In today’s age of easy access to information, you might think it would be easier to find the right help for your teen’s needs. But, sometimes, even knowing exactly what those needs are is difficult. There are so many options available – boarding schools, boot camps, wilderness programs and therapeutic boarding schools – which one is the best treatment option for your teen?
Source: Google Reviews
Most parents begin their search online but finding and then interpreting your results can feel like an impossible task. How do you choose from Google’s 13 million results?
Choosing where to send your teenager for treatment is not easy. There are many factors to consider. This article will recommend what to look for and why it matters.
Help for Teens with Psychological Problems
First, understanding the difference between typical teen behavior and troubled teen behavior will help you decide on the best treatment plan for your teen. It is safe to assume that if you are here, you know your child needs help. The question is, what kind of help do they need? Not all difficult teenagers need troubled teen treatment programs.
Some adolescents need encouragement, clear boundaries and discipline, like taking away privileges and seeing a school counselor or therapist. However, if your child’s mental health conditions are more serious, working with a mental health professional team is often the first step in healing.
According to psychologists, if your teen is not responding to your discipline methods and is becoming even more difficult, it may be time to consider a more aggressive approach. A short-term program may help them reset and return to their normal life.
If your child is diagnosed with a mental health problem and is in crisis, immediate placement in a residential treatment center or hospitalization might be necessary.
What is a Troubled Teen? |
A troubled teen is any 12- 17 year old with disciplinary issues or who is going through emotional problems as a result of a conduct disorder, mental illness or trauma. Conduct disorders are characterized by aggression, delinquency, lying and manipulation, truancy or threatening behaviors. Some common mental illnesses and disorders include depression, anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Self-harming behavior is also included in this category. Self-harm behaviors are typically more frequent when young people feel distressful emotions like anger, depression, anxiety, and rejection. Depression can cause teens to self-harm as a way of dealing with the pain they are feeling. |
Therapeutic Treatment for “Out of Control Teens”
When looking for an effective treatment center, consider an RTC that incorporates psychological, behavioral, and academic. For example, what makes Turning Winds different from other residential treatments is our evidence-based hybrid treatment philosophy. We are a family-run, full continuum-of-care residential treatment facility helping teens and their families for twenty years.The Diagnosis and Treatment
We believe that accurately diagnosing your teen is the most crucial step in developing an individualized treatment plan. Gaining insight into your teen’s thinking and behavior can provide both parents and teens with a sense of relief and hope. It can also help teens to resolve any emotional or mental health issues they may be dealing with. We can help by providing compassionate, effective treatment tailored to your child’s individual needs. Turning Winds treatment programs are specifically designed to- Show teens how their thoughts dictate how they feel
- Heal past traumas that are still causing them to deal with intense emotional pain
- Improve their problem-solving and communication skills so they can avoid being misunderstood
- Strengthen their sense of self-worth and self-esteem to help them realize they can achieve their dreams and goals in life
- Provide teens with the cognitive tools necessary to cope with anger, fear productively, and resentment
When to Seek Treatment for a Troubled Youth
Parents usually know when it’s time to take more drastic steps. Still, in my experience, we often postpone the decision until much later because it is not a decision that any parent wants to make.
Questioning if your teen needs to go to a long-term treatment program is normal. There are many questions and doubts, the cost is high and some of the treatments may not be covered by insurance. All of these factors are reasons to doubt the timing.
Sometimes, hoping that as the teen matures, they will improve makes sense, or maybe trying a different approach. Delaying the decision might work for some, but most often, any improvements are temporary. The most likely scenario is that the child’s condition will become worse.
The Risks of Delaying Treatment
What we need to understand is that teens with behavioral disorders like conduct disorder (CD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) will not “get better” unless they receive professional treatment.
Signs of CD or ODD include lying, poor impulse control, being angry all the time for no reason, and academic failure. Many teens with ODD or CD eventually become involved in criminal activities that may land them in juvenile detention.
Other signs that a teen needs professional help include:
- Engaging in constant, unstable relationships with peers/alternating irrationally between hating/liking/loving someone
- Having a distorted image of themselves that negatively impacts their priorities, moods, and decisions
- Impulsively indulging in reckless, sometimes dangerous behaviors (promiscuity, drinking, and driving, stealing)
- Threatening suicide when they are told to do something they don’t want to do (being grounded, having their cell phone taken away, being forbidden from seeing a boyfriend or girlfriend)
- Going into irrational fits of anger or rage/threatening parents or siblings with physical violence
Turning Winds is a resource for parents of troubled teens. Parents can contact Turning Winds directly for advice on what to do next.
None of these problems will resolve on their own. If you have tried everything to help your teen improve their behavior and nothing has worked so far, please contact us for immediate help.
Making the Right Decision for My Teen
Why Choose Turning Winds for Your Troubled Teen?
If traditional methods like counseling, therapy, and group therapy haven’t helped your teen, Turning Winds becomes the ideal option. We offer individualized treatment programs that can improve your teen’s mental and emotional health.
We have one of the most unique and evidence-based hybrid programs that combine a residential treatment center with an accredited academic curriculum. In addition, our RTC integrates holistic and recreational activities and therapies into personalized programs designed to motivate, inspire and heal.
Located beside the beautiful South Fork Yaak river in Northern Montana, the 150-acre campus of Turning Winds takes part in reducing our carbon footprint by operating on solar technology. We believe a natural, peaceful environment is conducive to treating troubled teens who need to focus solely on exploring and healing themselves.
Teens who are removed from negative influences such as bad friends, a problematic neighborhood, or peer pressure are more likely to discover their true selves and develop a strong sense of self-esteem. We provide the kind of exceptional care and services for struggling teens that worried parents won’t find anywhere else:
- Onsite, 24/7 nursing staff
- Onsite, 24/7 monitoring of the campus and surrounding grounds
- Fully accredited academic programs with small class sizes (six to 12 students) and IEP support
- Ability for teens to complete one and a half to two years of school within 12 months
- Credits earned at Turning Winds are easily transferable to vocational schools or colleges
Nine out of ten teens completing a residential treatment program at Turning Winds go on to attend a post-secondary educational institution after graduating high school.
In conclusion, we think the question parents need to ask is “Where should I send my troubled teen for help?” We believe the right answer is Turning Winds!
We use proven holistic and evidence-based psychological therapies that can be applied to all teen mental and behavioral health disorders. Some of these therapies include humanistic, narrative, cognitive behavioral (CBT), and specific intervention techniques that address substance abuse and addiction.
We will work with you and your teenager to develop a personalized care plan. Help your teen start healing and get their life back on track while simultaneously catching up with their education.
Please call Turning Winds to verify your insurance and speak to our admissions coordinators. If you are unsure whether your teen needs this level of intensive residential treatment, we will help you make the right decision. After all, this is the best decision you will ever make as a parent.
