When life feels heavy with chronic illness, emotional burnout, or unresolved trauma, healing may require more than the resources close to home. For many individuals living with autoimmune disorders and mental health challenges, out-of-state residential treatment isn’t just a practical option it’s a transformative one.
At Highlands in Bloom (HiB), we serve clients from across the U.S. who are seeking a deeper level of care, one that integrates licensed clinical support with complementary, science-informed practices. But how do you know if traveling for treatment is right for you?
Here are five key questions to ask yourself when exploring whether out-of-state residential care could be your next healing step.
1. Have local options failed to meet your full spectrum of needs emotionally and physically?
Many clients come to Highlands after trying multiple providers, prescriptions, or piecemeal therapies that only address one piece of the puzzle. While traditional outpatient therapy or primary care may help manage surface symptoms, they often fall short for individuals dealing with both mental health disorders and autoimmune conditions.
Science supports the need for integrated care:
Studies published in Psychoneuroendocrinology and JAMA Psychiatry show that chronic stress, trauma, and emotional dysregulation can increase systemic inflammation and dysregulate immune response. Conversely, treating both the mind and body improves outcomes for individuals with conditions like lupus, fibromyalgia, and IBD.
If you’ve found yourself managing symptoms rather than healing the root causes, out-of-state care especially at a facility like Highlands in Bloom that is uniquely designed for this intersection may be exactly what’s needed.
2. Are you seeking a trauma-informed, whole-person model of healing?
Most residential treatment centers focus exclusively on mental health or addiction. Highlands in Bloom was created to meet a different, underserved population: those navigating chronic illness and emotional trauma simultaneously.
Our trauma-informed approach blends licensed psychotherapy (CBT, EMDR, somatic therapy) with holistic, body-based practices proven to support nervous system regulation and immune health. These include:
- Cold plunge therapy
- Red light and infrared sauna
- PEMF therapy (BEMER)
- Somatic movement and breathwork
- Functional nutrition and anti-inflammatory meal planning
- Nature immersion and energy healing
Clients follow a structured daily rhythm designed to support nervous system balance and reduce inflammatory stress, two key components of long-term healing.
According to the National Institutes of Health, trauma-informed care combined with lifestyle interventions improves cortisol balance, vagal tone, and resilience markers directly linked to immune system performance.
3. Are you in need of a true reset physically, emotionally, and environmentally?
Environment matters when it comes to healing. If you’re stuck in daily routines, environments, or relationships that contribute to your stress load, stepping outside of your current setting can create a meaningful psychological and physiological shift.
Highlands in Bloom is nestled in the natural beauty of Agoura Hills, California, offering a sanctuary for nervous system restoration. For out-of-state clients, this geographic distance often provides a mental boundary from old patterns, giving space to gain clarity, regulate emotionally, and create new pathways forward.
Environmental psychology research confirms that nature-based immersion reduces activity in the brain’s default mode network (associated with rumination) and lowers markers of physiological stress.
Sometimes, the act of leaving is part of the healing.
4. Do you want more than symptom management – you want transformation?
One of the biggest myths about residential care is that it’s just about “stabilization.” At Highlands in Bloom, stabilization is only the beginning.
Our clients work with a multidisciplinary team of licensed professionals, including a clinical program director, psychiatrists, therapists, functional nutrition experts, and a full-time chef, to develop a personalized care plan. They also collaborate with a dedicated case manager to plan for reintegration post-discharge, ensuring tools learned here translate to real life.
We also go beyond state-required minimums for clinical hours, layering in supportive, evidence-based integrative services that elevate the care experience. Our program is designed to help you reclaim agency over your healing process not just cope, but evolve.
5. Are you ready to try something different- with an open mind?
This is often the most important question.
Choosing out-of-state treatment is a big decision. It may feel inconvenient, uncertain, or even intimidating. But healing especially from complex conditions like autoimmune-related depression, trauma-linked inflammation, or nervous system dysregulation often requires stepping into something different.
We invite you to come with an open mind. To be willing to engage in a program that sees you not just as a diagnosis, but as a whole person. Try therapies you may not have experienced before. To give your body and brain space to recover, reset, and begin again.
Research shows that 30–60 days of immersive, trauma-informed care can significantly improve outcomes for people with co-occurring emotional and physical conditions. This includes improvements in self-regulation, sleep, immune resilience, and reduction of flare-ups (Frontiers in Psychology, 2020).
Healing doesn’t end when you leave Highlands. It begins here and continues with the tools, insights, and self-awareness you carry forward.
We’re Here for You – Wherever You’re Coming From
Highlands in Bloom is proud to serve clients from across the United States who are ready to reclaim their health through a trauma-informed, science-supported, and heart-centered model of care.
If you’ve been looking for a residential program that understands the complexity of your experience emotionally, physically, and systemically we may be the right fit.
Our team is here to answer questions, verify insurance benefits, and help you take the next step wherever you’re coming from.
Ready to explore if out-of-state treatment is right for you?
Highlands in Bloom
Residential Treatment Center for Autoimmune + Mental Health
Agoura Hills, California
(805) 892-6313
Licensed by CDSS • Certified by DHCS • JCAHO Accredited
