Seeking Adolescent Trauma Treatment in Utah

Trauma can affect the development of children or adolescence. Some teens act out through violent or dangerous behavior aimed at themselves or others. Your child may turn to substances to help them cope with their emotions. Addressing your teen’s trauma isn’t easy. When you decide to find a treatment center to help your teen cope with a past traumatic event, you may not know where to begin.

The Effect of Trauma

The brain is the powerhouse of the body. It controls your thought process, physical reactions, your emotions and keeps organs functioning. During the teen years, an adolescent’s brain undergoes momentous change. These changes determine how your teen sees their environment.

Your teen’s brain is doing a lot to help them prepare for adulthood. The brain increases its cell production, which allows the brain to learn new skills. For this to happen, your teen requires love and guidance. Without supportive, healthy relationships, your teen will lose those brain cells.

Teenagers’ brains are also busy building the neural communication receptors your body and brain need to communicate with each other.

Adolescence is a critical time because the development of the prefrontal cortex occurs. The prefrontal cortex is in charge of behavior, organization, decision-making, and other social skills. Therefore, any interruption to the development of the brain will result in an alteration to brain cells.

The brain develops ways to protect itself from repetitive trauma. Since persistent trauma can occur at any time, the brain will create behaviors that will help a child or adolescent cope with high stress and the need to be alert. Over time, this need to stay on the lookout or cope with stress does alter the brain. The damage from traumatic events can lead to your child’s harmful behavior.

Finding Treatment for Trauma

Once you decide to find help for your teenager, you may wonder where to start. Unfortunately, finding the right treatment center isn’t easy.

However, centers throughout Utah offer several types of therapy that will help your teen learn how to cope with their past trauma. Finding a treatment center that employs comprehensive care through the following treatment modalities is essential:

• Dialectical behavior therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Your teen will learn to cope with healthy stress, stay in the moment, build healthy relationships, and process their emotions.
• Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that gives your teen real-time feedback from their brain activity. The feedback can help your teen focus on positive brain function.
• Individual therapy is a time when your teenager will discuss trauma issues or emotions in a safe space.
• Family therapy is when families come together to learn about unhealthy family relationships or their role in family dynamics. There is an opportunity to heal the relationship between parents and children.

These types of therapy are effective, and most treatment centers incorporate these and others with holistic therapies such as equine therapy, yoga, or art therapy.

Trauma Treatment for Girls

The teen years are pivotal for physical and emotional development. Unfortunately, these years are also when some girls begin to pull into themselves or fail to thrive.

Teenagers who experience trauma face several obstacles throughout their lives. Girls who have the chance to learn and heal in an accepting, loving environment that understands their unique needs can increase their well-being. Repetitive abuse, physical or sexual, neglect, or endangerment can cause disconnection behaviors, aggression, mental health disorders, or substance abuse issues. Relationships formed through support and guidance can help teenagers cope with their painful feelings.

While society is paying more attention to the role of girls in school, and social settings, some girls may fall behind their peers. Girls who are coping with past trauma can disappear in the various systems. For this reason, your teen could benefit from an all-girls treatment facility.

The Benefits of All-Girl Treatment Centers

Power imbalances and gender inequality in communities or close relationships can mean girls are not on an even foot with their male peers. In some cases, girls feel uncomfortable speaking about their experiences with members of the opposite gender in the room.

A treatment center focused on the physical, emotional, and educational growth of young women also promotes experiences that can build self-confidence.

Young women often have a different perspective on their environment and opportunities than their male peers. Therefore, an all-girls treatment program considers the needs, thoughts, and input of young women.

Therapists and peers who listen without judgment are essential for the healing process. Throughout treatment, therapists guide the girls in building healthy and rewarding relationships with their peers. The experience of building healthy relationships can carry into their lives once they complete their stay.

An added benefit of an all-girls treatment facility includes an education component is the freedom to learn among their counterparts. They aren’t competing with or distracted by their male counterparts for attention.

Past trauma affects the present and the future of a teenager’s life. Those who experience and then carry the incredible burden of pain can find harmful ways to help them cope with their anguish. Your child is acting out their pain from past trauma in destructive manners because they don’t know how to express themselves healthily. In some cases, the past trauma alters the development of the brain to the extent that a teen could benefit from long-term inpatient therapy.  The staff at Havenwood Academy have experience in traditional and innovative forms of treatment. The 160-acre academy in Utah focuses on developing healthy coping techniques, relationship building, and life skills. Havenwood Academy is a comprehensive care treatment center. We offer therapy, life-skill coaching, and a school. In addition, our setting promotes a sense of serenity. Inner peace and self-confidence are essential components to your teen’s healing process. To learn more, call (435) 586-2500.