- Areas We Serve
Tifton Mental Health Treatment
Table of Contents
Medical Reviewer
Jasmine Miller, NP
Author
Monica Lewis, LPC, NCC, CPCS
Treatment for Mental Health near TIfton, GA
If you’re searching for mental health treatment near Tifton, GA, you’re not alone. Many individuals and families in the area are seeking compassionate, effective care to begin the journey toward recovery. While there may be local options, sometimes the best path forward means stepping outside your immediate environment.
St. Mary’s Wellness Center is not located in Tifton, but just about 150 miles away in St. Mary’s, GA, roughly a 2.5 to 3-hour drive. This short trip can offer more than just physical distance—it can create a healthy separation from familiar triggers, daily stressors, or environments contributing to mental health or substance use struggles.
Choosing to travel for treatment isn’t about leaving your life behind—it’s about giving yourself the space and support needed to rebuild it. A fresh setting can help you focus fully on healing, away from the distractions or pressures of home.
At St. Mary’s Wellness Center, we specialize in residential mental health treatment, with options for Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) as you progress. We work with individuals facing primary mental health conditions—like anxiety, depression, or borderline personality disorder—as well as those dealing with co-occurring substance use.
Our goal is to provide evidence-based, individualized care in a supportive, non-institutional setting where recovery feels possible.
Your Recovery is Our Priority
St. Marys Wellness Center has caring representatives available 24/7 to help you or your loved one. Request a 100% confidential callback now to start your journey.
Why Travel from Tifton to St. Mary’s for Treatment?
One of the greatest benefits of choosing St. Mary’s Wellness Center is the environment itself. Unlike traditional hospital-based programs, St. Mary’s offers a non-institutional, home-like atmosphere designed to feel safe, welcoming, and peaceful.
Our setting, surrounded by the quiet beauty of South Georgia, provides the calm that many people need to truly focus on their healing. Here, clients are encouraged to engage in therapeutic and recreational activities that promote emotional connection and comfort.
These include bonfires with s’mores on Fridays, Saturday outings like movies, bowling, or escape rooms, and Sunday nature hikes that reconnect clients with the world beyond their symptoms. It’s healing without the hospital feel—designed to restore both the mind and the spirit.
Working with a diverse network of partners
We Work With Most Major Insurance Providers
Most major health insurance providers with out-of-network benefits will help cover the cost of our St. Marys treatment program. Call us or email us to find out your coverage options when seeking mental health treatment.
Mental Health Treatment Tailored to Your Needs
Specialized Support for Complex Conditions
At St. Mary’s Wellness Center, we provide care for individuals who often struggle to find the right fit elsewhere. We’re one of the few residential programs in Georgia equipped to support complex mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder—diagnoses that require a deeper level of expertise and understanding than many treatment centers are prepared to offer.
These conditions cannot be treated with a one-size-fits-all approach. They demand specialized, consistent care from a team that truly understands how to navigate their challenges. That’s exactly what we offer. Our clinical team includes licensed professionals with extensive experience treating both severe mental health disorders and co-occurring substance use, providing fully integrated dual diagnosis support.
For clients who are living with both mental illness and addiction, our approach ensures that nothing is overlooked. We address the entire picture—emotional, psychological, and behavioral—with compassion, structure, and a plan that adapts to each person’s unique needs.
Whether you’re facing a long-standing diagnosis or have struggled to find the right help in the past, St. Mary’s is a place where complex needs are met with capable, personalized care.
Full Continuum of Mental Health Care
At St. Mary’s, care isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it doesn’t stop after one level of treatment. We offer a complete continuum of care, starting with residential mental health treatment and extending to Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP). This allows clients to gradually step down in intensity as they make progress, receiving consistent support at every stage.
Evidence-Based Therapies at St. Mary’s Wellness
At St. Mary’s Wellness Center, healing is never guesswork. Upon admission, each of our clients receives a comprehensive clinical evaluation, which guides the development of a personalized treatment plan. This plan is built using a range of evidence-based therapies carefully selected to address each individual’s specific mental health needs, challenges, and goals.
Here are some of the core therapies offered at our center:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): These structured, research-backed therapies help clients identify and reshape harmful thought patterns, improve emotional regulation, and build healthier coping mechanisms. DBT is especially useful for individuals struggling with mood instability, self-harm urges, or relationship difficulties.
- Group Therapy: In our supportive group sessions, clients gain insight from shared experiences, practice communication skills, and find connection in a safe, nonjudgmental environment.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): For those managing co-occurring substance use, MAT combines FDA-approved medications with therapy to reduce cravings, stabilize mood, and support long-term recovery.
- Alpha-Stim, Red Light Therapy, and BioSound Therapy: These innovative treatments help regulate the nervous system, reduce symptoms of anxiety and insomnia, and promote deeper relaxation. They are particularly helpful for clients who need non-verbal or body-based healing tools.
- Art therapy: At St. Mary’s Wellness Center, we understand that not everything can be expressed with words. That’s why we offer art therapy and mindfulness practices as part of our holistic approach to healing.
- SPRAVATO® (esketamine nasal spray): For clients with treatment-resistant depression, SPRAVATO offers a promising option that works differently from traditional antidepressants. Administered under medical supervision, it provides rapid relief for those who haven’t responded to other treatments.
No two people are the same, and at St. Mary’s Wellness, we treat them accordingly. Every therapy plan is carefully matched to the individual, ensuring each client receives the targeted support they need to heal and grow.
Real Experiences, Real Results
“My life isn't perfect, but l'm certainly in a better place because of SLOW. Great facility, great showers, great beds, nice outdoor area, solid food, fantastic therapists and groups. Got to meet some nice friends, and get healthier.”
Timothy S.
“Southern Live Oak Wellness saved my life. The therapists genuinely care about the clients and helping them get better. Working on yourself is not easy, but the therapists help guide you and make you be able to work through whatever may be going on.”
Rachel
"Gorgeous facility with client focused care. They offer Brain Mapping, Med stabilization, Life Skills, Red Light Therapy & Nutrition plans! Locally owned. The only place I would send a loved one to."
Shiann C.
What to Expect During Treatment
At St. Mary’s Wellness Center, treatment doesn’t pause for weekends—it’s a seven-day-a-week commitment to healing. Each day is thoughtfully structured with individual therapy, group sessions, and skill-building activities that create rhythm and stability, both essential when recovering from depression or other mental health challenges.
But recovery isn’t confined to the therapy room. We believe healing also happens in connection with nature, with others, and with yourself. That’s why our program includes weekly experiences designed to lift spirits and foster community.
Saturdays might include a group outing to the movies, a bowling alley, or even an escape room—opportunities to rediscover enjoyment and practice being present in real-life moments. Sundays are all about slowing down and reconnecting with the world through nature hikes and outdoor reflection.
Every Friday night, clients gather around a bonfire with s’mores, where laughter, stories, and quiet moments of connection help restore a sense of belonging.
These moments aren’t just for relaxation—they’re woven into the therapeutic experience. They help rebuild trust, encourage social confidence, and give clients the chance to apply new coping tools in safe, supportive ways.
Truly Individualized Treatment Plans
No two people have the same path to healing, which is why every client at St. Mary’s Wellness receives a customized treatment plan built around their unique needs, diagnoses, and goals. Treatment plans are informed by a comprehensive intake assessment and continuously adjusted as clients progress.
A team delivers services of licensed mental health professionals, medical doctors, nurses, and experienced counselors, all of whom are available around the clock. This 24/7 clinical support ensures that clients are not only safe but deeply supported—emotionally, physically, and psychologically—every step of the way.
Getting to St. Mary’s from Tifton, GA
St. Mary’s Wellness Center is about 150 miles southeast of Tifton, a drive that typically takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Most families take US-82 E through Waycross, then US-17 S toward St. Marys, though GPS may suggest alternate routes such as GA-520/Brunswick Hwy or I-95 S for part of the trip. If transportation is a concern, let us know. Our admissions team can help coordinate travel arrangements or recommend trusted shuttle options so distance never stands between you and the care you deserve.
Insurance and Admissions Information
St. Mary’s Wellness Center accepts most out-of-network insurance plans, allowing many clients to use existing benefits to offset treatment costs.
Getting started is simple:
- Call us or submit a confidential online form.
- Complete a brief clinical assessment with one of our licensed professionals.
- Verify insurance—our team handles the paperwork and walks you through coverage details.
- Begin treatment and start a path to recovery.
Start Your Journey — Contact St. Mary’s Wellness Center Today
Whether you’re looking for care for yourself or a loved one, St. Mary’s Wellness Center is here to help you navigate what comes next with compassion, clarity, and support. Healing is possible—and it starts with a single, courageous decision to reach out.
Let us help you take control of your mental health and start building a life filled with purpose, peace, and connection.
Recover Now.
St. Marys Wellness Center has caring representatives available 24/7 to help you or your loved one when dealing with mental health concerns. Request a 100% confidential callback now to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Mary’s Wellness Center is located about 150 miles southeast of Tifton, Georgia. The drive typically takes 2.5 to 3 hours by car, depending on traffic and route. Most clients travel via US-82 E and US-17 S or take I-95 for part of the journey. It’s a manageable trip—and for many, the change in environment is part of what makes recovery possible.
Yes. St. Mary’s Wellness Center specializes in primary mental health treatment, meaning we’re equipped to treat mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia, and more. We also offer support for secondary substance use, which is often called dual diagnosis care. If substance use is complicating your mental health recovery, we can help address both together.
Unlike many traditional treatment centers, St. Mary’s offers a non-institutional, home-like environment with 7-day programming and specialized care for complex mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Our center focuses on personalized care in a peaceful, nature-connected setting. It offers therapies you won’t find everywhere, like Alpha-Stim, Red Light Therapy, SPRAVATO, and BioSound.
Yes. We understand that maintaining healthy family connections is important to the recovery process. While the environment is structured and focused on healing, clients are encouraged to stay connected to their support systems. You’re also welcome to bring personal comfort items, such as books and music, to help you feel more at home during your stay.
We provide care for a wide range of mental health concerns, including but not limited to:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Co-occurring substance use
We offer a full continuum of care:
- Residential Mental Health Treatment for those needing 24/7 structure and support
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) as a step down from residential
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for those transitioning into more independence
This flexibility allows clients to move through levels of care without losing their support system.
Many of our clients have been through other programs that didn’t work for them, and that’s okay. At St. Mary’s, we tailor care to your specific history, not a cookie-cutter model. Our goal is to meet you where you are and provide a new kind of support that fits your needs. Healing isn’t always linear, and trying again is a sign of strength, not failure.
Let us help you take control of your mental health for good.
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“My life isn't perfect, but l'm certainly in a better place because of SLOW. Great facility, great showers, great beds, nice outdoor area, solid food, fantastic therapists and groups. Got to meet some nice friends, and get healthier.”
Timothy S.