasting waterfalls during rainy seasons, marvel at stunning cliff formations, or challenge yourself with acres of hills and terrains while enjoying spectacular views of local wildlife. Engage in Disc Golf,  our Labyrinth on property, and our unique “Inner Child Playground,” designed to reignite the joy of fun.

For times when the weather poses a challenge, our indoor facilities provide a refuge.

Yoga is an integral part of our program, welcoming participants of all skill levels. Our sessions encompass gentle stretching, meditation, mindfulness, body movement, energy release, and trauma/body connection exercises.

Our sauna is availbale for deep relaxation.

We encourage the therapeutic power of expression through journaling and writing, fostering personal reflection and connection. Scattered across our expansive 120+ acres, serene writing sanctuaries offer ideal spaces for contemplation. Additionally, we promote recovery and wellness reading, allowing clients to explore selections from our onsite bookstore. Nature’s reading nooks provide tranquil settings to immerse oneself in meaningful literature. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive and supportive environment, enhancing the recovery and wellness journey of our clients at The Bridge to Recovery.

When contemplating our program, one of the initial inquiries often revolves around our food and dietary offerings. Here’s what you can expect during your stay:

Our kitchen is led by a trained and talented team, each boasting years of experience in crafting meals that are not only healthy and nutritious but also soul-filling. We prioritize delivering diverse dishes infused with culturally rich flavors and recognize the importance of comfort cuisine when appropriate.

Your workshop registration costs cover daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Throughout client areas, we provide an assortment of snacks, including granola bars, nuts, crackers, fruit, and more. Our approach emphasizes minimal caffeine, sugar, sodas, and desserts, while offering a wide array of healthy beverage options.

Understanding that dietary preferences, needs, and restrictions vary, our kitchen and staff are well-equipped to handle a wide range of special requests. We have successfully accommodated various dietary needs and restrictions, including gluten intolerance, Celiac disease, tree nut allergies, dairy allergies, lactose intolerance, egg allergies, fish and shellfish allergies, soy allergies, vegetarian and vegan preferences, kosher dietary requirements, and diabetic and blood sugar maintenance.

At The Bridge, we recognize that some clients enter our program with an unhealthy relationship with food and body image, often stemming from underlying and unresolved historical trauma. This may manifest in behaviors such as binge eating, overeating, undereating, food restriction, excessive health consciousness, stress-eating, body dysmorphia, and other body image concerns, including muscle dysmorphia.

Our care team collaborates closely with our kitchen team to support clients in their journey towards education and balance regarding food and body wellness. However, for potential clients engaged in acute disordered eating behaviors such as anorexia and bulimia, a primary Eating Disorder Treatment Program may be recommended before attending The Bridge to Recovery. Our program focuses on trauma as the primary concern, allowing clients to stabilize eating behaviors before delving into the underlying historical causes of maladaptive behaviors.

The Group Process

While attending our program, you will engage in your individual healing work, nurtured and supported by our group process. 

The Bridge to Recovery is a “workshop” model that has found powerful progress and healing happens in a group setting. This can be scary and intimidating for those with preconceived notions about “group therapy.” 

If you are feeling any of those same sentiments, you are certainly not alone. However, our group process is very unique and we encourage you to keep an open mind.  

We have five decades of success, and one of the strongest reasons why is because we utilize a unique group process.  

Maybe it will be best if we debunk some of the preconceived ideas about this process

  • You will NOT spend hours on end listening to “sob stories” from other folks.
  • You will work through The Bridge to Recovery curriculum as a group but will apply it to your individual situation.
  • You will (very likely) NOT have experienced this type of group work before.
  • You will find that because the group is an open-ended continuation day after day, a safe space is created and you will feel safe to do your individual healing work.
  • You will NOT find that you are unique in your fears, your worries, and even the reason why you came to The Bridge. 
  • You will find that while your background, history, and story may be different from your group mates, your pain is the shared commonality. This creates a group foundation of connection, empathy, and healing.
  • You will NOT find success in our program if you are not ready to do this intensive work. It’s a lot. It’s emotional. It’s exhausting.
  • You will find success in our program if you can trust the process, including the GROUP process.

Some Unique Things About Our Groups

  • Our admissions dates are “closed” (meaning we only admit on one day, every other week), which allows for our groups to create a safe, intimate, and cohesive connection. 
  • We will only allow up to 10 individuals in each group.
  • Graduations will always fall on the weekend before the next admission, so there will not be group members admitting or discharging (barring an emergency or unexpected circumstance) during the group cycle.
  • Our group can consist of men and women of all ages.
  • Each individual group is filled with diverse genders, ages, ethnicities, community & culture, family systems, socio-economic backgrounds, experiences, and more. Real and authentic healing is nurtured in this setting.
  • While unnerving at first, group members often create authentic, healthy, and genuine connections with their group members. 
  • Many Bridge clients go on to create lifelong friendships and support systems with their group members.

We provide a lot of information about what we do and who we are. What we are NOT, however, is a “medical model” program employing doctors, psychiatrists, or nursing staff.

We are NOT an appropriate fit for those clients

  • Needing psychological diagnosis, review, or stabilization 
  • Needing medication diagnosis, review, or stabilization
  • Needing primary treatment for active & acute diagnosable behavior, such as: 
    • Substance Abuse (less than two weeks of sobriety time)
    • Food & Body Disorders (less than two weeks since binging, purging, or other symptomatic behaviors)
    • Sex Addiction (currently active in sex-disordered behaviors without previous treatment)
  • With a medical or mental health diagnosis in which a group process/environment is not conducive to the client’s successful recovery journey.
What we help with

Our Team

Responsible for client inquiry assistance, prescreening potential clients to assure we are the best fit for their needs, assessing clients upon admission, working with clients and families on financials, and more. 

Provides direct care to our clients, and includes our therapists & counselors, our house managers, our client relations team, and more.  

Builds relationships with our professional and industry partners to provide education and outreach around the services we provide. 

Specializes in working with clients during their time at the BTR to determine their aftercare needs and then, beyond graduation, as they transition back into their lives at home. This includes support and coaching, events, connections, and more.  

Builds relationships with donors, foundations, public decision-makers, and others to support clients with financial hardships, capital campaign projects, and other underfunded areas.

Manages the day-to-day operations, including human resources, fiscal management, upkeep and maintenance of the property, and more. 

Coordinates meal planning, food preparation, dietary needs management, and overall food servicing for clients at TBTR.

Meet our Team

Leadership Team

Sabyn Mayfield

Sabyn Mayfield

CEO, CADC-II
Lee Fowlkes

Lee Fowlkes

Clinical Director, LCSW
Keats Komisar

Keats Komisar

Director of Finance
Anastasia Harvey

Anastasia Harvey

Director of Operations
Shera Loeser

Shera Loeser

Director of Business Development
Tiffany Garrity

Tiffany Garrity

Director of Admissions
Shane Groves

Shane Groves

Director of Alumni Relations and Continuing Care
Cassie Saltsman

Cassie Saltsman

Director of Clients Relations
Meet Our Team

Clinical Team

Julie Vincent

Julie Vincent

Therapist, LCSW; Eagala Certified
Brennan Caffery

Brennan Caffery

Counselor
Kelly Fraust

Kelly Fraust

Therapist, LPCC
Debra Cromwell

Debra Cromwell

Counselor, ICADC, CADC; Family Weekend Facilitator
Susan Tutino

Susan Tutino

Counselor; AP Counselor; Yoga Instructor; M.A. - Dance Movement Therapy, DTR
 Melissa Meeks

Melissa Meeks

Therapist, LPCC
Paul Markle

Paul Markle

Therapist, LMFT
 Dr. Cre Dye

Dr. Cre Dye

Healing Through Sound; Yoga Instructor; Ph.D., LPCC, NCC, SCL, ERYT-500
Craig Lonas

Craig Lonas

Somatic Movement ; Yoga Instructor
Tamara Stewart

Tamara Stewart

Music Therapy, Certified Trauma Recovery Coach
Trevor Culp

Trevor Culp

Equine Therapy
Kentucky

Our Location

Our program's commitment to accessibility is evident not only in its small-town feel with a big heart for recovery but also in its convenient location, just a one-hour drive from Nashville Airport. This accessibility makes it easier for clients to seamlessly transition into a peaceful recovery oasis on our expansive 120+ acres in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

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