Caring at home for a teen boy with a behavioral disorder might be a tall order for parents. The teen’s self-destructive behavior can affect the whole family, especially their siblings. In such situations when a boy’s behavior makes it impossible to function at home or at school or he becomes a threat to himself and others, parents should consider placement at a boy’s ranch.
It is understandable that you’d feel a measure of frustration, guilt and wariness at the thought of sending your son for treatment at a ranch for troubled boys. However, boys dealing with anger, lying, depression, defiance towards authority, drug abuse and other behavioral problems need to be removed from the negative influences in their current environment.
Since reputable boys’ programs are highly structured and supervised, your son will have a safe and supportive environment to work on his issues. He will also meet other boys going through the same problems so he won’t feel so alone and out of place. Additionally, these ranches have staff who are professionally trained to not only assist troubled teens to overcome their issues but also teach them positive skills and habits.
How Long Will Your Son Stay At The Ranch?
The duration your son will spend at a boys’ ranch is dependent on his needs and on the assessment of the treatment team. Some ranches offer short-term programs, some offer long-term ones and others offer both.
On average, the stay is anywhere from 3 to 12 months, although this might vary depending on:
- The diagnosis by the treatment professionals.
- Your son’s receptiveness to the intervention.
Boys in these programs receive services as long as they, their families and the treatment team determine there is a need. You should keep in mind that your son is an individual and his behavioral problems might present very differently from other boys. The same also goes for treatment. Where one person might show remarkable improvement after a short time, others might take much longer. For this reason, most therapy ranches give parents regular updates on their son’s progress and even include them in family therapy sessions so they can offer support and become a crucial part of their child’s recovery.
Get More Information
Other than the length of stay, there are numerous elements to consider when selecting a boys’ therapy ranch for your struggling teen son. These include state laws and regulations, financing, class sizes and the program offered. Help Your Teen Now has built an extensive database of knowledge on the most reputable ranches in the country and we can help you narrow down your selection to get one that will work best for your teen and family. Remember the earlier you seek help, the sooner your son can receive the treatment he requires to get better.
Leave a Reply