What is a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens? Does my teen need one? They are a good teen making bad choices.
A therapeutic boarding school is a type of alternative school that specializes in educating and helping troubled teenagers and young adults.
These troubles can range from behavioral and emotional challenges, to cognitive learning challenges that can’t be properly addressed in a traditional school environment.
In addition to offering classes, these schools typically provide psychological counseling and are often involved with the students on a very deep level to help rehabilitate them and restore their mental, physical, and emotional health.
Is your teen:
–Addicted to their cell-phone? Video gaming?
–Underachieving in school?
-ADHD, RAD, Bipolar
-Vaping, using drugs, drinking?
-Hanging with a negative peer group?
-Defiant, rage, explosive?
–Self-harm, suicide ideation?
-Withdrawn, isolates? Stays in their room?
-Depression, anxiety, stress?
-Disrespects your family rules?
-Steals, legal issues?
–Loss of interest in their favorite activities?
If you’re experiencing a few of these behavior issues, it’s likely you are extremely frustrated and feel like a hostage in your own home.
Before deciding on a therapeutic boarding school, many parents have tried local therapy. Their teen either refuses to attend or has stopped engaging with the counselor. The school setting is not working, outpatient treatment has failed, and a short-term hospital stay was unsuccessful.
Why Do Students Attend Therapeutic Boarding Schools?
Students often attend therapeutic schools because they have psychological issues to work on, including substance abuse or emotional and behavioral needs. Students sometimes have to attend residential programs or therapeutic boarding schools in order to have a completely drug-free environment removed from negative influences at home.
Other students in therapeutic schools are attempting to understand difficult life situations and need stricter environments and healthier strategies for doing so. Most students who attend therapeutic schools have faced academic failure in mainstream educational settings and need strategies to help them succeed.
Some students in therapeutic boarding schools need to be removed from their home environment, in which they are out-of-control and/or aggressive. Most students who attend residential therapy are in high school, but some schools accept them slightly younger as well as there are young adult programs.
Will My Teen Fall Behind Academically in a TBS?
Therapeutic boarding programs offer students an academic program that also includes psychological counseling. The teachers at these types of programs are generally well versed in psychology, and the programs are typically overseen by a psychologist or other mental health professional. Students in these programs usually attend therapy regularly – as well as group therapy.
Students who need a more intensive program with support that extends beyond the typical school day tend to choose therapeutic boarding programs, and their average stay in these programs is 9-12 months. Students in residential and boarding programs often undergo individual and group counseling as part of the program, and the programs are very structured.
The goal of therapeutic boarding schools is to rehabilitate the student and make them healthy emotionally. Many therapeutic boarding schools offer additional therapies such as: animal-assisted therapy, art therapy, music therapy or horticultural therapy. These are all beneficial for helping teens learn coping skills for life.
Also read:
Why Boarding Boarding Schools Work
Success Rate in Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens
How Effective Are Therapeutic Boarding Schools
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Contact us for information on therapeutic boarding schools around the country and how to find the right one to fit your teen’s individual needs.
