About Us

Chrysalis was founded in 1998 by Mary Alexine and Kenny Pannell, a husband and wife therapy team. Chrysalis began as a small home-based program but quickly grew into a small therapeutic boarding school for girls within the first three years of existence. Chrysalis is comprised of a maximum of 36 students and multiple staff including the co-directors, teachers, clinicians, case managers, adventure staff, house parents, business office personnel, and general program staff. A Child and Adolescent Board Certified psychiatrist is also part of our team. 

The campus consists of three residences, a cabin, the Chrysalis Center (a multi-use facility and offices) a clinical building, and a school building.  Our "Lakehouse" residence backs up against Carpenter Lake, where we swim, canoe, and kayak during the summer, and play hockey or ice skate in the winter. “Horsehouse” residence is surrounded by a small pasture where our six horses live.  The cottage residence sits next to the tennis court and a low-ropes course.  We have a large greenhouse, lots of vegetable gardens for growing a variety of foods, and flower and herb gardens as well.  The soccer field is located in the middle of our horse pasture, which borders public lands that stretch all the way to British Columbia. 

Chrysalis is accredited by the National Independent Private Schools Association (NIPSA) and provisionally licensed and registered with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry as a Private Alternative Adolescent Residential Program.  We are members of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) and the Association for Experiential Education (AEE).