Troubled Youth Program

When is too much, in fact, too much? There are multiple strategies on discussing substance use with out of control teenagers. Some argue that honesty about your own experiences with substances (if such experiences exist) is an important step to connecting with your child. Others argue that discussing your own experiences sends the wrong message…

There are many types of therapy. Most approaches, however, focus on alleviating the immediate symptoms – and, once the symptoms have been hidden by any means necessary, the person is declared healthy. Unfortunately, the initial cause of the problem is still there, unaltered, waiting for an opportunity to strike. At a therapeutic wilderness program, however,…

We have a connection with the wilderness. It’s deep down and sometimes hard to see in our technological world, but we have it. It’s easy to think of the feeling you get when you walk into the wilderness for a hike: calm. It’s something about unplugging and taking a nature walk that allows your brain…

Music has an incredible amount of influence over our emotions. For adolescents, who spend a good amount of their time mulling over teen issues like crushes, grades, and peer relationships, music provides a place to escape from the hecticness of everyday life. Recently, researchers have discovered that music can have both positive and negative influences on teen…

In every school across the country, kids are being bullied every day. In fact, a 2013 report by the National Center of Educational Statistics found that one in three students report being bullied during the school year. It’s a crazy number, but there are ways to prevent it from growing. The best way to prevent…

When a teen is struggling with alcohol and drug abuse, finding them the best treatment possible is crucial to their recovery process. One form of treatment used to help teens struggling with these issues is known as motivational interviewing.  Motivational interviewing helps teens get back on the right track towards living a positive, healthy lifestyle.…

Experiences in nature decrease negative thoughts In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers led by Gregory Bratman from Stanford University found a link between positive thinking and nature. It only took a 90-minute stroll through some greenery to elicit a change in the way people were thinking. Those who…

In current times it seems as though everyone is behind a piece of technology. From cell phones, to tablets, to laptops and more, it has almost become more common to walk into a room and see screens instead of faces. If you were to introduce these devices to a crowded room of talkative teenagers, the…

Any parent with a troubled teen has been where you are. At their wit’s end, not knowing how they got here in the first place and unsure of what steps to take next. You know your teen needs help beyond what you can offer, but you don’t know what that help should look like. What…

Parenting troubled teens can be a difficult endeavor no matter who you are. Parenting a troubled teen, however, can present its own unique set of challenges. Before things get out of hand, here are a few warning signs that might indicate your teen is on a path for troubled behavior. Changes in mood and temperament Yes,…