Studies reveal that over the past decade teen depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide ideation has doubled. This contributes to our mental health crisis many parents are facing with their adolescents. Many young people that were once honor roll students are now barely passing — and some rarely attend school.

Today one of the biggest issues facing parents is technology addiction. Whether it’s their attachment to their devices, gaming or social media — their technology has become their lifeline.

Digital Detox Programs

Finding a digital detox summer program can be your answer if this is your main concern, depending upon how long this obsession has been going on. There are some that offer licensed therapist to help your teen develop coping skills, learn time management, as well as build life skills outside of their devices.

Sports Summer Program

Did your teen used to love basketball? Maybe tennis or dance? It’s time to find that summer program that can stimulate them in a positive direction. Building self-worth helps them boost confidence to start making better choices — as well as grades.

Summer School

Summer school programs can be a time for grade recovery for your teen that may have been underachieving throughout the year. Helping them focus on their academic performance without distractions. You can check with your local schools or even colleges for programs that they may offer over the summer months.

Military Summer Experience

Military Schools are not for troubled teens; however they can offer a self-esteem building experience. It’s important to note, your teen must be willing to attend. You do not want to set them up for failure if they are asked to leave for behavioral issues. Many Military Schools offer summer camps which can be an introduction to their school.

Therapeutic summer programs such as digital detox programs, can be successful for adolescents if the problem hasn’t been going on for more than 6+ months. However if you have been struggling with your teenager for over a year, it’s very likely a 4-6 week summer program is not going to give you long-lasting behavioral changes. It might be time to consider residential therapy.

Also read:

How to Find a Qualified Therapeutic School

7 Questions Parents Ask About Therapeutic Schools

The post How Can A Summer Program Help My Troubled Teen? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One big question parents want to know is, what is the purpose of placing your teen in a summer camp or a therapeutic boarding school and why is it any different than getting help at home?

When you place your teenager into a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center, these environments provide intense help for students with emotional and behavioral problems. When they are struggling with emotional issues, it also impacts their schooling.

In most cases, the family has already exhausted their local resources — their teen has not responded to outpatient treatment, the school setting is not working, a short-term hospital stay was unsuccessful, and it is now time to consider an environment that provides long-lasting behavioral changes.

Does this sound familiar?

-Is your teen doing drugs?
-Are they depressed, withdrawn?
–Addicted to their cell-phone, video gaming?
-Are they self-harming, suicide ideation?
-Smart, but failing in school?
-Skipping classes, school refusal?
-Suspended or facing expulsion?
-Changed friends, negative peer group?
–Loss of interest in activities or hobbies?
-Explosive, destructive?
–Stealing, legal issues?
-Angry, rage, violent?
-Struggling with ADHD, RAD, Bipolar?

If you’re experiencing several of these characteristics and your teen is refusing to get help, it’s likely you’re home has become extremely hostile.

Once you locate a quality residential treatment program, your teenager will temporarily live outside of their home and in a facility (therapeutic boarding school) where they can be supervised and monitored by trained staff.

5 Purposes of Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

1. Evaluation.  Your teen (once removed from their home environment and peer influences) will likely have a comprehensive evaluation to assess emotional, behavioral, medical, and social needs, and support these needs accordingly and safely.

2. Treatment plan. Determining the right residential treatment program for your teen includes finding one that can meet his/her individual needs. Residential programs will design an individualized treatment plan that puts into place interventions that help your teen attain their goals.

3. Therapy. When your child was at home, it is likely he/she either refused to attend counseling, maybe manipulated the therapist, or possibly simply didn’t engage with them. While in residential treatment, your child will be attending both individual and group therapy to help them through their healing process.

Now that your teen is in a therapeutic setting, it is more difficult for them to keep up their walls. These therapists are trained to work with youth that are difficult to breakthrough.

4. Family involvement “peacefully”. Well-rounded residential programs encourage and provide opportunities for family therapy and contact through on-site visits, home passes (when the time comes), telephone calls and other modes of communication. Trained staff is always available to help navigate issues of concern for both the parents and when/if the teenager gets upset from meetings or letters.

Most residential treatment programs and therapeutic boarding schools also offer parenting and family workshops. These can be extremely beneficial in making the transition back home.

5. Builds self-worth. Residential treatment programs not only offer clinical teams to help your teen emotionally, most provide additional behavioral therapy through enrichment programs. These are designed to help your teen develop coping skills as well as building self-esteem to make better choices in life.

Examples of enrichment programs that residential treatment programs and therapeutic boarding schools offer:

–Art Therapy
–Animal Assisted Therapy
–Sports Therapy
–Horticultural (Gardening) Therapy
–Music Therapy

Also read:

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

 Are Therapeutic Boarding Schools Effective?

Where to Send My Troubled Teen

The post What is The Purpose of Camps for Troubled Teens? first appeared on Help Your Teens.