Modern society makes it difficult for young people to make the transition from childhood to adulthood. Rites of passage that once helped teens understand the growing responsibilities that come with age no longer play a major part in our fast-paced, chaotic society. Often children and teens get their messages from inappropriate sources, whether this be an individual peer group or the larger peer culture.
Teenagers who are troubled are often confused and frightened. The defiance, anger, and rebelliousness reflect their confusion and fear. The first step in saving a child from a self-destructive path of academic failure, dangerous drug and alcohol experimentation, and even brushes with police is to realize you need professional help.
Residential programs such as therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and wilderness programs work with these teens while taking them of the immediate environment where peer pressure and other negative influences might interfere with the therapeutic process. Many of the students who attend these specialized private boarding schools need the focus, individualized attention, and professional intervention offered by these programs.
Teens who have attendant learning differences, ADHD, depression, or other complicating issues can receive attention that is specific to their needs. One of the greatest problems facing these teens is that they easily get "lost in the crowd." Bright, capable kids might be written off as "difficult" or "defiant" and end up lost in the public school system or in traditional private schools. Parents choose specialized therapeutic schools so their children get the right education to meet THEIR child's needs. Small class sizes, teachers and specialists who understand these teens' particular struggles, and uniquely impactful environments all help make the best therapeutic schools effective for teens who easily fall through the cracks in the home environment.
The cost of these boarding schools and residential treatment centers ranges from around $3,500 to $7,500 a month.