Understanding Emotional Growth in Youth

While Havenwood Academy focuses on education as a part of our treatment program, we also encourage and promote emotional growth and education in our curriculum. Emotional learning is a vital part of treatment for young girls struggling with psychological or behavioral problems.

Being able to identify, communicate, and manage one’s emotions is an essential aspect of creating and maintaining healthy bonds, friendships, and growth. Most young women who come into our care are dealing with trauma, attachment disorders, or other mental health conditions. To recover and thrive in life while navigating such hurdles, emotional progress is crucial.

What Is Emotional Learning?

Emotional learning, also called social and emotional learning, is the process of developing the skills necessary to manage and identify one’s emotions so one can achieve goals, bond with others, and develop strong and healthy relationships based on trust. By building this tool set, a young woman can face her emotions as well as manage the effects of uncomfortable feelings and control resulting behaviors.

These tools can be taught both in the classroom and through therapy sessions. No matter what the child is being treated for, she can benefit from emotional education. The goals of emotional education include:

• Setting and achieving positive goals
• Feeling and showing empathy for others
• Establishing and maintaining positive relationships
• Making responsible decisions
• Understanding and managing emotions

Although these may seem like basic parts of life, many children don’t develop these skills naturally. These skills are necessary for success and wellness, whether they had a problematic past that didn’t promote emotional competency, had their growth in these areas stunted by trauma, or reverted due to trauma.

The Importance of Emotional Growth in Youth

Building emotional skills is crucial for maturing into a constructive member of society. Without such skills, a child can develop severe behavioral or emotional issues that last well into adulthood. As an adult, developing these skills can take longer and be much more challenging as the individual has had such a long history without them.

For children, developing these skills can improve their academic success, health, and well-being. Besides that, emotional growth leads to a reduced risk of alcohol and drug use, violence, and bullying. When these tools are taught alongside more traditional curriculums, they have been seen to help students become:

• Better communicators
• Stronger team members
• More effective leaders
• Involved and caring members of the community
• Accepting of challenges

All of these are aspects of a successful member of society. Not only will adopting such characteristics benefit a teen’s current life but also her future.

How Emotional Learning Improves Bonds

It is no secret that a teenage girl’s emotional bonds with parents, teachers, and friends are critical to her happiness. This may seem obvious or simple, but there are many troubles facing teens today that can negatively affect these relationships. Without the proper toolset to repair bonds and build healthy connections, teenagers can suffer from attachment disorders, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and more.

A teen girl’s well-being is often influenced by the strength and health of her connections with others. It isn’t just about the goodness of the people in her life, but how she understands them and herself. If she feels disconnected from important people in her life, her confidence and self-esteem may suffer, leading to further troubles.

When a teenage girl is taught the tools needed to set and achieve goals, she isn’t just benefiting her future self but also her current state. She may work harder in school and follow through on tasks and promises made to others. By learning about empathy, she can put the feelings of others at the forefront of her thoughts and actions and understand how to comfort or empower someone else. She can use these positive methods to contribute to her friendships and even her relationships with siblings and parents.

Emotional Learning and Control

A girl can feel helpless during her teenage years. There is a lot going on that she can’t control, but she can prevent poor choices and move through life more positively by learning how to manage emotions, especially the uncomfortable ones.

When a teenager faces trauma, stress, or any difficult changes, without the proper tools to handle such events, she may be at risk for developing a serious mental health condition, substance use disorder (SUD), or behavioral or emotional issues. All of these can lead to further stress, a lapse in educational growth, or relationship drama. From there, it can become a domino effect, challenging every aspect of her life and causing her to feel out of control.

Emotional growth is vital to maturing smoothly, developing a sense of self, bonding with others, and recovering from past trauma or disorders.

Havenwood Academy has compiled a successful group of experts who have years of training and experience treating teenage girls with a multitude of struggles. We take pride in our ability to prioritize their health, wellness, and healing while they are in our care. We not only include education in our program but ensure that each and every girl who crosses our threshold is developing the emotional skills needed to move forward positively in life. We use group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, and other holistic methods and techniques to ensure your daughter receives the best care to recover from whatever her struggles may be. Through our curriculum, your daughter has the best chance of healing, finding confidence, and thriving in her life. We are here to help you and your daughter grow together. Call us at (435) 586-2500 now to learn more about how we can help.