Many times the challenges we see in struggling teens are complex, with a mixture of behavioral, developmental and psychological realities pulli8ng in opposite directions. Often depression is an underlying reality. As this resource on teenage depression points out, common symptoms of teen depression include:
- has trouble making/keeping friends
- declining grades/truancy
- loss of interest in normally focused activities
- anger/irritability/hostility
- weepiness/sadness
- restlessness/agitation
- excessive sexual behavior
- acting-out behavior (stealing, violence, self-injury)
- declining self-care and hygiene
- negative self-talk/low self-esteem
- disordered eating habits/change in appetite
- pessimism
- somatic complaints (headaches, stomach aches, etc.)
- isolationism/withdrawal
- difficulty with concentrating and/or decision making
- personality changes
- suicidal ideation
- substance use
When you are searching for high schools for troubled teens, there are many questions that can help uncover the information that will help make the best choice for your child. Jeff Brain has just published a guide to help parents make an informed decision. Within this resource Jeff develops dozens of important questions, provides objective resources to help provide perspective, and gives a clear overview of options so that exist to meet the needs of struggling youth. As Jeff shares,
“My hope in writing this is to provide parents with a checklist — a list of important and necessary things to look for, questions to ask, and mistakes to avoid when touring a campus. The list is developed not only from my experience as the director of admissions at a therapeutic boarding school, but also as a clinician who has visited over 100 schools and programs. From both sides of the table, I have experienced the challenge of not only learning and understanding programs, but in accurately representing them as well.”
The resource list from this resource is as follows:
The following are good, objective, informative websites that can provide you with helpful information about your therapeutic school search.
www.strugglingteens.com
www.gposner.com/resources/resources.htm
www.natsap.org
www.iecaonline.org
Follow Jeff’s blog at Help for Struggling Teens and Families.
In the midst of our busy season, there’s some new content emerging on our partner blogs that deserves mention.
Jeff has developed an interesting resource for parent, providing a well thought out checklist of questions to assist parents visiting residential placement options for their struggling teens.
Sid continues to develop his ideas around the current health care debate.
Rita probes acceptance and the question “Are the 12 steps still relevant for today’s struggling teens?”
Richard explores a spiritual dilemma concerning the work we do with at risk youth.
Mike captured this video clip of the dance following the awards dinner at the Family Foundation School.
And at the FFS blog, the belief statement of the therapeutic boarding school was shared.
Over the past three days I heard some startling stories of frustration that erupted into violence. A microwave oven that was thrown out of a third floor window. A car driven in reverse at full throttle until hitting a parked car. A sibling pushed through glass door.
Some of the angry teens I work with define themselves as rage addicts. Out in the extreme emotion they claim a type of dominance over their troubles. But as relationships break and consequences with the law and elsewhere mount, the appearance of control becomes harder and harder to maintain. And the very frustration that is fueling the rage becomes even more entrenched.
Fortunately, there is a way out. One of the joys of our graduation weekend at The Family Foundation School is that alumni return and share their example of living successful lives in the 12 step mode. As one alumni, now entering his final year of college shared with a group of us. “The 12 steps are not just for addicts and drunks. It’s a way of living that can deal with any problem whatsoever. And who doesn’t have problems?”
Listening, But Not Silent
