At the heart of Highlands in Bloom (HiB) is a powerful personal story from burnout to breakthrough – a journey of transformation led by our founder, Deanna Farnell. Her path from silent suffering to bold healing has shaped everything we do.
A Life of Doing… Until the Body Said “Enough”
Deanna was the go-to fix-it person for everyone – someone who could effortlessly step into crisis and restore calm. But beneath that surface of composure, she was running on empty. Chronic stress, unprocessed trauma, and relentless over-giving took their toll until her body began to scream.
She experienced fatigue, inflammation, brain fog, and emotional crashes – until she couldn’t ignore the message anymore. The diagnosis: autoimmune disease. That moment of reckoning became her catalyst for change.
Stepping Away to Step Within
At a career pinnacle, Deanna chose to pause – a brave and uncommon decision. She stepped away from over 30 years in corporate leadership to focus entirely on her healing. Without a retreat center to guide her, she turned inward – embracing therapy, meditation, journaling, and somatic movement.
Through body-focused modalities, she rediscovered clarity, direction, and peace. This wasn’t a temporary escape – it was the beginning of an entirely new way of being.
Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty
Deanna’s mission to create a supportive space for healing began well before Highlands in Bloom. Just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched a Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient (PHP/IOP) program – a comprehensive clinical offering grounded in her vision of integrated care, FOY Wellness and Recovery.
But when the world shut down, so did the program. It was deemed non-essential during lockdowns, despite the rising need for mental health support. Rather than give up, Deanna used that time to deepen her commitment, reflect, and reimagine what healing could look like post-pandemic.
Today, that vision lives on through Highlands in Bloom – a private, residential treatment center in the heart of Agoura Hills. It’s more than a second chance; it’s a fully realized model for nervous system-based healing, trauma recovery, and whole-body wellness. And it’s built on the resilience of someone who refused to let uncertainty silence the call to serve.
Turning Personal Healing Into a Collective Mission
Deanna’s story reflects what many high-achieving women and caregivers face: the pressure to keep going, even when they’re falling apart. Highlands in Bloom was born from this recognition – a sanctuary for those who need more than symptom management.
Here, healing includes the nervous system, trauma history, and the cultural conditioning that tells us to “push through.”
A Different Kind of Healing Culture
At Highlands in Bloom:
- Rest is a right, not a reward.
- Healing is a process, not a quick fix.
- Worth is not measured by productivity.
- Health is holistic – body, mind, and environment.
These values are not aspirational – they’re embodied, shaped by Deanna’s lived experience.
What This Means for You
When you walk into Highlands in Bloom, you enter a space created with intention. This isn’t just a treatment program. It’s a community grounded in self-leadership, regulation, and re-connection.
Our programs reflect what Deanna herself needed when she was navigating the unknown – compassionate care that honors the whole person.
In Deanna’s Words
“This is not a story about burnout; it is about what lives beyond it – regulation, repair, and remembering who we are underneath it all.”
Meet Deanna Farnell
Founder & Visionary, Highlands in Bloom
Deanna’s courage to heal became the foundation of Highlands in Bloom. Her journey reminds us that true wellness begins when we stop outrunning our bodies – and start listening with curiosity, compassion, and care.
Highlands in Bloom
Residential Treatment Center for Autoimmune + Mental Health
Agoura Hills, California
(805) 892-6313
Licensed by CDSS • Certified by DHCS • JCAHO Accredited