While the idea of sending your teenage boy away to a therapeutic boarding school may seem like a drastic last resort, you might want to consider doing so before the situation becomes so dire. Learning the difference between typical teen behavior and completely disrespectful and even violent behavior is critical in asking yourself, “Is a therapeutic boarding school for boys what my teen needs?”

When boys become disrespectful enough to require a therapeutic boarding school, its more than just talking back to adults or getting angry. If your teen son has moved beyond basic smart talk to shouting, verbal abuse, threats, constant anger and physical violence, it’s time for professional help. Clashes between parents and teens are inevitable, but when your son hurts himself or others, either physically or verbally, he needs a therapist.

A therapeutic boarding school is a neutral ground where your teen will no longer be engaged in power struggles with you. Power struggles happen when both sides are operating under a lot of emotion, but with the staff at a therapeutic boarding school, the power imbalance is obvious. Therapeutic boarding schools will work with your son’s rude behavior and draw the line on what is acceptable and what isn’t. They also enforce consequences for actions, so behavior modification therapy is another key part of recovery.

At a therapeutic boarding school, your teen will also learn new and alternate behaviors and coping options. Caring staff members will teach and coach him to act more responsibly and in a more mature way. Lessons on dealing with frustration, disappointment and anger also take place. Your teen will learn consistent and clear boundaries, and understand about consequences for choices. Besides that, he’ll learn how to build healthy relationships, build trust, boost self-esteem and become more independent.

If you are a parent of a troubled teen boy and feel afraid for your son, yourself or other family members, it’s past time to get your troubled teen boy into a therapeutic boarding school with a successful behavior modification program. Talk to a school counselor, a therapist, a doctor or another expert in the community for more details about your son’s behavior and whether he should be enrolled in a therapeutic boarding school. Help your teen get the professional treatment now before its too late and he’ll be more likely to be successful and embrace what he’s learned.