Holistic Positive Mental Wellness for Adolescents

Our Mission -

The Cicada Institute fosters positive mental wellness in local communities through therapeutic support, nature based education, and community services.

We serve youths in need from 13-25 years old, with a focus on those in the BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities. There is a deep need for attention and wellness in the lives of our youth and The Cicada Institute is stepping in and up to serve.

Our mission is to cultivate life within and around that inspires a brighter, more sustainable, and creative future.

Our Therapeutic Services -

Cicada designed and offers a “Positive Mental Wellness” Curriculum focused on guided healthy self-regulation and positive self-worth. We also provide therapeutic support through wilderness therapy, one-on-one donation-based counseling services,  and donation-based group work for sensitive and struggling youth 13-25 yrs old.

Our current operations are based out of St. Petersburg, FL, and Marshall, NC.

Our Nature-Based Education -

Cicada offers comprehensive holistic learning based on the principles of empowerment, environmental activism, multi-generational wisdom, community service, and psychological self-regulation. 

Our Camps and Workshops -

Online workshops such as “Financial Adulting 101”, “Healthy Boundaries”, and “Vali-dating” allow youth from all over to gain access to real life skill sets through practical wisdom.

In person summer camps such as “Courage Camp”, “Earth Warrior Training” and “Get Out. Get Real. Go Wild”, are programs that empower participants to lead their own recovery, build long-term, sustainable and resilient communities and relationships, and combat the effects of climate change through innovation. 

Our Project Overview -

In 2021 Cicada Institute remodeled and upgraded a 100+ year old barn to serve as a gathering space for camps and educational events. In addition, all basic camp infrastructure was put in place including outdoor showers, toilets, cooking and dishwashing station and more. 

In the next year we seek to improve upon the primitive camp setup at Cicada Institute to better serve the existing community and expand the services and resources Cicada provides. This starts with additional community engagement to help increase impact and exposure to potential Cicadas, and expanding the volunteer base.

Our Project Description - 

The following high level milestone list represents the roadmap over the next twelve months.

• Community Building:
  • Engage immediate neighbors
  • Engage larger community in Madison County through events
• Implement Sustainable Gardens:
  • Soil and land prep
  • Raised beds, bushes, seeds and starts
• Water collection
• Composting and wood chips
• Introduce Livestock:
  • Chickens
  • Goats
  • Rabbits
  • Talapia
• Improve Accommodation Options:
  • 16ft Bell Tents
  • Wood A-Frames
  • Outdoor Shower
  • Tiny House 
  • Educational Space
  • Barn
• Roads and Water Management:
  • Maintenance of roads up the mountain to tents, campsites, and tiny homes 
  • Water management along roads, houses, and gardens through culverts and water diversion

Our Project Need -

We are in need of additional accommodations and improved base infrastructure.

The highest priority accommodation projects are the A-Frames and the Bell Tents with land prep and livestock being the next highest priorities.

In addition to these immediate needs we want a portable mill saw and hempcrete brick maker that will empower us to harvest our own building materials in-house. Along with a mini skid steer, these start-up items allow us to develop the community with little need for additional funding. Over time, this will create revenue for the community itself – the additional structures will generate rental income, and we can sell the bricks and timber. 

Our Director and Lead Educator -

Meet The Cicada Institute’s Founder & Director, Sylvie Silva. Sylvie is an experienced and triple-certified Educator and Counselor. She has worked with teens and young adults for most of her life and has created wellness curriculum specifically for their most potent and supported growth. Her constant engagement with diverse communities illuminated one common understanding, no teen is insulated from the harsh realities of life.

Throughout her career, Sylvie experienced students who had cancer, lost parents, lost siblings, abused drugs, were victims of abuse, and even committed suicide. Sylvie began creating and studying ways to authentically comfort and support all of these kids at such critical junctures in their development. The Cicada Institute is working to hold all of this love.

Sylvie has her Master’s Degree in Wilderness Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She also holds a certification in Gestalt Therapy from The Gestalt Institute of the Rockies.

We thank you deeply in advance for all of your support!