Dealing with a teenager who has emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges is a difficult task, to say the least. While the safety of your child is a top concern, the safety of other family members can also be compromised. If your teen is engaging in disruptive, violent, or self-harming behaviors, the entire family dynamic can be thrown into turmoil.
As a parent, you may find yourself walking on eggshells, constantly worried about triggering an outburst or discovering your child has harmed themselves. Meanwhile, other family members, especially siblings, may be experiencing significant stress and anxiety caused by the unpredictable home environment.
Learn how to help your struggling teenager and keep other family members safe in this helpful guide from Telos.
Recognizing Harmful Behavior in Teens
Recognizing the signs of problematic behavior is the first step in addressing the issue. Some examples of negative behaviors that can be disruptive to family life include:
- Verbal aggression, including frequent arguing, screaming, or using abusive language towards family members
- Physical violence, such as hitting, pushing, or throwing objects at other family members
- Property destruction, punching holes in walls, breaking furniture, or deliberately damaging possessions
- Self-harm or threatening to harm oneself, including cutting, burning, or other forms of self-injury
- Substance abuse of drugs or alcohol
- Skipping school regularly, often accompanied by lying to cover up missed days
- Shunning family activities and refusing to communicate with family members
- Stealing money or valuables from family members
These behaviors impact the entire family. Parents may experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression as they struggle to manage their teen’s behavior while maintaining a sense of normalcy for other family members. Siblings may feel neglected, resentful, or fearful, potentially developing their own emotional or behavioral issues as a result of the chaotic home environment.
When traditional interventions such as therapy, medication, or behavioral contracts have been unsuccessful in curbing problematic behaviors, parents may need to consider more intensive options in order to keep their teen and other family members safe. Therapeutic boarding schools are one option used by many families due to their effectiveness in solving issues with troubled teens.
Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Troubled Teens
Therapeutic boarding schools offer a structured, supportive environment designed specifically for troubled teens. These specialized schools combine academic education with intensive therapy and behavioral modification programs in a full-time residential setting. By removing the teen from their environment, these schools provide a safe space for focused healing and growth without the distractions and triggers of home life.
While at a therapeutic boarding school, teens benefit from a fully supportive environment designed expressly to help them with mental health, behavioral issues, addictive behaviors, and educational achievement.
Therapeutic Boarding Schools and Other Family Members
For parents, the temporary separation from placing your child in a boarding school can provide much-needed respite from the constant stress of managing a troubled teen. This break allows parents to focus on their own well-being and the needs of other family members who may have been inadvertently neglected due to the demands of the struggling teen.
Siblings, in particular, can benefit greatly from this arrangement. With the troubled teen is receiving specialized care in a therapeutic setting, siblings can reclaim a sense of normalcy and safety in their home environment. Parents can devote more attention to their other children, helping to repair any emotional damage and frayed relationships caused by living in a chaotic household.
Moreover, the skills and insights gained by the teen in a therapeutic boarding school can lead to lasting positive changes upon their return home. Many families report significant improvements in communication, respect, and overall family dynamics after their teen completes a program at a therapeutic boarding school.
Choosing a Therapeutic Boarding School
If your teen’s behavior is causing significant disruption and distress within your family, consider exploring the option of a therapeutic boarding school. Families often report that choosing a therapeutic boarding school for their troubled teen was the best decision they could have made for their child and other family members.
At Telos, we help families by providing a safe, secure environment for their child. Our programs are designed to directly address the underlying mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs that manifest as troubled teen behavior. In doing so, we help students progress to a healthier, happier state while providing time for their families to heal.
To help decide if a therapeutic boarding school is right for your child, contact Telos today. We can help answer your questions and provide more in-depth information on our programs, facilities, and resources. We look forward to helping you and your family.