A Guide for Parents: Knowing When to Contact Programs for Troubled Teens
Solstice East is one of the most effective programs for troubled teens offering dual diagnosis treatment. Our program has grown out of many years of experience working with teenage girls in residential treatment.
Solstice East helps teens working to overcome challenges, however, we do not consider our teens “troubled.” We are only using that terminology here because of its common use. Students who attend Solstice East are not “troubled”. They are fully capable of overcoming the difficulties they face and are valued as community members. It’s important to us for students to believe in themselves and continue their journey towards personal growth and success. If you review this article and conclude that your child might need time and attention to overcome an emotional disability, please call 855-672-7058 to speak with one of our team experts.
We have developed a clinically intensive dual diagnosis treatment program centered on the specific needs of young women. Our policy is based upon their beliefs and experiences related to the creation of genuine, lasting change in female adolescents. Some aspects that set Solstice East apart from other programs include:
- Privacy- We strive to create a discreet setting that inspires a positive future for the lives of each child, parent, and family member.
- Targeted treatment- We aim to tackle the root cause of each emotional problem, rather than simply trying to rectify the behavior which is displayed as a symptom of something larger.
- Multi-tiered therapy- Our center features a wide variety of therapeutic treatments such as milieu therapy, family therapy, equine therapy, and more.
Exciting and Fun Opportunities in 2020
Students at Solstice East participate in regular workouts and develop fitness goals aimed at improving their cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility. Girls participate in daily aerobic workouts which include running, biking, and aerobic classes. They all participate in other weekly workouts including Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, and boot camp. Girls also participate in various forms of community service twice a month. This gives them an opportunity to look beyond themselves and give back to their community.
A Traditional School Environment Mixed with Residential Treatment
Students at Solstice East participate in regular workouts and develop fitness goals aimed at improving their cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility. Girls participate in daily aerobic workouts which include running, biking, and aerobic classes. They all participate in other weekly workouts including Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, and boot camp. Girls also participate in various forms of community service twice a month. This allows them an opportunity to look beyond themselves and give back to their community.
Experiential Education
Each week, Solstice East students participate in an experiential education group that brings therapeutic concepts to life. Experiential groups focus on social skills, leadership, emotional regulation, and relationships. Lessons are then integrated into weekly off-campus activities, community service, and adventure camping trips to provide a context for students to apply these skills in a place that reflects their real-life setting.
Programs for Troubled Teens Defined
Programs for troubled teens vary in focus depending on gender, specific conditions, and treatment techniques. The programs available vary from wilderness therapy, therapeutic boarding schools, or intensive inpatient treatments. Which specific programs are appropriate depends on the family’s location, family financial resources, and the teen’s mental health condition. Some examples of conditions include mental health disorders, drug abuse, or suicidal ideation. Generally, programs for troubled teens work to help teens manage their issues and learn coping strategies. Some programs are softer or more intensive based on the level of condition the teen is facing.
Many programs for troubled teens help teens develop useful tools to begin developing life skills such as self-awareness, team-work, respect, accountability, and many more. These types of skills are an important part of programs for teens because they will hopefully transition with them back into the home and other surroundings. Once teens are ready to transition back home, it doesn’t mean that they have completely fixed the issues they were struggling with before. They have learned new techniques to handle their conditions and will now attempt to apply them in the real world. After these programs for teens, those same children often continue to partake in therapeutic sessions or less intensive treatment options.
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Who goes to programs for troubled teens?
Teens who participate in programs for troubled teens can include individuals with a variety of characteristics. But most programs focus on behavioral and mental health issues. The term troubled teen may refer to boys or girls who are refusing school, exhibiting anger or aggressive outbursts, showing defiance or resistance, and experimenting with risky behaviors. The term can also refer to more specific diagnoses such as OCD, Clinical Depression, or Autism Spectrum. Programs available will vary based on specific conditions. Some may be extremely specific in what diagnoses they treat, while others may treat a wider range of conditions.
Why send your teen to Solstice East?
For most families, and usually the teen as well, there are years of effort towards trying to find a healthier, happier path. It’s common for families to experience challenges of fear, confusion, anger, and isolation during this struggle. Many families have probably tried everything available in traditional therapy. Outside resources such as school counselors, therapists, and outpatient programs often recommend placement in residential programs for troubled teens like Solstice East.
Solstice East’s approach, staff competency, and clinical excellence makes it a good match for many families who have teens struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges like trauma, depression, and anxiety. Some beneficial aspects of Solstice East include:
Trained Staff: At Solstice East, our staff is an important part of creating a safe, supervised environment for your teen. Our staff to student ratio is low to achieve this. Staff goes through a rigorous training process that teaches them how to handle conflict and situation management.
Carefully Designed Programming: Our program is designed to benefit each teen based on their specific condition and age. We plan what therapeutic techniques to include in each student’s plan along with an environment based on what would be the most beneficial to students.
Therapeutically Advanced: Our program uses a wide array of therapeutic techniques to address the individual needs of students. Some traditional therapies are not enough to fulfill what a teen needs. The additional therapies that our program may use include, individual, group, equine, cognitive-behavioral, and many more.
Family Involvement: After experiencing the challenges families have faced, many are hesitant to send their teens to a program for troubled teens. Some families fear that they won’t be able to interact with their teens during their healing process. At Solstice East, we believe that family interaction is an important part of the healing process, and strive to incorporate family as much as possible. This includes weekly phone calls with your teen and their therapist to in-person visits. Having a stable support system is an essential part of any struggling teen’s progress. Family is typically a huge support system for teens, making it impossible not to include them throughout the therapy process.
Transferable Skills: We hope to provide an intensive therapeutic experience that helps your teen develop new skills to use when transitioning out of the program. Solstice East works on teaching coping mechanisms that they can apply in daily life, regardless of if they’re still in the program or not.
Contemporary Articles
The book, Girl, Interrupted was turned into an Oscar-winning movie. The story is based on the life of Susanna Kaysen who came from a wealthy and prominent family. Kaysen found herself in a psychiatric hospital at the end of her teen years. This type of program for troubled teens is on the far end of treatment and is typically less common of the programs for troubled teens. Kaysen later came to understand she was diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder.
Over the past 5 years, the demand for adolescent mental health treatment has increased. A recent article states that the demand has risen by 30 percent in just 5 years. The increase in demand could result in a change in mental health stigmas and result in rising acceptance from the public.
Research
In a study on depression in teens, researchers found that an area of the brain played a role in symptoms of depression. They believe this area of the brain plays an essential part in a teen’s ability to process bad experiences. Programs for troubled teens can provide new skills to help teens cope with symptoms of depression.
A recent study found that childhood trauma may be linked to poor impulse control in adulthood. Children cannot outgrow issues like this, which makes it essential for them to receive treatment at an early age. Programs for troubled teens can provide the type of care that benefits children suffering from trauma.
Programs for troubled teens defined by
Solstice East helps families from every state listed below:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Helping teens out of trouble is the only way to ensure a brighter future for them. People who care are just a phone call away. Call us today at 855-672-7058.