When you have a troubled teen daughter, you live in a world of worry and second guessing. Is this punishment too tough? What’s the right thing to say to her? Did I make a mistake? Will she turn out ok? It can be a miserable life for parents, the troubled teen girl, and her siblings, friends, and classmates. Many parents reach the point at which they realize they can’t do much more for their troubled daughter, but that she needs serious intervention and help.
The idea of a therapeutic boarding school can seem frightening, or much too serious, but once you reach the point of desperation it may be your only option. Parents will always have many questions and concerns about sending their troubled daughter to a therapeutic boarding school, so we’re here to answer the most common of those questions and concerns.
Top 10 Questions Parents Have About Therapeutic Boarding Schools
- Does this mean I’m giving up? Absolutely not. Though a common concern, it actually takes great courage and humility for parents to admit that their daughter needs serious professional help. Getting her that help is the opposite of giving up.
- Is it like a prison? No – that wouldn’t be good for her or others. She doesn’t live in a cell or get locked in at night. Most therapeutic boarding schools use dorm or group homes that model normal family homes. Classrooms are much like regular school classrooms, and there is freedom and choice in her daily life.
- Is she going to be in a therapist’s office 24/7? Nope. She will have regular individual and group therapy with a professional counselor, but that will be a small portion of her week.
- Can she get a high school diploma? After helping her overcome serious mental/emotional issues, that is the main focus of a therapeutic boarding school. Girls will have the opportunity to earn a high school diploma on time.
- Will she forget about her family? Not at Havenwood Academy, where the curriculum and treatment is very family-focused.
- Is it only for girls with diagnosed mental illnesses or criminality? It depends on the therapeutic boarding school, but Havenwood Academy accepts girls with mental illness, criminal history, and other issues like sexual promiscuity, self-harm, and others.
- Wouldn’t it be better for her to stay close by? Actually, no. Read here about the benefits of a fresh start and new location.
- Will she lose all her friends? One of the benefits of a therapeutic boarding school is leaving bad influences behind. She can remain in contact with good friends, and will have time to associate with other girls and classmates to overcome together.
- Will she ever come back home? Yes! Therapeutic boarding schools are not meant to be a permanent solution. They are designed to help your daughter become a healthy, functioning individual so she can come back home.
- Am I a bad parent for sending my daughter away? You are a good and caring parent for wanting your daughter to get the help that she needs to turn her life around. You will appreciate the sacrifice when you see the results – a happy, healthy daughter who can live a full and fulfilling life.
Think Havenwood Might Be For You?
We encourage any visitors considering placing their daughter in treatment to fill out our online assessment as soon as possible. This two minute form will give our admissions team all the information needed to determine if your daughter is a good fit for our program.
Eric Allred was born and raised in Rigby, Idaho. He grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of work. He graduated from Rigby High School and attended Rick’s College, now known as BYU-Idaho. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Utah State University, received a master’s degree in organizational behavior and human relations from the University of Phoenix and a second master’s degree in marital and family therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. Eric has been involved in Rotary and was president of a local Rotary Club. He enjoys being with his family and doing outdoor activities such as fly fishing.
Chase was very fortunate to start in this industry as a struggling 17 year old kid looking for a mentor and something to be passionate about. Wilderness therapy was Chase’s first stop in this industry and was truly a transcendental experience for him. Chase has an enormous love for this line of work and the power that it has in creating change in everyone involved. Chase’s biggest belief is the power a mentor, strong, healthy relationships, and accountability can have on anyone, especially youth. Taking a very relational approach to his work, Chase has always been very relatable to the students he works with. Being able to understand and relate to a vast variety of the same struggles as a lot of the students he works with has been able to help him continue to grow, learn, and teach. Chase believes that with great rapport and trust, he can use his experience to continue to coach and train new staff, and has the ability to find those staff with the passion for this industry, and help them grow. His love and passion can be felt the moment you talk with Chase about this industry and he passes that on to others he works with. In his spare time you will find Chase cheering for the Eagles, Yankees, and Mavericks, hanging out with his brother, learning more about Eastern Psychology, and continuing to grow and learn.