Troubled teens is a phrase that is nothing if not ambiguous in nature. It can mean many different things to different people.Typically troubled teen means a teenager who is struggling with school or with classes or who may be entering into preliminary or more deep explorations into drugs and alcohol.
These problems may be caused by a wide range of different issues. Home life, depression, peer pressure and other factors can all play into the trouble teen's set of issues. An unstable lifestyle, the wrong crowd and even ADHD can play into the problems and the things that are affecting the life of the teen.
No matter what the reason for the problems, finding a solution is imperative and as soon as possible. A teen who is a danger to himself or to others needs help now.
Parents, teachers and counselors have sought for alternative therapies to boot camps, specialty schools and other methods of teen treatment that are effective, but may not work for every troubled teen. One therapy that has consistently come to the forefront in teaching and treating troubled teens is animal assisted teen therapy.
Studies have consistently proven that spending time with a animal can help to decrease stress and to release endorphins that can assist in combating stresss and depression. For this reason, many counselors and even specialty schools for troubled teens will use animals to help them in therapy for teens. These animals are normally professionally trained to interact with the troubled teen and to help the counselor to reach them.
Because many teens are in a consistent state of stress, the use of animals can help to calm them and give them a chance to really think about their behavior. This time can be relatively short in duration, with even as little as ten to fifteen minutes a day being effective for some teens.
Animals that are involved include a wide array, with the most common being canine-dogs, or equine--horses.
If your teen is having problems at home or at school and you're not ready yet to seek out full time residential treatment, one method you may want to review is animal assisted therapy with a qualified counselor.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
Confronting Teens About Alcohol Abuse
One of the toughest things you can do as a parent is to confront your teen about alcohol abuse. Underage drinking in the United States is a serious health problem. Not only does it pose issues on a community level, teen drinking can also be a major catalyst in the breakdown of normal family units.
As a parent, it can be hard to gauge when your teenagers drinking has become a serious problem, and when you should intervene. If you want your teen to get the best from their adolescence, without developing destructive habits that lead to poor life choices, then you need to confront them on these issues now.
Teenage Drinking – What are the Risks?
A study by the CDC in 2011 showed that at least 39% of teens had drank alcohol within the 30 day period surveyed. In itself, safe consumption of alcohol is not the problem (when it is supervised and controlled in certain circumstances). It’s the statistic of abuse that is most concerning. Up to 22% of teens were found to have binge drank at least once within the same survey period. Because we are talking about youths here under the age of 21, this is a very alarming figure.
Binge consumption and abuse of alcohol can lead to serious issues for a teenager.
Confronting your teen is the hardest thing to do, but it’s also the best thing that you could do. Left unchecked your teenager could spiral out of control. We all want to give our teens freedoms, but sometimes too much is not the best method.
Never confront your teen while you suspect they are intoxicated. No matter how upset you are, don’t be tempted to intervene during this time. Allow some time for you to clear your head and for your teenager to become sober. This will allow for a more balanced conversation from your side, and a more receptive teen.
Explain why their behavior is unacceptable and dangerous. Teens are going through an important stage of brain development and alcohol abuse could lead to serious mental conditions. Their health is important to you, and it should be to them too. So stress this part.
Teens should also be aware of the legal consequences of alcohol. Without creating an excessive element of fear, make your teen aware of the legal issues from illegally obtaining alcohol, to possible DUI’s and arrests related to alcohol consumption.
Above all, let them know how their behavior is making you feel. If it’s affecting the rest of the family, they need to know this. Teenagers don’t have the life experience to make the best choices yet. Knowing the consequences and effects on others resulting from drinking might be enough to make them reconsider their behavior.
When things become too much, parents often need the help of an external counsellor or behavioral modification program. Don’t be afraid to make use of external sources. You could even enroll your teenager in to a troubled youth program.
Choices teens make now can affect the rest of their lives. Because they’re not always able to make the best decisions, it’s your responsibility as a parent to provide all of the necessary guidance and support that you can.
As a parent, it can be hard to gauge when your teenagers drinking has become a serious problem, and when you should intervene. If you want your teen to get the best from their adolescence, without developing destructive habits that lead to poor life choices, then you need to confront them on these issues now.
Teenage Drinking – What are the Risks?
A study by the CDC in 2011 showed that at least 39% of teens had drank alcohol within the 30 day period surveyed. In itself, safe consumption of alcohol is not the problem (when it is supervised and controlled in certain circumstances). It’s the statistic of abuse that is most concerning. Up to 22% of teens were found to have binge drank at least once within the same survey period. Because we are talking about youths here under the age of 21, this is a very alarming figure.
Binge consumption and abuse of alcohol can lead to serious issues for a teenager.
- Development of depression, and other mental conditions.
- A withdrawal from interpersonal relationships as teens develop a regular habit.
- Decline in academic performance.
- A lack of motivation.
- Poor decision making skills while under the influence leading to crime, risky activities like driving under the influence, or being a passenger with those under the influence.
- Problems with memory, intellectual function, and brain development.
- Higher risk of suicide.
- Higher chance of experimenting with illegal drugs.
Confronting your teen is the hardest thing to do, but it’s also the best thing that you could do. Left unchecked your teenager could spiral out of control. We all want to give our teens freedoms, but sometimes too much is not the best method.
Never confront your teen while you suspect they are intoxicated. No matter how upset you are, don’t be tempted to intervene during this time. Allow some time for you to clear your head and for your teenager to become sober. This will allow for a more balanced conversation from your side, and a more receptive teen.
Explain why their behavior is unacceptable and dangerous. Teens are going through an important stage of brain development and alcohol abuse could lead to serious mental conditions. Their health is important to you, and it should be to them too. So stress this part.
Teens should also be aware of the legal consequences of alcohol. Without creating an excessive element of fear, make your teen aware of the legal issues from illegally obtaining alcohol, to possible DUI’s and arrests related to alcohol consumption.
Above all, let them know how their behavior is making you feel. If it’s affecting the rest of the family, they need to know this. Teenagers don’t have the life experience to make the best choices yet. Knowing the consequences and effects on others resulting from drinking might be enough to make them reconsider their behavior.
When things become too much, parents often need the help of an external counsellor or behavioral modification program. Don’t be afraid to make use of external sources. You could even enroll your teenager in to a troubled youth program.
Choices teens make now can affect the rest of their lives. Because they’re not always able to make the best decisions, it’s your responsibility as a parent to provide all of the necessary guidance and support that you can.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Locating the Most Suitable Alternative School for My Teenager
Picking out a boarding school for your child is difficult. you need to have an open mind when selecting a troubled teen school. First, visit each of the schools that you have selected for your child. In general, they will not be how you envision a traditional school to be.
Make sure that you understand everything that goes on at this school. Don't be afraid to get answers for any questions that you might have. But, make sure you talk to the schools and possibly a government oversight department. Random complaints and mean spirited blog posts are all over the internet and most of them are fake; put there by competition or disgruntled employees. This is about your child, so you need to get as much info as possible. If possible, get there early so that you have the chance to ask all of the questions that you want. Get as much information as you can about how the school operates and what it teaches its students. Most importantly, determine how they will discipline your child if she misbehaves. Unfortunately, you might not like the answers that the school gives you.
Learn what the school specializes in. Some schools specialize in helping students who have certain medical conditions. Some do not have a specified medical staff and you will need to know this if your teen has specific medical conditions. Determine if the school can counsel your child and help her to improve her self esteem and become a better person. Does the school know how to deal with drug usage? If your child has more than one or more medical or mental issues, does this school know how to take care of all of them? Learn all about the rate of return. Does the school provide a list of children who have completed the program? Inquire if you can speak to some of the parents of children who has successfully completed the program. If you know the rate of success for each school, this will help you to make the right choice for your troubled teen.
With the right school, your child will have the right help for her emotional or physical problems. Your child will probably need counseling and there are different strategies to choose from. Make sure that your child gets plenty of one on one counseling and that there are plenty of methods to choose from in order to deal with your child's issues.
You will need a school that has both medical and counseling staff, so make sure that these things are accessible.
Asking the right questions and inspecting the operations of your chosen school will ensure that you choose the best boarding school for your problematic teenager. Your troubled teen needs to get the proper care and attention, which is why it is important that you pick the right school. Narrow down your schools of choice and make sure that they have everything that your child will need.
Make sure that you understand everything that goes on at this school. Don't be afraid to get answers for any questions that you might have. But, make sure you talk to the schools and possibly a government oversight department. Random complaints and mean spirited blog posts are all over the internet and most of them are fake; put there by competition or disgruntled employees. This is about your child, so you need to get as much info as possible. If possible, get there early so that you have the chance to ask all of the questions that you want. Get as much information as you can about how the school operates and what it teaches its students. Most importantly, determine how they will discipline your child if she misbehaves. Unfortunately, you might not like the answers that the school gives you.
Learn what the school specializes in. Some schools specialize in helping students who have certain medical conditions. Some do not have a specified medical staff and you will need to know this if your teen has specific medical conditions. Determine if the school can counsel your child and help her to improve her self esteem and become a better person. Does the school know how to deal with drug usage? If your child has more than one or more medical or mental issues, does this school know how to take care of all of them? Learn all about the rate of return. Does the school provide a list of children who have completed the program? Inquire if you can speak to some of the parents of children who has successfully completed the program. If you know the rate of success for each school, this will help you to make the right choice for your troubled teen.
With the right school, your child will have the right help for her emotional or physical problems. Your child will probably need counseling and there are different strategies to choose from. Make sure that your child gets plenty of one on one counseling and that there are plenty of methods to choose from in order to deal with your child's issues.
You will need a school that has both medical and counseling staff, so make sure that these things are accessible.
Asking the right questions and inspecting the operations of your chosen school will ensure that you choose the best boarding school for your problematic teenager. Your troubled teen needs to get the proper care and attention, which is why it is important that you pick the right school. Narrow down your schools of choice and make sure that they have everything that your child will need.
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