Academics may not seem like an essential part of a teenager’s life when they are struggling with mental health or behavioral issues. At Havenwood Academy, we believe getting help in school is a big part of the healing process and make educational success a vital part of our curriculum and treatment. We believe school does not take away from treatment but adds to it by helping the girls in our care improve their self-esteem and gain well-rounded abilities.
Our residential treatment program is for adolescent girls in need of focused attention for psychological, behavioral, and emotional problems. Our full-service, long-term facility offers treatment, therapy, and education. As we work with you and your family to develop the ideal treatment plan for your daughter, we incorporate academics as an essential aspect of her care to help her reach her educational goals and find a deeper sense of self-confidence.
The Importance of Education for Teen Mental Health
It may seem like teenagers don’t care about their studies. When a child is enduring stress, poor mental health, or behavioral issues, it can seem like academic involvement falls to the wayside. Yet, whether they realize it or not, academics are a huge factor in a teen’s mental wellness and self-esteem.
A study from Frontiers in Psychology states, “Adolescent self-esteem, academic self-efficacy, and perceived social support are key factors that should be considered together to improve adolescent academic engagement.” Not only does a student’s self-esteem impact their academic engagement, but the same is true in reverse.
Active engagement in education may seem minor when a child or teenager is struggling with serious mental health or behavioral issues, but removing academics from the equation is dangerous. It may seem like doing so would give the child more time to focus on other things, but finding stable support and development through education is a crucial aspect of maturing.
The Academic Impact
Students who pay less attention to academics are more likely to fail, drop out of school, or turn to drug abuse and juvenile crime. They have higher chances of experiencing anxiety and depression. It is also important to remember that academics speak not only to grades but also to the teacher-student connection, peer relationships, and family environment.
All of these factors impact academic success, and when done with care and the proper attention, it can improve a teen’s overall mental health, confidence, and well-being.
Teenage Confidence and Academic Success
Even the most well-adjusted teenagers can struggle with their confidence. The adolescent or teenage years are a vulnerable time, and those in need of treatment for mental health issues, attachment disorders, or substance abuse often struggle even more.
If a teen needs outside help, especially residential treatment, they may feel that they have failed or don’t fit in with “normal” teenagers. This downturn in self-esteem can convince them to stop trying to succeed in other areas, like school. When children struggle in their life, they may find themselves becoming frustrated easily and giving up on school work.
Students who have better self-esteem and confidence tend to commit themselves to achieving higher goals. They will motivate themselves to face challenges and participate. Consequently, in the Havenwood Academy program, we provide exceptional schooling to not only improve confidence but also show the girls in our care their capabilities.
We teach them the tools they need to succeed and thrive in our program and beyond. Not only will they develop new skills and confidence, but our experts provide unmatched support through education. When struggling adolescents feel supported by their educators and peers, they tend to have more faith in themselves. Their development is boosted by the impact and involvement of others through guidance and higher expectations.
Incorporating Academics Into Treatment
Havenwood Academy is focused on serving the girls in our care and their families to the best of our ability. We pride ourselves on our focus on each individual case and what is needed. We work with the girls and their families to ensure they keep up or catch up in school and even move on to higher education.
Many of the young women joining our program are behind in school due to trauma or other mental health difficulties. We include succeeding in academics as a focus of our treatment plans so that the girls feel their disorder is being attended to and recognize that we care for them as whole individuals. Our goal is to help your daughter grow into a well-rounded, successful young woman in all aspects of her life—education being a huge part of that.
Education Is Treatment
For us, education is not a distraction from treatment but is a vital part of it. By working with our education department, the students, and their families, we can track progress, make goals, and coordinate academics with her treatment plan. We also ensure that the environment is not reminiscent of a difficult time in anyone’s past, so we provide small class sizes to ensure focused attention and management to accommodate those with different levels of learning abilities.
Our educational program offers field trips, inspirational guest speakers, and outdoor experiences. Catering teaching styles to learning styles and aptitudes is crucial for the girls in our program.
Havenwood Academy is a residential treatment program for adolescent girls needing special attention for psychological, behavioral, and emotional problems. We are a full-service, long-term care facility offering treatment, therapy, and education. Each girl who comes through our doors is not a patient, but a student and an equal. With respect and understanding, we ensure the girls feel safe in our care so they can focus on learning. Our small class sizes and expert educators make progress not just possible, but enjoyable. By building up their academic success and working to develop a better attitude, our program teaches young girls how to appreciate education as a part of growth. Making academics a fundamental building block helps your daughter reach her goals and find a deeper sense of self-confidence during her healing. Call us at (435) 586-2500 now to speak with an intake specialist.
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.