A simple online search of “therapeutic boarding schools“ yields over 3 million results! Since 2001 we’ve been helping parents navigate this troubled teen industry and find safe and qualified therapeutic boarding schools for teens struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harm, cell-phone addiction, suicide ideation and more. We are now facing a mental health crisis with adolescents — this is beyond typical teenage behavior.

Choosing the best therapeutic boarding school for your teenager shouldn’t not be based on location, it should be in accordance to your child’s emotional needs and what the school offers.

Most parents search for therapeutic boarding schools close to home, without realizing that it may not be the best fit for their teen’s needs — if especially if their child is a flight risk, it causing them to constantly be tempted to elope from the program rather than focus on recovery and healing.

Where are the best therapeutic boarding schools for my teenager?

We have educated parents since 2001 about using the A.C.E. factor to determine the best therapeutic boarding school for their child. This is not about location, as it is about what is going to be most beneficial for their emotional and academic needs.

A.  Accredited academics.  Whatever school/program you are interviewing, be sure they are accredited academically. Many of these teens entering these programs are typically very smart students yet underachieving in school. It’s important they continue their education. Although we share with parents that their emotional growth is priority in these schools, academics is still important. You can ask to see a copy of their accreditation.

C. Credentialed clinical team.  Teenage mental health is a priority. Placing a distressed young teenager into a therapeutic boarding school is hard for the entire family, although therapy typically didn’t work at home, when placed into a new environment, removed from the stressors and triggers of home (as well as peer influences and devices) — the student is able to focus on themselves through both individual and group therapy. Check the credentials of the clinical team, this is also imperative if you are using your insurance. If they are not credentialed, insurance likely won’t cover it.

E. Enrichment programs. These programs are so important to help troubled teens. Enrichment programs are designed to stimulate your child in a positive direction, build self-worth to make better choices and develop coping skills. All of these extra behavior therapy programs can help teens that struggle with anger, rage, depression, anxiety and stress.

Examples of enrichment programs:

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

Finally, when you did your online search you may have stumbled on sites and reviews that gave you pause. You thought you found a program — until you read some troubling reviews or fearmongering websites about the troubled teen industry. Take a moment to learn how to analyze the troubled teen industry negative reviews. 

There are safe therapeutic boarding schools to help your troubled teen. Don’t allow a few bad apples to prevent your teen from getting the help they need.

Also read:

How to Interview Schools and Programs

How to Interview Parent References

What Happens When Your Teen Graduates a Therapeutic Program

The post Where Are the Best Therapeutic Boarding Schools? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

It is completely normal for parents to be apprehensive about their teen coming home, however this journey has involved the entire family. During this time there has been trial runs with home visits, family therapy, a transitional home plan that has been prepared and discussed many times for everyone to fully understand. Another words, you are not alone in this process.

5 Core Components to Home Aftercare Transitional Plan

Keep in mind, this experience from the very start has had peaks and valleys, and it is likely aftercare will have some bumps too. Most schools for troubled teens equip you with an aftercare transitional plan as well as follow-up care. You will have the tools to handle these rocky spots and come out stronger.

1. Family engagement. It is imperative that family involvement does not stop because the program ended. Set-up a routine to regularly check-in with each other, such as breakfast, dinner or driving your teen to school or their activities. Stay interested and involved in their daily lives and especially their digital ones. Remember, short chats can build strong relationships.

2. Therapeutic support. Before your teen leaves treatment, have a therapeutic support plan in place that is part of coming home. This can include a therapist, school counselor and if your child requires ongoing medication, possibly a psychiatrist. The first appointments should be arranged for when they get home. You may also want to consider a mentor or teen coach.

3. Back to school. Another particularly important part of the transitional plan is to determine your teen’s educational path. Will they go back to their same school or switch schools (if so, have you enrolled him/her already) or have you signed them up for virtual schooling? (Do not panic, these are all issues that are thoroughly discussed in your transitional home plan with the program therapist and educational staff that know your child’s needs) prior leaving the therapeutic boarding school.

4. Consistent structure. Helping your teen maintain a balanced and consistent daily schedule with their daily life — such as school and their activities is imperative. This includes sleep patterns, recreational hobbies (sports, dance, etc.), exercise, limited screen-time, jobs, social life, and other areas in life, will lead them to a healthier lifestyle at home.

5. Relapse plan. No one is perfect, there will be bumps, but the positive side is the likely will not be as bad as it was before. Your teen has learned coping skills, it is likely they will be angrier at themselves for slipping up. Be prepared by having your boundaries and consequences outlined in your home plan. If drugs or alcohol were involved prior your teen’s treatment, create a plan to avoid the people, places and moods that accompany the substance use. 

Bonus tip: Most of these teens entered treatment with the love of their cellphone or video gaming. During the transitional plan, it is time to create your technology agreement for the entire family.

This time from start to finish has affected the entire family, it can be hard, frustrating and there will be ups and downs, however it is an opportunity to reset some things that weren’t working in your family life — and start the road to healing to a healthy family. 

Also read:

5 Benefits to Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Success in Therapeutic Boarding Schools

Treatment for Teen Behavioral Issues

The post What is Aftercare of Therapeutic Boarding Schools? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One of the most common questions and concerns for parents is, how do you find a quality therapeutic boarding school close to your home?

First you are bombarded with websites, marketing and new terminology that can be confusing and overwhelming especially when you are stressed out and exhausted by your teen’s behavior.

After decades of helping families that are searching for the right behavioral boarding school for their struggling teen or young adult, we complied the top 5 most asked questions and answers by parents.

Staying near to your home is not recommended for several reasons.

5 Questions Parents Ask About Teen Therapeutic Boarding Schools:

1. “We want a program close to home so we can visit frequently.”

Almost every parent has the same response, they want a program close to home. It’s probably one of the most common mistakes a family can make in selecting the right therapeutic boarding school for your troubled teen.

This is a major emotional (and sometimes) financial decision — in our decades of experience, we urge parents to choose a program that fits your child’s needs (emotionally, physically and academically), rather than geographically. Of course, this is within reason. Since the pandemic, it’s understandable that some don’t want to travel to the other side of the country, however you can be more reasonable when it comes to choosing residential treatment. It’s always wise to find a program outside of your state — without going to the other side of the country.

This helps remove your teen’s temptation to runaway since they are less familiar with the area. We’ve seen parents choose local programs or places their family is familiar with — the teen will run, and this sets their progress back. When this happens, it prolongs their stay at the school and you have to hit the reset button again. There are no winners.

If you’re concerned about family therapy, you will have virtual sessions and parenting workshops which are typically every other month or every 90 days. Check with the program.

2. “Should our teen help us choose the therapeutic boarding program?”

Absolutely, positively not. Up until this point of their life, they have not been making the best choices, what would convince you that they would make the right one now?

Again, with decades of experience, parents have attempted to work with their teens in hopes they would be excited about a school or a program, getting a new start – or possibly the animals or sports that the program offers, however what happens next can be anything but excitement. 

Your child will start doing their own research online, telling their friends, and realizing they will not be able to take their phones, talk to friends, they will be on a schedule and life will not be the rainbows and unicorns they have been used to. In some situations, they might even miss holidays or birthdays.

If your teen is a flight risk, you are giving them time to better map out their surroundings by telling them where they will be going – or even where you are considering sending them. It is never wise for a parent to threaten a child that they will be sent away, this only starts the program off with a sense of negativity.

It is the child’s behavior that has prompted you to make this decision, no parent simply wants to send a child to residential for no reason. Every parent has their child’s wellness in the forefront.

This is a time for parents to be the parents, make the adult decision for the child that needs help. If you are placing a young adult, it is different. At 18+ years old they do have to be willing to attend. In most of these young adults’ programs your child can speak with the director and other students and get a full understanding of the program. Some young adults know they need this extra boost.

3. “My teen won’t attend a program; how do we get him/her there?”

This is probably one of the most common questions parents ask and are concerned about. Assisted transport is how most parents have successfully and safely brought their teen to residential treatment.

It is especially important to choose qualified and credentialed professionals. The transport service should be licensed and insured to transport teens and have various degrees and/or background in education, psychology, behavioral science, mental health, or other related fields.

It is natural for parents to be apprehensive about this, however after speaking with other parents that have taken this road, you will realize that many of these teens ended up becoming friends with their transports and it is not the nightmare they are imagining — or you are reading about *online. They may initially be angry, but deep down your teen understands they do need help.

*We caution parents frequently about the fearmongering that some forums have posted online, although we don’t diminish a person’s experience, we encourage you to employ qualified professionals and do your diligences in speaking with references. There are overwhelmingly number of successful transport of young people to have a bright future.

4. “I fear my teen will hate me forever if I send them to a therapeutic boarding school.”

Again, another quite common concern of parents, especially parents of adopted children that fear that they will exasperate abandonment issues, is will their teen hate them forever if they are sent to a therapeutic boarding school?

Initially your teen may enter the program and not like you very much (it may feel like hate to you and them) but — they will grow from their fear and anger.

Your teen will likely fear the new situation and may also promise to “do better at home” however you know that you have already heard all these promises and spent a long time trying. It is time to be the adult, be the parent and do what is best for your child.

It is at this time that talking to other parents can be incredibly supportive for you — parents that have taken this journey before you, maybe from the same program you have selected for your teen.

As the program progresses, family therapy and workshops continue to reunite all of you and work through the conflict that tore you apart. Eventually your teen will be able to understand and have gratitude for this experience.

5. “Don’t these programs have bad kids; my child isn’t that bad?”

If no one had troubled teens or young adults, there would not be any need residential treatment facilities. Most schools for troubled teens are enrolled with good kids that come from good families, possibly had a good foundation, however, took a wrong turn.

The increase of technology has not helped this generation, screen-addiction, social media – they are not only facing peer pressure at school, but it is also in the palm of their hands 24/7/365.

Doing your due diligence in researching boarding schools helps you to be sure you are placing your teen in the most appropriate setting. Your teen will be with kids like themselves – and their families are like you, begging for help to get their child back to happiness and a functioning adult.

Also read:

How to Interview Schools for Troubled Teens

5 Benefits to a Therapeutic Boarding School

The post How to Find Therapeutic Boarding Schools Close to Home first appeared on Help Your Teens.

If you have been online searching for wilderness programs or wilderness therapy for your troubled teen, you have quickly realized the costs are staggering. They can now start at $600 to $800 daily and that doesn’t include your transportation or your equipment. Why exactly are wilderness programs for troubled teens expensive?

One wilderness program, that has had two teen deaths, explains the costs on their site:

The cost of wilderness therapy programs can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the length of the program, the location, and the type of services provided. Typically, the enrollment fee covers food, lodging, transportation, and equipment.

This program charged around $715 per day. The majority of wilderness programs are populated by referrals (families) from Educational Consultants that are members of the IECA and NATSAP. Parents hire these professionals since they are unaware of what direction to take when dealing with their troubled teenager.

Overall the cost of therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment can be an expensive journey, adding the additional cost of wilderness can be more than most can afford and very rarely (if ever) covered by insurance.

Parents will use their 401K, IRA’s, college funds, borrow money from relatives, take out educational loans or even borrow against their home if they are able — to find ways to finance mental health help for their teenager.

It’s imperative you make educated decisions before spending your money.

Most parents are unaware of the fact that these short-term programs will likely yield short-term results and in the majority of these cases, their teen will be referred to a long-term therapeutic boarding school (TBS) in order to achieve long-lasting behavioral changes. That means — new start-up fees, transportation (again), and the most troubling concern; your teen becoming deflated thinking they were going home only to discover now they have to all start over again in a new program.

Some (if not most) IECA Educational Consultants will tell you that your teen needs to be broken down first and wilderness can do that.

In reality, any quality RTC/TBS is designed to help with these types of teens. Some of these RTC’s and TBS programs actually have the first 21-30 days that are like a wilderness however your teen is working with the same team of counselors they will be working with for the next 6-9-12 months.

Another words – it’s one program without changing staff or campuses, and you won’t be paying second fees.

Understanding the Myths of Teen Wilderness Programs

Myth: Many parents are led to believe that the majority of quality residential programs won’t accept a teen that hasn’t completed a wilderness program. That simply is not true. 

Myth: Any teen that is using drugs needs to do a wilderness first. This is absolutely not true.

Myth: All teens do wilderness first, if not they won’t succeed. My educational consultant said so. Again, absolutely not true.

Realizing the Facts of Wilderness Therapy

Fact: Wilderness programs are not necessary to enter a many quality therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment centers.

Fact: Wilderness programs are an expensive band-aid. They will cost a family from $500-800 per day and the duration is about 4-9 weeks. The fact is — long lasting behavioral changes can’t take place in short-term programs. This is why the majority of students that attend wilderness programs transition on to a residential boarding school.

Consider this, it didn’t take 4-9 weeks to get to where you are today, it’s certainly not going to take 4-9 weeks to reverse that behavior – and have it stick!

In interviewing parents, since 2001, that have used wilderness programs – the feedback has been consistent. Although many students have good experiences – it was never enough to change behavior. If they had it to do over – they would opt-out and go straight to residential therapy.

Fact: Teens need consistency. Program hopping is not beneficial to anyone (except the programs that are being paid – and the professional you are paying). Finding the one residential setting that can offer your teen long-lasting changes is likely best for the entire family. In many cases, they also have parenting workshops that bring the entire family back-together.

Be an educated parent, you will make wiser and better financial decisions for your family and teenager.

Also read:

5 Tips to Searching Online for Teen Help

The Success Rates of Teen Help Programs

5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens

The post Why the High Cost of Wilderness Programs for Teens? first appeared on Help Your Teens.

How to Help My Teen in 30 Days

Reality is, in most situations, it didn’t take 30-60 days to get to where you are today, it certainly won’t take 30 to even 90 days to change this behavior. The short answer in how to help your teen in 30 days, is there are no short-cuts for behavior modification. It takes time and work to help your teen and the entire family to heal and recovery from what has become an unhealthy environment.

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? You have placed them into a short-term hospital stay, maybe for a week to 30 days, yet they come home and quickly revert to the same negative behavior?

Why Long-term Teen Help Works

First, don’t panic, long-term can be 6-9-12 months depending on your teen’s emotional needs. This is a snapshot of their life that will give them a second opportunity at a bright future — and in some cases, can save their life.

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.

5 Goals of Therapeutic Boarding Schools

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.

Also read:

Will My Teen Hate Me If I Send Them To A Boarding School?

What is The Success Rate of Therapeutic Schools?

The post How to Help My Teen in 30 Days first appeared on Help Your Teens.

One big question parents want to know is, what is the goal of residential treatment 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 residential treatment.

Are you experiencing?

-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 Goals of Residential Treatment or Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Teenagers

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 How to Help My Problem Teen first appeared on Help Your Teens.