Therapeutic Boarding Schools for Girls

All teens make questionable decisions at one time or another; it’s part of the learning process of becoming an adult. But when the worry and heartbreak of watching your teenage daughter make repeated bad choices is too much for you to bear, it’s important to seek out the right help. Hopefully, between parenting skills, counseling, or other therapies, you can help your daughter can turn things around. But if those things are ineffective or don’t go far enough, you could find yourself considering something you never dreamed of –- enrolling her in a therapeutic boarding school for girls.

Therapeutic boarding schools are education-focused, residential treatment centers. They can help your daughter overcome a myriad of challenges by removing her from harmful circumstances and providing the therapy she needs, all while giving her a great education. These schools can be beneficial for conditions such as:

• Severe ADHD or anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Behaviors such as violence or oppositional defiance
• Emotional problems
• Major upheaval in the family
• Substance abuse or other addictions
• Mental illness

Seek Help When Looking For A Therapeutic Boarding School For Your Daughter

While your first instinct may be to pick the school that is closest to home, some online research can help you find the best fitting program for your daughter. Therapeutic boarding schools for girls are safe, structured places where therapy, academics and recreation blend together to create an atmosphere that can inspire change in even the toughest or most troubled teen girls. As far as specific schools are concerned, there are great options all over the country. You might have several options in your own state, but here are a few examples:

• Fulshear Ranch Academy in Texas
• Columbus Girls Academy in Alabama
• Renewed Hope Ranch in Utah

When to Consider Therapeutic Boarding School For Your Teen Girl

Watching your teenage girl on a downward spiral is one of the most frightening experiences you could have as a parent. If you fear your daughter might harm herself or others, she is severely depressed or out of control, or substance abuse threatens her well-being, it might be time to consider this option. A therapeutic boarding school can often change her life and prepare her for successful adulthood, while meeting her educational needs.

Troubled Teen Schools Can Lead to Significant Changes For Girls

There are all kinds of teen help programs out there, from wilderness camps and boot camps to residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools. All of these alternatives can remove your teen from the environment or circumstances that may be causing her difficulties. However, troubled girls who attend therapeutic boarding schools have a very good chance of long-term success.

These programs are intense and structured, but also compassionate. Your daughter’s specific needs will be addressed by professionals who are trained and experienced in treating her unique challenges. Along with education and therapy, troubled girls are provided ample social and extra-curricular opportunities such as sports, clubs, and the arts. Since most boarding schools require 9 to 12 months of attendance at minimum, your troubled teen can benefit from long-term stability. Be sure your daughter is enrolled long enough for the therapy and education she receives to really take hold. Here are some of the things that teenage girls can expect at therapeutic boarding schools for girls:

• Group living in dorms or group homes
• Licensed and experienced counselors, therapists and teachers
• Positive peer pressure
• Small classrooms with individual education plans for each student
• A chance to earn a high school diploma
• Leadership and life skills courses
• Community service opportunities
• Recreational therapy and extracurricular activities
• Effective transitioning into normal life

Sending your teenage girl to any school away from home is a difficult decision for a parent to make. But as parents, we must also acknowledge that there are limits to the help we can provide. There is no shame in providing your daughter with the help she needs, even if you aren’t equipped to handle it yourself. The more you learn about therapeutic boarding schools and the lasting benefits they can provide, the easier it will be to feel at peace with your decision.

Troubled Teen Girls Face Increased Risk Without A Therapeutic Boarding School

Parents are sometimes tempted to “wait it out” when their teens start getting into trouble. They want to let them learn some lessons and hope their risky behavior is more a phase than a new pattern. Teen girls are affected by a number of issues and challenges that can lead them to bad behavior. Sadly, many times their issues are deeper than your typical growing pains.

Just a few of the common issues therapeutic boarding schools can address include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, low self-esteem, severe ADHD, eating disorders, anger management and much more. Without professional help that includes structure, supervision, and consistent therapy, teen girls could exhibit increasingly risky behavior.

• Increased substance abuse and addiction
• Risky sexual activity
• Self harm
• Aggressive and violent acts
• Running away
• Criminal activity
• Suicide

When your daughter engages in these risky behaviors, she could cause significant harm to herself or others. As a parent, you need to do everything you can to keep her safe. Therapeutic boarding school can give your daughter a clean slate, allowing her to start over. In order to minimize your daughter’s risk, make plans to enroll her in a teen help program sooner rather than later. After all, natural consequences of poor teen behavior can lead to long-term problems, dimming their once-bright future.

Take Advantage of Resources For Parents Of Teen Girls

Finding the right therapeutic treatment center for your teenage daughter requires a lot of research, and it could take you quite a while to find all the information you need to make a wise decision. If you are on the fence about your situation, or need guidance selecting a school, there are organizations who can help you.

Remember that if the current solutions available are not working for your child or for the rest of your family, something needs to change. Don’t be afraid to look at all the options and choose the one you believe will serve your daughter’s long-term best interests. If that means enrolling your teenage daughter in a therapeutic boarding school, then she will have a happier and more successful future because of it.