Outpatient treatment was unsuccessful, the school setting is not working, and a short-term hospital stay was unsuccessful — yet a residential treatment (outside of your teen’s comfort area) can work!

Why? Because it’s specifically set-up to stop the downward spiral of a teen’s behavior and change the course to an upward one.

Has your teen become out-of-control? Destructive in the home (especially if you try to remove their phone)? Have you exhausted your local resources and now they are refusing to attend therapy?

Does any of this teen behavior sound familiar:

• Defiance, anger, rage
• Entitlement, breaking curfew, sneaking out
• Disrespectful, attitude, breaking family rules
• Substance use, drinking, vaping
• Internet, smartphone, or gaming addiction
• Self-harm, suicide ideation
• Running away, stealing, legal issues
• Posting inappropriate content online
• School refusal (smart, but failing)

If so, you are not alone!

When a teen is removed from the stressors and triggers of home – not to mention their peer influences and devices (social media) – with a slowed down manageable pace – and placed into an environment with staff, activities (enrichment programs) and therapy designed to encourage change – (build self-worth) – the opportunity for the kind of true and deep change required to turn your teen’s life around can finally start to happen.

A consistent and positive environment replaces the toxic environment they are leaving. They will not have access to drugs or alcohol – or their social media or devices. The peer influences are now cut-off. If they’ve been struggling academically, often this new and unique environment is where they will begin to thrive again.

If there was family discord, the destructive cycles with siblings and/or parents are now stopped and communication is deliberately slowed down to include mediated conversations, letter exchanges, and intermittent visits.

This completely changes the dynamic and stops parents and teens from engaging in the same ineffective communication patterns used before. It is as if a pause button is pushed, and teens eventually are able to move away from their rigid perspectives and look at their relationships from a new and clear vantage point.

They begin to gain perspective on life events that may have created trauma, or on their contribution to the “mess” their lives have become. They learn about their own unique emotional and cognitive make up and their problems or limitations as a starting point for the journey forward.

What can a quality therapeutic setting will offer your teen?

A well-designed residential treatment program (therapeutic boarding school) accelerates the environment to enhance the likelihood and speed of change. The foundation of such environments is the creation of a safe, relationally warm place where the teen is protected from self-destructive behavior, unburdened from the “overwhelm” of life, and immersed in relational climate that invites introspection.

Such places enable young people to look at their choices, their personal limitations, and the outcomes of the strategies they are using, and to recognize their own contributions to their problems and unhappiness. From a basic, high-level vantage point, effective treatment programs share common elements:

• A full and balanced daily life structure and schedule.
• Clinical support through individual and group therapy.
• Constant exposure to positive role models and coaching from staff.
• A positive peer culture in which teens who have progressed influence other teens in positive ways.
• Clear and constant expectations and rules.
• Experiential and recreational activities.
• Methods for defining and recognizing progress.
• Academic programming and support.
• Parent education and involvement in the treatment process.

Also read:

What is the Goal of Residential Treatment?

Where can I send my troubled teenager?

 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

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Contact us today for a free consultation – we help you find the right therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen.

The post Why Residential Treatment Works When Home Therapy Fails? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One simple online search for “failure to launch programs for young adults” will yield over 48 million results, but what can they offer your child?

Are you concerned for your young adult and feel like you are running out of time? Are they 18 years-old or over and you fear they won’t be willing to get help?

Is your young adult:

-Defiant, angry, rage
-Addicted to video gaming, cell-phone
-Depression, withdrawn, anxiety
–ADHD, ADD, ODD, RAD
-Facing expulsion or wants to drop out of school
-Social anxiety, socially awkward
-Vaping, doing drugs, drinking
–Stealing from you or others
-Legal issues
-Moody, disrespectful – more than an average teen
-Drifted from family values
-Low self-worth, no motivation
-Negative peer group, or loneliness
-Refuses to talk about goals or the future
-Job loss, can’t keep a job
-Failing to thrive in general

If you are struggling with several of these behaviors with your young adult at home, it’s likely you are searching for help. Trying to convince a young adult to attend a counseling session is sometimes impossible — which makes outpatient treatment not always an option.

It can be extremely frustrating to watch your young adult making these poor choices.

How to Help a Struggling Young Adult

Your child needs help, he/she is refusing all your options you have offered them — you may have even bargained with them by buying them a car, and yet they are still floundering and failing to launch.

It’s very possible they are struggling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and other emotional things that makes them unable to make good decisions.

Considering a life skills program for your young adult is not only your decision, but they have to be (somewhat) on board too — after-all, they are an adult.

Before you stop reading, don’t fret — the majority of parents are able to convince their young adult to attend.

The truth is, no one likes living in constant turmoil (including your child), and whether they make the decision to enroll immediately, or when they are faced with consequences that they end up choosing the program (rather than facing jailtime or being homeless) — it’s important for you to know the benefits of how a life skills program benefits your struggling young adult.

Life skills programs are about building self-worth — through emotional growth (clinical), education (academically, if needed), and enrichment programs (behavior therapy).

Many of these programs are located on ranch settings or in nature and are designed to encourage positive change through consistency and mentorship. The best part is many don’t frighten your young adult with a long-term commitment – typically they need to commit to 30-90 days, yet they end up staying about 4-5 months once they start feeling good about themselves and are surrounded by mentors and a positive peer culture.

5 Ways a Life Skills Programs Help Your Struggling Young Adult

1. Emotional growth through therapy. 

A young adult, in many situations, has refused therapy at home or was not engaging with their counselor. After leaving the comforts of their home environment, as well as the outside peer influences — they will be better able to address their underlying causes of their emotional distress in therapy. They will learn coping skills through anger and stress management classes, as well gain the the benefits of group therapy.

2. Goal setting.

Goal setting is a great opportunity for your young adult, without the distractions of family and peers, to focus on their future through positive mentorship programs and internships. Most of life skills programs teach financial literacy which is extremely important for young people and their future.

3. Enrichment programs.

Enrichment programs are in place to stimulate your young adult in a positive direction — it’s a therapy without feeling like therapy. It can range from caring for animals, woodshop, landscaping, sports, farming, arts and music, community volunteer work, gardening and more. Never doubt the positive impact of these programs on a person’s mental wellbeing.

4. Education.

Has your young adult decided to leave school? Whether it is high school or college, life skills programs will give them the opportunity to finish high school, resume college core classes — or if they are interested in a trade, most will try to find a local mentorship program for them.

5. Structure and accountability.

This is a great chance to help your young adult find the right balance between staying busy and having down time. As with most young people, accountability was never a strong point. Through basic life skills of chores, hygiene, financial literacy, culinary skills, healthy diet decisions and more, your young adult will eventually mature into responsible person.

Life Skills Program can equip your child with coping skills to deal with adversity and change that real-life can throw at them, as well as help students identify who they are by what they can do, rather than what they have done.

Also read:

What Is the Goal of Residential Treatment

Why Therapeutic Schools Are Effective

Check out The Life Skills for Teens book.

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Please contact us for a free consultation about young adult life skills programs for your child that is struggling.

The post Help For Struggling Young Adults first appeared on Help Your Teens.

Bipolar disorder seems to be a popular discussion in our society today.  It has replaced (though we still discuss) ADD/ADHD/ODD and conduct disorder, now we are hearing more teens being diagnosed with Bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder in teens is often misdiagnosed. Since teens’ first symptoms are often the same as someone suffering from major depressive disorder, they are often mislabeled as depressed or suffering from anxiety.

In addition, the hormonal fluctuations that often accompany adolescence can cause a pattern of behavior that’s similar in nature to bipolar disorder. A hormonal teen can experience mood highs and lows, sometimes within a very short period of time, which can confuse the diagnosis further.

Did you know that although bipolar disorder is more prevalent in young adults, it can manifest in children as early as six years old? A hormonal teen can experience mood highs and lows, sometimes within a very short period of time, which can confuse the diagnosis further.

What is bipolar disorder in teens?

Bipolar disorder is a type of depression. Depression is classified into three types:

• Major depression (clinical depression)
• Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)

A teen with bipolar disorder often has extreme mood swings. These mood swings go beyond the day’s normal ups and downs. A teen may have times of great elation, happiness, elevated mood, or irritability. This is called mania. These episodes are countered by periods of major depression. That is why this disorder has two poles or symptoms.

Typically, a person displaying symptoms of bipolar disorder will:

• Have a history of episodic mood swings
• Be more likely to be withdrawn and sleep more, rather than less
• Be less likely to exhibit agitation and weight loss
• Be relatively young at onset
• More commonly exhibit atypical symptoms of depression
• Have a family history of bipolar disorder
• Have brief, but numerous episodes
• Not respond well to antidepressant therapy
• Have a tendency toward psychotic behavior
• Have a seasonal pattern to their moods
• Be more likely to abuse substances or attempt suicide

The treatment of Bipolar will be determined by your teen’s symptoms, age, and overall health. It will also be determined by the severity of the ailment.

Treatment can often aid in the recovery of a teen suffering from bipolar disorder. However, it will take time. One or more of the following treatments may be used:

• Antidepressants or mood-stabilizing medications
• Therapy through conversation (psychotherapy)
• Family counselling
• Behavioral therapies (CBT, DBT)
• Residential therapy, if local options have failed.

Read: The 5 Benefits of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.

Read: Help for Struggling Young Adults.

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For more information on residential treatment for your teen struggling with bipolar disorder, contact us today. Since 2001 we have been educating parents about safe and quality teen help resources.

The post Does Your Teen Have Bipolar Disorder? first appeared on Help Your Teens.