When there is a troubled teen in the home, the impact is felt throughout the entire family. Parents struggle to find something that works to help their struggling teenager, while siblings can feel neglected, or worse, are terrorized by their troubled sibling.

Since it is clear that having a troubled teen at home has an effect on the whole household, it makes sense that for the teen to be properly treated and heal, it takes the entire family to succeed.

Troubled Teens Need Family Support To Thrive

While a troubled teen may not appreciate their family’s help to heal initially, it is essential that they receive that help. Otherwise, it may not be possible for the teen to even access proper care.

For instance, say you have a teenage son that struggles to stay focused in school and has been escalating to acting out during class and recently was suspended for fighting. There are multiple issues, all of which require family intervention to address. From having your son tested for ADHD or other learning disabilities that can make school a nightmare, to attending therapy for conflict management tools, you need to be on board with your son’s treatment for him to succeed.

However, for some families, the answer is to have their struggling teenager attend a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens. At a therapeutic boarding school, troubled teens can receive constant care for their therapeutic needs in a healthy, controlled environment where therapy, academics, and life skills learning are combined.

Ways To Support Teen When Attending Therapeutic Boarding School

Should you choose to have your teenager attend a therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens, it is important for attending teens’ families to stay involved for the best results. Some ways you can support your teen while they are away are:

• Stay in contact – Contact with family members is an excellent way to help support your teen while they are away attending a therapeutic boarding school. With your contact, your teen won’t feel as though they are forgotten while away from home.
• Attend family therapy – If you live nearby the school your teen is attending, it is possible to attend in-person family therapy sessions. However, it isn’t necessary. Some therapeutic boarding schools offer secure, private video conferences so that families can participate in family therapy sessions no matter how far away from home your teen may be.
• Visit the school – Occasional family visits can be a great way to stay connected to your teen and show your support of their therapeutic needs. With your visits to look forward to, your teen can have more motivation to improve and stay on track.
• Speak positively at home – Even when your teen isn’t there, it is important to keep the family conversation about your away teen positive. Some family members may be tempted to speak negatively, as times were likely tough before the troubled family member left for boarding school. But, by keeping conversations positive—or at least constructive—your teen won’t return to feel like they have been gossiped about while away.
• Be encouraging of progress – Personal growth and progress is not always a linear process, and sometimes, troubled teens will take two positive steps forward and one step back. Rather than dwell on backsliding, you can support your teen by focusing on their progress and being encouraging.

How To Help Your Teenager After They Return

After your teen has completed their time at a therapeutic boarding school, your teenager will need family support potentially even more. Because, while your teen has learned many positive skills, up to that point, they were supported in a controlled environment. Transitioning back home can be a challenge, with the temptations and obstacles of day-to-day living.

Luckily, you aren’t on your own. The therapeutic boarding school your teen attended should provide support after your teen goes home with an aftercare plan to help make the transition home smoother.

If you would like to learn more about the various troubled teen programs available to your teen and would like advice concerning your teen’s issues, feel free to contact us. As parent advocates, we provide free consultations and will do our best to help you find the best solution for your teen.