If your teenager is seriously out-of-control, have you considered a boarding school? Our parenting expert and author of the book Wits End, Sue Scheff, not only writes about the trouble with her daughter but also shares high quality parenting resources. In today's post Sue is discussing the Therapeutic Boarding School.
Therapeutic Boarding School (T.B.S.)
This place is set up to provide an environment for positive emotional growth, with an emphasis on behavior modification.
Is There a Difference between a Therapeutic Boarding School and a Residential Treatment Center?
The goal is pursued by a carefully designed and regulated daily life for each student. The program's overall structure mixes the practice of life skills with academics and therapy. The therapeutic aspect of a T.B.S., however, is not as intense as that of a Residential Treatment Center.
How Much Therapy Will Your Child Receive?
At a Therapeutic Boarding School, a child may only expect to participate in one-on-one therapy sessions as infrequently as once a week, or even biweekly. Group therapy is usually held every day, but positive social skills can also come from the atmosphere itself.
There may be a licensed therapist on staff, but not necessarily on site. Young people can be transported to the therapist for examinations or scheduled sessions, as needed.
What's the Working Philosophy of Good Therapeutic Boarding Schools?
A T.B.S. uses what I call an all-encompassing approach. It is a comprehensive program that integrates all aspects of emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. Their working philosophy is that a well-structured, positive, respectful, and disciplined living experience that is conducted over months at a time will be absorbed by the child as a natural process.
Is There Discipline in a Therapeutic Boarding School?
Because we are all creatures with a survival instinct, every human being can be counted on to move toward experiences that are rewarding and move away from those that are not. The enforced discipline at a T.B.S. keeps the child in a position to directly control how satisfactory his experience is in that place. Approval, comfort, the respect of others, and the respect of oneself combine to forge powerful exchanges. (From pages 106-107)
******
From Sue Scheff's description of the T.B.S. parents can be ready with questions when they're thinking of sending their teen to such a school. Questions like: 1. How often and what kind of therapy do you offer your students? What is your philosophy for helping students? How long does the average student stay? How do you discipline offending students? How much does it cost? These questions and more should help you decide your next step.
******
Pick up Wit's End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen
Available at Amazon.com
******
Let's give Sue Scheff a HAND for sharing the true story with her daughter and the nightmare of a facility she unwittingly sent her daughter to. Sue knows that parents with out-of-control teens would never knowingly send their child to such a place. That's why Sue has done the research and is the founder of Parents' Universal Resource Experts. She offers many different solutions and recommends the best facilities.
Sue Scheff
Please support today's author and share your opinions about this blog post. Just click on the COMMENTS link below. It will open up for you. We want to hear from you.
Type Your Comment!
With warm wishes,
Sign up for my FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive:
- 80 Fun Activities to Share with Your Kids
- 101 Ways to Get Your Children to Cooperate
****** If you liked this article, please write a comment and send it to your social media sites below.
Click on the icons or Share This right next to the Green Triangle below to open up your social media sites and send. Thank you so much.
Dear Sue,
Your book, Wit's End, needed to be written and you were the best person to do so.
Your experience with your daughter, the seriously flawed treatment facility, and your innocence about it, make you an expert. We need to honor you because you've done the research to help other parents make good choices.
Congratulations on your daughter's success.
Warmly,
Jean Tracy,
www.KidsDiscuss.com
Posted by: Jean Tracy, MSS | February 25, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Thank you so much for sharing my story. So many parents are at their wit's end and feel as if they are alone in their struggles. Today teen's have a sense of entitlement--and unfortunately don't respect parents the way generations prior. Parent's shouldn't be ashamed if they have to reach out for help. Not giving your teen a second opportunity at a bright future is not being a responsible parent. Thanks again for sharing my story.... I hope parents know there is hope and sometimes typical teen behavior is more than we have to accept.
Posted by: Sue Scheff | February 25, 2013 at 07:17 AM