Healing Through Play: The Role of Recreational Therapy
By Reina Acosta, LCCA Play is the language of childhood. It is through play that children explore the world around them,
The need is urgent. Every 48 seconds, a child in America suffers abuse or neglect. Among the 423,000 children in foster care, many endure severe anxiety, depression, and trauma. At Hope Bridge Home, a ministry of Apostolic Bridge Builders, a plus in a minus world, an empathetic BRIDGE between HOPE and HOME—healing, restoration, and purpose. We refuse to let these children face their struggles alone!
his urgent need. Every 48 seconds, a child in America suffers abuse or neglect. Among the 423,000 children in foster care, many endure severe anxiety, depression, and trauma. At Hope Bridge Home, a plus in a minus world, we refuse to let these children face their struggles alone! Apostolic Bridge Builders, Inc. DBA Hope Bridge Home RTC is a Christ-centered beacon of hope where every child is SEEN, HEARD, VALUED, and NUTURED towards healing and wholeness. A rare blend of Therapeutic and Divine Interventions!
Apostolic Bridge Builders, Inc., operating as Hope Bridge Home, envisions becoming a leading sanctuary of hope and transformation for children in Texas. Our vision is to ensure that every child entrusted to our care has the opportunity to lead a healthy, fulfilling, and successful life. By providing holistic care, steadfast support, and access to essential resources, we aim to empower young individuals with the skills and confidence they need to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.
At Hope Bridge Home RTC, our mission is to ignite hope and instill a sense of divine purpose by creating a nurturing, therapeutic, and secure environment for boys and girls who have endured abuse, abandonment, neglect, poverty, and other adversities. We are unwavering in our commitment to promoting healing, addressing their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, and exceeding the standards set by HHSC and DFPS. Through structured programs and compassionate care, we strive to empower these young individuals, equipping them with a strong foundation for a brighter, purpose-filled future.
The purpose of Hope Bridge Home is to be a beacon of hope for children who have endured unimaginable hardships. Our home serves as a sanctuary for boys and girls ages 6-17, offering a safe space where they can find refuge, rebuild trust, and embark on a journey of healing, growth, and renewed purpose.
Hope Bridge Home RTC (HBH) offers comprehensive and compassionate support tailored to both short-term and long-term needs. Our Christ-centered sanctuary provides immediate, innovative care and stability for children in crisis while fostering long-term growth, healing, and empowerment.
What Sets Us Apart:
Advanced, multiple evidence-based, and evidence-informed therapeutic interventions, including CBT, solution-focused Brief, music, play, art, dialectical behavior therapy, and integrating Trust-Based Relational Intervention.
Scientific Biblical Approach: Integrating psychological insights with faith.
Trauma-Informed Care: Breaking the cycle of trauma with specialized interventions.
Forgiveness Therapy: Promoting healing and peace of mind.
Joy Café: A transformative space for expression and connection.
With individualized treatment plans, an onsite highly skilled and licensed treatment director and therapist, a Crisis Chaplain, an empathetic and professional Licensed Child Care Administrator, and devoted professional-level service providers passionate about children, we are dedicated to guiding each child through their healing journey and transformation. Our personalized approach, holistic care, and family therapy foster resilience and well-being. With experienced, dedicated staff, we provide exceptional support, empowering children to thrive and overcome challenges.
Our residential treatment center also provides trauma-informed care and emergency services.
Our facility provides 24-hour therapeutic support within a nurturing and structured environment, dedicated to fostering emotional well-being and facilitating family reunification.
Equipping children with the skills and education needed for a successful and independent future.
Childcare Services Hope Bridge Home offers a warm, nurturing, and structured environment where children can thrive. Our childcare services prioritize safety, emotional stability, and developmental growth, with dedicated caregivers providing round-the-clock support tailored to each child's unique needs. Assessment Services We conduct comprehensive assessments to understand each child's strengths, challenges, and needs. Through evidence-based evaluations, we create individualized care plans that guide therapeutic interventions and promote long-term success. Immediate Care and Emergency Services In times of crisis, Hope Bridge Home provides immediate care and emergency support for children facing urgent situations. Our skilled team ensures safety, stability, and compassionate intervention during critical moments, laying the foundation for recovery and resilience.
At Hope Bridge Home, we provide a comprehensive program designed to support children with emotional disorders, fostering healing, resilience, and growth.
Our treatment services integrate evidence-based approaches within a nurturing and structured environment. These services are tailored to address a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges, including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma, and interpersonal difficulties. Our framework is built on a multidisciplinary foundation to ensure that every child receives individualized care.
Theoretical Framework
To guide our treatment for emotional disorders, we employ a dynamic combination of therapeutic models, each addressing unique aspects of emotional and behavioral well-being:
TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention):
Rooted in attachment theory and trauma-informed care, TBRI focuses on building trust-filled relationships and empowering children to address past traumas. This approach nurtures emotional security and resilience by meeting children's physical, emotional, and relational needs.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
CBT identifies and transforms negative thought patterns and behaviors, equipping children with the tools to manage anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges. By fostering healthier perspectives, CBT encourages self-regulation and positive coping strategies.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy:
This strengths-based approach helps children identify actionable goals by leveraging their innate abilities. It fosters a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, helping them navigate immediate challenges effectively.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT):
DBT supports children in developing emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. It provides practical tools for managing intense emotions and improving relationships.
Play Therapy:
Using the therapeutic power of play, this modality allows children to express and process emotions safely. It creates an avenue for children to navigate complex feelings and trauma through imaginative and symbolic exploration.
Art Therapy:
Encouraging creative expression, art therapy promotes self-awareness, emotional healing, and resilience. Children use visual mediums to explore their inner experiences and communicate feelings that may be difficult to verbalize.
Music Therapy:
Harnessing the emotional and psychological benefits of music, this therapy fosters expression, reduces stress, and enhances self-esteem. Music therapy creates a calming environment, enabling children to connect with themselves and others in meaningful ways.
How We Implement the Framework
Individualized Care Plans: Each child’s unique needs and strengths are assessed to develop a personalized treatment plan that incorporates these therapeutic modalities.
Trauma-Informed Environment: Our team is trained in trauma-sensitive practices, ensuring children feel safe and supported as they navigate their emotional challenges.
Collaborative Approach: Families, caregivers, and multidisciplinary professionals collaborate to provide consistent care and reinforce positive outcomes.
Ongoing Monitoring and Support: Progress is regularly evaluated, and interventions are adjusted to meet the evolving needs of each child.
By integrating our evidence-based theoretical framework into the treatment of emotional disorders, Hope Bridge Home provides a holistic, compassionate approach to healing. Our goal is to empower every child to overcome emotional challenges, build resilience, and unlock their full potential.
Residential treatment programs at HBH, RTC are live-in, home-like facilities where children and teens receive intensive, comprehensive care for depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Our boys and girls residential treatment offers integrated, evidence-based programming for teens ages 6–17.
Apostolic Bridge Builders, Inc., through Hope Bridge Home, RTC strives to be the premier bridge of hope, healing, and restoration—a sanctuary for children and youth in Texas.
At Hope Bridge Home, we don’t just care for children—we transform lives. Beyond providing beds and care, we offer a sanctuary of hope. Here, children find an empathetic environment that
serves as a compassionate bridge toward healing, wholeness, and faith.
We are a ministry of Apostolic Bridge Builders, Inc., a Christ-centered home built on the unwavering belief that no child is too broken to be made whole. We embrace children who have
been abandoned, abused, and forgotten, offering them a safe harbor where healing and hope become a reality. Every child who walks through our doors becomes part of a loving community that nurtures, restores, and empowers them to overcome their darkest challenges.
By embracing our vision, mission, purpose, and objectives, Hope Bridge Home strives to provide a safe, nurturing space where vulnerable children can heal, grow, and achieve their God- given potential. Together, we are fostering family restoration, breaking the chains of trauma,
and creating pathways for future success, one child at a time.
Provide a nurturing and therapeutic environment that promotes healing, emotional well-being, and family reunification wherever possible.
Address the physical, emotional, and educational needs of every child by offering individualized treatment plans, fostering personal growth,
Uphold and surpass the minimum standards set by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
Partner with local organizations, professionals, and volunteers to expand resources and provide a wide support network for our children and their families.
Equip children with essential life skills, educational opportunities, and vocational training that prepare them for independent and successful futures.
Continuously evaluate and improve our programs to adapt to the evolving needs of children and ensure the best possible outcomes.
Provide trauma-informed care that addresses the root causes of the children’s hardships, breaking the cycle of trauma and offering long-term healing.
Raise awareness about the challenges faced by vulnerable children and advocate for policies and practices that prioritize their rights and well-being.
CARE encapsulates the essence of our mission in a simple, memorable way, reminding everyone daily of the compassionate, resilient, and empowering environment we are building for children.
HOPE is deeply meaningful, aligning directly with the message of faith, transformation, and
brighter futures that Hope Bridge Home is all about.
512-808-8383
admissions@hopebridgehome.org
Office Hours
Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Designation
I was really struggling with relationship issues and didn't know where to turn. After a few sessions with a couples therapist, my partner and I were able to work through our problems and communicate in a more healthy and effective way.
Designation
I had been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for years and was convinced I would never be able to overcome them. But my therapist was incredibly supportive and helped me to identify my triggers and develop coping mechanisms.
Designation
I've been seeing a counselor for a few months now to help me work through childhood trauma and grief. My counselor is so compassionate and understanding, and has created a safe and supportive space for me to explore my emotions.
At Hope Bridge Home, we believe our mission is a calling from God to serve and uplift His
children. We are guided by four foundational principles that shape our mission, vision, and daily
operations. These values, represented by the acronym T.R.E.C., embody the heart and purpose
of our work, reminding us of the profound impact we aim to make in the lives of the children we
serve.
We strive for life-changing impact, guiding children from hurt to hope, building bridges to brighter futures.
We are committed to restoring dignity, helping children discover their own inner strength and self-worth.
We foster a spirit of overcoming hardship, supporting each child on their journey toward growth and healing. Rooted in faith, we encourage resilience, knowing that God gives us the strength to overcome hardship. We walk with each child as they discover their own resilience, trusting in God's plan for their growth and healing.
At the heart of our work is God’s compassion, guiding us to act with love, understanding, and kindness. Every interaction is a chance to demonstrate His boundless love and mercy. We place empathy at the center of our work, ensuring that love, understanding, and kindness permeate every action.
The cost of care is typically covered by state funding, private insurance, or other third-party
funding sources. We work with families to identify the best financial options available.
The length of stay varies depending on the individual needs of the child. Some children may stay for a few months, while others may require longer-term care lasting up to a year or more.
The duration is based on their treatment goals and progress.
Upon admission, children receive a comprehensive evaluation from our team of professionals,
including therapists, counselors, and healthcare providers. Each child is assigned a primary
therapist, and a personalized treatment plan is developed to address their specific needs. Daily
schedules include therapy, academic instruction, recreation, and life skills training.The duration is based on their treatment goals and progress.
Yes, family involvement is an important part of the healing process. We encourage regular
visits, family therapy sessions, and participation in treatment planning.
Absolutely. We work closely with the Pflugerville Independent School District (PfISD) to
ensure that children receive personalized educational services tailored to their learning needs.
By Reina Acosta, LCCA Play is the language of childhood. It is through play that children explore the world around them,
As an award-winning licensed professional counselor and treatment director with over 23 years of experience, I have seen firsthand the transformative
Child development is a fascinating journey, unfolding through various stages that shape a child’s growth, resilience, and independence. Recognizing these stages
© 2024 Hope Bridge Home. All Rights Reserved
