When it comes to parenting, teenagers can be exhausting. It becomes even worse if your teen is rebellious and persistently fails to tell you where they are, who they’re with, and respect your rules. If your teen’s rebelliousness has become reckless or is causing unbearable stress in your home, there are resources available to help your teen regain control, get back on track and restore a more respectful, loving parent/teen relationship.

Here are some telltale signs your teen needs interventions and three resources to help them overcome behavioral and emotional challenges.

Signs Your Teen Needs Intervention

While most teens will rebel at some point, out-of-control rebellious behavior makes it impossible to manage your teens and keep them safe. Signs your teen needs intervention include:

  • Aggressive behavior
  • Violence
  • Explosive anger
  • Running away from home
  • Skipping school or refusing to attend
  • Dangerous or illegal activities
  • Increasingly poor academic performance
  • Destructive peer relationships
  • Dangerous behavior
  • Defiance
  • Depression/anxiety
  • Mental health concerns such as self-harm, thoughts of suicide, unexplained personality, or mood changes etc.
  • Withdrawal
  • Lack of interest in the things they once enjoyed
  • Poor hygiene
  • Concerning eating or sleeping habits
  • Disrespect for authority
  • Never following rules
  • Lying and secretiveness
  • Negative self-talk/low self-esteem

These signs indicate your rebellious teen requires professional, therapy-based interventions as soon as possible.

3 Types of Help for Rebellious Teens

When your teen displays any of the above behavior there are three types of therapy options available:

1. Outpatient therapy

Outpatient therapy is provided through a therapist while your teen continues living at home and attending their current school. Your teen receives individual therapy sessions and might be encouraged to participate in group sessions with peers.

However, this type of therapy also offers support for your whole family, allowing siblings and parents to participate. You are also given coping strategies to help keep the peace and strengthen relationships.

Early intervention can help curb rebellious behavior before your teen starts spiraling out of control. Outpatient therapy doesn’t disrupt your teen’s life and allows them to continue attending school and remain amongst their peers.

Outpatient therapy won’t work for teens who have demonstrated dangerous, persistent, or escalating behavior. It is also less effective in teens who refuse to participate in therapy or are under the influence of negative peer relationships. In all these scenarios, more structure and supervision are required.

2. Day treatment programs

Day treatment programs are recommended when teens need ongoing care and present specific risks related to the following examples of behavior:

  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Trauma
  • Grief
  • Severe learning disorders
  • Self-harm
  • Personality, behavioral or co-occurring disorders
  • Defiance
  • Unmanageable family conflict
  • Gender dysphoria and confusion
  • Behavioral addictions
  • Substance use

Day treatment is provided in special school settings attended during the day. They provide more structure, balancing your teen’s educational needs with individual/group therapy to teach coping skills and help overcome challenges. Also known as partial hospitalization, this is an intense program ensuring teens receive comprehensive mental health care with support to manage issues in a safe setting.

It also removes teens from their current environment for cases where your teen is repeating dangerous behavior due to peer influences in their current school setting. Teens receive treatment without disrupting their education, allowing them to avoid falling behind, receive support to enhance their academic performance and remain living at home.

3. Residential treatment centers

Residential treatment centers are schools for rebellious teens designed for students in need of a structured, secure, and supportive environment 24-7. Your teen lives at the school residence, where they receive 24-hour care from supportive staff who help them overcome the adversities experienced in other mental healthcare settings.

Care and treatment in a safe and supportive environment address behavioral and emotional challenges that include individual therapy, group therapy, and other types of treatment as required. Academic professionals cater to students who have faced challenges in other educational settings, helping them overcome their specific academic struggles.

The focus is on the specific strengths and weaknesses of each student using flexible, personalized academic plans. As a result, teachers accommodate your teen’s individual learning style and requirements while proper medical and psychological professionals provide the support your teen needs to reach their full potential.

If you are uncertain where to begin, it helps to speak to your family doctor. They can offer advice and arrange for an assessment to ensure your teen receives the assistance they need.

If your teenager needs the structured care and support of a residential treatment center, request more information on our program here.