It can be difficult to understand the thought process of a teenager. We like to compare past experiences and feelings from our own teen years to those of today. However, society has changed and so has the outlook of life for many young adults. To add insult to injury, 70% of teens who commit crimes have a mental illness. It can be a heart-wrenching time for families to watch helplessly as a troubled teen spirals downward.
Recognizing Problems
Despite the social atmosphere that exists today, teens still need the same understanding and nurturing that has always existed. Parents often feel that they have done less than their role in raising a child when a troubled teen is the result. However, recognizing that there is a problem and that intervention is needed is the first step in controlling an out-of-control situation.
Considering the Options
Counseling is usually the first step that parents consider, but as the old adage goes, ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink’. Some troubled teens are ready for this step in discussing personal problems, but for others, it may not be enough.
Youth incarceration is too often a reality that provides little help in dealing with social, mental or abusive situations among teens. Further damage can be realized by punishing an already troubled teen. Unsafe conditions and lack of guidance by authority often opens the door to further crime.
Military schools were once thought of as a last resort in straightening out troubled teens. Building character, respecting authority and learning discipline were the guidelines set forth in many institutions. However, the one-size-fits-all standard of these schools has changed dramatically through the years.
An Alternative that Works
Diamond Ranch Academy, located in Hurricane, Utah, is an alternative that is structured in an elite private school environment. Academics and personal therapy help each teen realize their worth and potential in a caring environment that houses like-minded individuals. The 55-acre ranch provides individualized treatment for troubled teens, according to specific personalities and past problems. Nature, horsemanship, athletics, art and clubs are among the various activities that help to round out a promising future for students.
Diamond Ranch Academy is accredited in academia so credits earned are easily transferred to high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and internationally. Troubled teens that have diminished ambitions of entering the world of independent living are introduced to responsibilities of money management, budgeting, work ethic and problem-solving.
Legal trouble is too often the result of troubled teens that need proper guidance. Expensive and traumatic, this is a road that can be avoided by understanding your options and choosing the right path. Regardless of a teen’s past, they are the future. Seizing the opportunity to show them the way to conquer problems and build a positive life is the main objective of Diamond Ranch Academy. Call today for a free brochure or to plan an onsite visit.
Sources:
http://www.troubledteens.com/troubledteensblog/teen-depression-statistics.html
https://www.verywell.com/causes-of-youth-violence-2611437
