Teens Alive 2

With Annika Raithby and Linda Nicholls

August 18 - 21, 2026

Teens Alive 2 is the next step after Teens Alive 1, and the two three-day programs are being offered back to back in 2026. Please note that Teens Alive 1 is a required prerequisite for Teens Alive 2.

Now in its 34th year, Teens Alive has supported more than 500 teens in building emotional resilience, honest communication, compassion for themselves and others, and deeper, more meaningful connections. While some teens may arrive feeling unsure about attending, many return year after year.

Originally created by Linda Nicholls and David Raithby, the program invites teens into an active exploration of self-awareness, curiosity, and community. With a refreshed structure and co-leadership from Linda Nicholls and Annika Raithby, Teens Alive offers practical tools for developing strong relationships while strengthening the inner capacity to support themselves emotionally.

Throughout the program, teens learn how to respect themselves and others, express themselves with confidence, meet challenges with resilience, and grow through difficult life experiences. In an environment that welcomes questions, fresh perspectives, emotional literacy, and play, participants build confidence, discover new ways of relating, and have fun along the way.

Teens Alive is designed for young people aged 14 to 19 who want to:

• Feel more comfortable speaking their truth responsibly
• Strengthen self-esteem and self-acceptance
• Become less defensive and more curious and outgoing
• Improve their relationships
• Navigate conflict more effectively
• Explore topics such as friendship, school, sexuality, music, violence, drugs, families, authorities, social media, global issues, and career
• Have fun and connect with other teens
• Enjoy The Haven’s beautiful natural setting and ocean-side facilities, including a swimming pool, hot tub, gym, and games room

Testimonials:

“Teens Alive is not an experience you can find anywhere else. It affected every part of my life, and reframed how I interact with me, and with the world around me. It felt like years of healing done in such a short time frame; It was such a meaningful experience that I'm forever grateful for.” Maia Hoile, 2018/2019/2022 participant

“Teens Alive was an incredible experience. I met so many wonderful people and built lasting connections with them, learned many different tools to help cope with different difficulties which have made an impact on my daily life and ability to manage stress, and discovered new things about myself that I hadn't previously been aware of. The leaders were kind, welcoming, and encouraging, and I personally felt as though I was able to develop connections with them. There was a great mixture of learning, communicating, and having fun throughout the program. It truly was an unforgettable experience that I will always look back upon with gratitude and joy.” Lumay, 2022 participant

“Teens alive had more of an impact on me than I even understood as a teen. When I was there I found it really great to connect with people and developed life long friendships. I was fortunate that my mom was a haven participant in the adult program so we could work on our communication skills together. At the time I found it impossible to stay on top of it outside of family and the program though. However, as an adult, I find myself using the tools I learned each and every day. I am now a business owner and believe that the communication tools I learned in Teens Alive have allowed me to clearly understand the needs of my clients and listen. They have also allowed me to communicate my own needs more clearly with my clients to ensure we are on the same page and there are fewer misunderstandings. On the flip side, in relationships, I have been able to stay strong in my own power and keep a level head when in tense situations with loved ones. This has certainly allowed me to create stronger bonds and even weed out people that were not a fit for me. I would highly recommend all parents drag their kids to Teens Alive kicking and screaming because they will be begging to stay after day 1 (and thanking you years down the line).” Sarah Kirkpatrick participant and youth leader

Investment:

• Earlybird tuition is $850 per participant
• Meal package for 3 days is $240 (the meal package is not optional for teens, parents/guardians)
• A parent or guardian must accompany any youth attending programs. Accommodation charges range from $435 to $1140 for a 3 night stay depending on room type and number of people in the room.

You can find our cancellation policy here

Schedule:

The program begins with dinner at 5:45pm, followed by the first session at 7:00pm.

Daily schedule:

• Breakfast 8:00 – 8:45am
• Morning session 9:00am to 11:45am
• Lunch noon to 1:00pm
• Afternoon session 2:45-5:45pm
• Dinner 5:45 – 6:30pm
• Evening session 7:00 – 9:30pm

Afternoon and evening sessions may vary. The program ends with lunch on the final day.

Visit our website for more information to help plan your visit.