What is a Therapeutic Boarding School?
A therapeutic boarding school is an alternative school. These programs manage troubled teens twenty-four hours a day. They provide a safe and holistic environment for distressed teens to heal. Therapeutic boarding schools offer excellent therapeutic techniques. Still, many parents wonder whether their teen is going to fall behind in school.
Therapeutic boarding schools make academic excellence a top priority. “A therapeutic boarding school will have a school curriculum designed to foster the intellectual, aesthetic, personal, physical, social, and career development of the student population.”
Who Should Attend a Therapeutic Boarding School?
Troubled teens that are unable to cope with behavioral, emotional, and learning challenges. Because of these challenges, teens cannot function in a traditional school environment.
Therapeutic boarding schools help teens struggling with:
- Psychological issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood disorders
- Substance abuse
- Emotional issues
- Behavioral issues
- Psychiatric issues
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Asperger’s syndrome
- ADHD/ADD
- Learning disabilities
- Violence
- Bullying
- School failure
- Social isolation
Academic Excellence at Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Most therapeutic boarding schools offer an accredited academic curriculum. Licensed teachers are helpful and supportive. Many troubled teens struggle with academics. They isolate themselves and shut down. Teens struggle when they feel overwhelmed, bullied, or lack self-confidence.
Therapeutic boarding schools create holistic and natural learning environments. Each student receives an individualized and tailored academic program. When students re-enter a traditional school environment, they come in prepared and confident. Teens also become equipped with the tools and skills to succeed in the classroom.
Therapeutic boarding schools help teens with academics by:
- Developing a collaborative program of studies. This includes a balance of disciplines that reflect each student’s needs.
- The curriculum will include a set of essential knowledge and skills in each content area.
- Assessments in: factual mastery, skill development, creativity, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
- There is a frequent review and revision of individualized curriculum.
- Check, document, and communicate with parents about academic progress.
- Professional staff members assess and work on a student’s academic achievements.
Troubled teens work in small classroom settings with a one-on-one individualized core curriculum. A thorough academic program also provides teens with a healthy daily structured schedule.
There are “set times for classes, study periods, homework, bedtime, morning routines, meals, exercise, and counseling. Though kids initially resist such structures, their behavior and moods drastically improve when they are put in place. Such healthy frameworks nourish healthy emotional and psychological development.”
Therapeutic Methods For Troubled Teens
Setting teens up for success in the classroom is one part of the healing process. Therapeutic boarding schools also offer comprehensive therapeutic techniques.
Teens build trusting relationships with staff members and their peers. Therapeutic boarding schools “provide intensive therapy, counseling, and empowerment programs designed to strengthen teens’ core identities and undo destructive behavior problems.”
Therapeutic boarding schools heal troubled teens through:
- A comprehensive assessment by accredited professionals. Experts will address the underlying issues that trigger self-destructive behaviors.
- Replacing negative influences with positive choices.
- Individual therapy.
- Group therapy.
- Family therapy.
- Equine therapy.
- Music, art, and writing programs.
- Communication skills.
- Nutrition and proper diet workshops.
- Structured schedules for eating, sleeping, and activities.
- Daily exercise and fitness classes.
- Mindfulness, meditation, and yoga.
- Life skills building.
- Developing healthy relationships with peers.
- Volunteering in the local community.
Therapeutic boarding schools turn troubled teens into well-rounded, healthy, and confident individuals. Teens develop the skills to make positive choices and overcome challenges. And, they go on to succeed in life.
To learn more about therapeutic boarding schools, click here.
