Residential treatment programs are designed to provide intensive help for youth with emotional and behavioral problems. These facilities offer full time options so that teens can be surrounded by a constant and consistent therapeutic environment run by trained staff. Children and teens who have not responded to outpatient treatments, require full time monitoring or need further treatment for psychiatric or educational needs can all benefit from residential treatment programs.
An effective residential treatment program should provide a thorough evaluation upon a teen’s arrival in order to determine his specific behavioral, medical, emotional, social and leisure needs. Based on this assessment, trained counselors and therapists create an individualized treatment plan. Each treatment plan generally includes individual and group therapy as well as psychiatric care, if needed. Most programs also implement leisure time and coordinated activities in order to balance work with fun, while practicing healthy interaction among peers. An effective residential facility will implement a nonviolent and predictable way to help their youth when they need to be corrected or receive consequences. Manipulation, physical punishment or intimidation should not be part of any residential treatment plan of care.
Another benefit of residential treatment centers is the respite it gives to parents and caregivers. Dealing with a troubled teen can be physically and mentally exhausting. While teens are residing in a safe, supportive environment designed to help them improve, parents can also work on their own effective communication skills and remove some of the daily burden from their shoulders. Both teens and their parents have the opportunity to see each other in a different light as they take time out from constant disciplining and consequences to simply be loving and supportive from a distance.
Although many parents are intimidated by the idea of sending their teen to full time care, it can be the best way to help them. The immersive, therapeutic surroundings allow troubled teens to receive the one on one coaching they need in order to move forward in life. Although it might seem ideal to select the option that is close to home, it is more important to find a program that is going to be the best fit with your teen.
Liahona Academy, located in southern Utah, is a residential treatment facility that specializes in helping troubled teen boys from all over the country. Through a comprehensive program that includes academics, therapy and healthy activities, boys are able to overcome their issues and get back on the path to becoming successful individuals. For a free consultation, or to discuss enrollment, please call us at 1-800-675-8101.
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