While it can seem counterintuitive on the outside, placing your troubled teen in a therapeutic boarding school can actually improve your family’s relationships. It can be initially difficult when your teen is first placed, but over time, your family can come back together as a stronger unit.
Removes Pressure Of Dealing Daily With Your Teen’s Behavior
When parents choose either therapeutic boarding school or a residential treatment center, it is because the strain of attempting to manage their teenager’s behavior is wearing on the whole family. As parents of a troubled teen know, the poor behavior of one child can and usually does affect the entire family.
As parents, you are put in the position of trying to regulate your troubled teen’s behaviors. The pressure to police bad behaviors and be constantly on the watch for trouble can put an incredible strain on the entire family. By choosing to send your teen to treatment, you can ease the pressure the household is under and allow family relationships to flourish again.
Allows Time For Healing For The Whole Family
Once your troubled teen has been sent to a therapeutic boarding school, they will receive individual and group therapy. This will help your teen start the healing process. While your troubled teen receives help, your family should take the time to begin your own healing process. Some things you can do are:
- Spend time with your other children and spouse - When living with a troubled teen, you likely felt like you were constantly rushing from one problem to another. This can leave your other family relationships neglected. So while your troubled teen is away, be sure to spend individual time with your other children and your spouse so you can strengthen those relationships again.
- Write letters to your troubled teenager - Most boarding schools allow their pupils to send and receive letters. Some teens can feel forgotten by their families when they are away from home, so the letters can reassure them. Also, letter writing allows for some emotional distance that other forms of communication do not. The distance can help ease any remaining hard feelings.
- Attend therapy individually and as a family - Therapy is a key part of the healing process, both for your troubled teen and the rest of the family. Even a few sessions can help you and your family process difficult feelings and help improve communication.
Therapist-Guided Family Visits Help Create New Family Dynamic
Some treatment programs encourage family visits. Liahona Academy strongly encourages family visits and begins each one with a family therapy session. This allows all the family to be able to communicate more easily and start the visit off on the right foot. So, if you are looking not only to help your teen but also help reintegrate them into the family, then you should consider Liahona Academy as an excellent option for your troubled teen’s treatment.
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