As a resource for parents considering various troubled teen programs, we have talked to many parents who have enrolled their teenagers at least one troubled teen program. These parents are often frustrated, as the program they chose didn’t have the desired impact on their struggling teen.

While a good deal of the change is reliant on your teenager, there are some critical ways that parents can assist their teens in receiving successful treatment while attending a residential treatment center for troubled teens.

Focus On Empowerment To Encourage Change

Once your teen enters a residential treatment center, one of the most significant things you can do as their parent is to empower them.

You may be thinking that your teen is a little too empowered. But there are positive forms of empowerment you can focus on providing to help your teen successfully change for the better.

• Empower teens to take action – Many troubled teens are passive when it comes to treatment for their issues, whether it comes to meeting with a therapist or working with a corrections officer. As your teen attends a residential treatment center, encourage them as they discuss the positive steps they are taking. It may be as simple as participating in their group therapy session or learning a new skill. By providing support for these healthy changes, you empower your teen to continue with their progress.
• Encourage taking responsibility – A common hallmark among troubled teens is the inability to take responsibility for their actions—it is always someone else’s fault. As your teen progresses through their time in residential treatment, they will often begin to take responsibility for the things they have done in the past. Encourage this move toward accountability and responsibility by being kind and understanding while honestly acknowledging how your teen’s past actions impacted you.
• Allow for healing – Once a troubled teen begins to take action and recognize their responsibility in their past transgressions, they will often reach out to their parents to ask for forgiveness. This healing is often a two-way street, as parents aren’t perfect. You can help empower your teen’s healing process by listening and helping them process their new understanding of the pain they have caused, then offering your forgiveness.

Build Relationships With Treatment Center Staff

To help your teen reach the various stages of empowerment, it is also essential that you build up relationships with the residential treatment center staff. That way, you can better support your teen in being successful during treatment.

Unsurprisingly, most teens are not happy to attend a residential treatment center at the start of their treatment program. Many of these teens attempt to sabotage their stay at a treatment center by lying about the staff and undermine their parents’ confidence in the process.

As the parent in the equation, you can help circumvent this problem by building up a relationship with the residential treatment center staff. To help facilitate your teen’s progress, engage in frequent communication with the center’s staff. You should receive regular updates, and all residential treatment centers invite a high level of transparency and family support, from family visits to regular family therapy sessions.

Find The Right Residential Treatment Center For Your Teen

Lastly, to help ensure that your teen is successful during their time in a residential treatment center for troubled teens, you will need to be sure to choose the right program for your teen.

There are many residential treatment centers out there, from ones that offer things like equine therapy, to gender-specific programs. For instance, Liahona Treatment Center is for teenage boys ages 13-17. By specifically catering their programs to this age range, Liahona is able to hone in on practices that help troubled teen boys become the excellent young men they were always meant to be.

If you would like to talk to a program advisor about how Liahona’s treatment program, you can contact Liahona today for more information.