When parents are considering enrolling their troubled teenagers in therapeutic boarding schools, there are many questions they have about the facility that will house and teach their children over the next several months. The good news is that once parents learn the answers to their questions, they are more convinced than ever that boarding schools for troubled teens are exactly the right place for their own children to begin the healing process.

Here is a list of 5 common questions that parents have about boarding schools for troubled teens:

1. Why does my troubled teen need a therapeutic boarding school?

When negative teen behavior has affected their ability to be successful at a traditional school, and at a work and home environment, there are few options left. Traditional schools lack the resources to help troubled teens in the long-term, and home life may have deteriorated to the point that nothing positive is happening. It’s at that point that many parents feel a therapeutic boarding school may be the right place to help their teenager.

2. Who can attend therapeutic boarding schools?

Teenagers deal with a number of emotional, behavioral and mental health issues and when those issues interfere with their healthy progression through adolescence, then therapeutic boarding schools may be the best place to get professional help. Some of the more common issues teens deal with include depression, anxiety, bipolar, ADD/ADHD, ODD, substance abuse, abuse trauma, adoption and abandonment issues, and more. At therapeutic boarding schools, teens with a number of issues can overcome their bad behavior and work toward health and happiness.

3. What is therapeutic boarding school like?

Therapeutic boarding schools focus on therapy and academics in order to provide a safe and structured place for struggling teens. Traditional schools don’t have the full resources to help teens with significant individualized education plans, but therapeutic boarding schools have licensed teachers and small classrooms where troubled teens get that focused attention and help with schoolwork. Regular therapy is part of life at boarding school, with individual and group sessions given by licensed professional therapists.

4. Do the teens get to do anything fun?

Of course there are fun times for teens at therapeutic boarding schools. Teens can participate in plenty of different activities like from outdoor recreation, sports teams, extracurricular clubs, cultural outings and more. Therapeutic boarding schools sometimes incorporate wilderness and high adventure activities into their programs as well, while others use equine therapy, working ranches and similar setups to provide ways for teens to keep busy and learn to enjoy life.

5. Do therapeutic boarding schools work?

Taking the teenager out of the current atmosphere of negativity, fear, anger and bad habits is the first step in turning over a new leaf. Combined with the professional support, therapy, academic help and new peer group, teens at therapeutic boarding schools have the best chance at long-term healing. Many parents gain peace of mind knowing that their teen does not have to face their issues alone, but instead can rely on an experienced team of professionals working to put the teen on the path to success.