Troubled teens and their problems can concern their parents, their family and even their community. A teen is at the point in their life where the world is open to them, and parents need to make the right decisions when it comes to treating troubled teens. Parents should seek professional advice when it comes to choosing treatment options for their teens and avoid making rash decisions that do not benefit the child. One of the hardest decisions for parents to make is whether they should send their child out of state for treatment or use an in-state facility. Parents need to understand the differences between the two types of facilities and how they can go about making this very important decision.
Understanding the Differences Between Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Residential Treatment Programs
Therapeutic boarding schools primarily focus on using ongoing education as a treatment method. With these facilities, your child generally stays for one or two school years, and they will focus on their studies and on how education can better their lives. They will also attend counseling programs to help them address related issues that have kept them from succeeding at home.
As a short-term, out-of-state solution, residential treatment programs offer educational programs but with more counseling than education. The emphasis at these facilities is on recreation, counseling and rest. The teen is given the chance to explore their feelings with experts and discuss how they could improve their own lives and develop a strong future.
Making the Right Choice
Parents need to understand that every troubled teen differs, so no hard and fast rules exist for making this important decision. Before the process of choosing a facility begins, parents will need to ask the right questions concerning their teen’s treatment needs.
Military-style facilities for troubled teens will not address the underlying issues that he faces. One of the contributing factors to a teen’s out-of-control behavior is that they feel as if their life is structured by their parents and they have no say or control over anything they do. A military-style school will only aggravate their issues, leading to an unsuccessful stay.
Sometimes a troubled teen needs to distance himself physically and emotionally on a temporary basis to understand why they are so angry. When parents put their teen in an out-of-state facility, they cannot visit their son on a regular basis. In many situations, parents need to relearn how to interact with the child while the teen addresses his issues. In these cases, removing parents from the treatment equation works effectively until all parties can learn new methods of interaction.
A different state with new surroundings can help a teen to put his life in perspective, focusing his mind on the future. Some time away from home can also help troubled teens to appreciate their family and living situation and feel the therapeutic pangs of being homesick.