articles | Troubled Teens

Total Transformation

Featured Program: Turning Winds Therapeutic Boarding School

Call: 1-800-845-1380

Boarding School for Troubled Teens

Turning Winds Academic Institute is one of the top private boarding schools in the industry. We offer a structured alternative school environment where troubled teens can grow and learn to make the changes necessary for a successful life. We feel this is a better alternative to military boarding schools or boot camps because the environment is such that the teen is able to learn to make correct choices in a healthy and positive way. Military schools or boot camps often will use more negative and demeaning approaches to force submission and obedience. Consequently, what develops is resentment, which does not produce real change, but simply a temporary compliance. That is why most parenting advice says to avoid this approach. Our specialty boarding school utilizes the outdoor components of a summer camp or a wilderness program allowing each teen to benefit from the therapeutic atmosphere of the outdoors.

Turning Winds Academic Institute Mission Statement

RESCUE children from crisis,
RENEW their belief in their own potential, and
REUNITE them with their families.

Participant Profile (These are some of the typical behaviors we specialize in treating):

-Angry & Defiant
-Failing in School
-Rebellious
-Impulsive
-Running Away
-Substance Abuse
-Low self-esteem
-Overconfident
-Negative Peer Group
-Distant from Family and Friends
-Laziness
-Bright but Underachieving
-ADD/ADHD
-Hyperactivity
-Bi-Polar
-Sexually Acting Out
-Manipulation
-Depression
-Weight Problems
-Learning Difficulties

Highlights of Turning Winds Academic Institute

Cost effective: Many programs that offer much less are thousands of dollars more.
We offer small scholarships and educational loans to finance tuition.
Successful: Our research shows that students that complete our program improve in their communication with their families, are more successful in school, not as angry, enjoy better relationship with their families, and are happier. We have many students who we have tracked over several years and are doing well. See our parent/student testimonials
Regular Individual, Group, and Family Therapy
Cognitive, Narrative, Behavioral Therapy
In depth parent workshops that touch on crisis intervention, dealing with defiance, setting appropriate boundaries, consistency with rules and consequences, and preparing for the transition process of bringing the teen back home are among the topics discussed. Role playing is often used during our seminars.
Life Skills and Education Groups
Drug Education and Drug Counseling
Career Counseling
Regular Parent Updates
Extensive Clinical After Care Program
Licensed Therapeutic Boarding School by the state of Montana (Montana State License #16)
Fully Accredited Private School Through Northwest Association of Accredited School
High student to teacher ratio to Ensure the Highest Academic Standards
College Prep
Extremely High Staff to Student Ratio
Very Experienced, Professional Clinical Team
Administrative Staff Have a Combined 50+ Years Experience With Struggling Teens
Immaculate Campus and Facilities Tucked Away in Beautiful Northwest Montana
Strong Wilderness Component to Help Facilitate Growth and Change
Member Program of NATSAP (National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs)
Frequent off-campus trips may include, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, rafting, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, backpacking, and camping are amongst many of the activities we offer at Turning Winds Academic Institute. (Call for more details)
We have successfully helped hundreds of families through times of crisis.

Click Here to Contact Us

Additional Program Information for Parents of Troubled Teens

J.A. Shedd said, "It is the sick oyster which possesses the pearl." We are committed to help each adolescent discover the greatness within them.

Any successful journey must have a clear destination. Here at Turning Winds Academic Institute it is our belief that each person has something great to contribute to society, something that only that individual can give. That is why at our private boarding school we provide each student with a certified counselor through our first class teen counseling program. In this way, teens are guided, through weekly counseling sessions, to set goals and identify challenges that they may be faced with, so that they can begin to map out a successful course of action that will lead to a healthier, happier way of life and ultimately reach their fullest potential. In addition, each student is part of a regularly scheduled meeting involving all staff members, who are directly involved in, and entrusted with, the student's care and progress. At this time the student's progress, challenges and areas of behavior that need improvement are discussed in depth and, again, much direction and feedback is given to allow the student a clear view of what course would best help them achieve their goals. Students, staff, and counselors meet together each evening, as well, as an additional way to help students evaluate where they are, where they want to go, and the course they must take to get there. We also use narrative therapy through journal writing, issue letters, disclosure letters and much more.

We are certain through our therapeutic program that teens will begin to realize and utilize the power and ability within themselves to make correct decisions and discover their own potential, personal talents, and abilities that will not only bring confidence, hope and success to themselves, but to the rest of society. To learn more in depth about our successful program contact us.

We specialize in treating troubled teens from all walks of life. Our private boarding school is highly effective, so much so that many of our students come to us by word of mouth. We can help any troubled teen get back on the right track.

Let us help. Call now to see how Turning Winds Academic institute can help your teen or get more information by clicking here(LINK going to turningwinds.com). Immediate placement is available. 1-800-845-1380

Click Here to Visit Our Website

Testimonials

"Jonathan is doing wonderfully. He’s 18 now, going to college at the University of Colorado and staying in a dorm. He also has a full-time job as a sous chef at a four-star restaurant in Colorado Springs, and he very much enjoys his work. His personality has vastly improved, and I can honestly say that in more than a year since he’s been home we haven’t had a single argument with him. That’s never happened before! Rebecca and I do not begrudge a moment Jonathan spent with you. He is miraculously improved now and we really enjoy having him around; we’re proud of what he’s accomplished. Thanks for your help."
– Kevin

"As far as my struggles prior to Turning winds Academic Institute, they somewhat still remain and it’s a constant effort to continue to be successful. Its self rewarding though to push through and accomplish what used to seem impossible. A great thing is I have been sober for almost two years now! I never thought I could do it, but I have and it has changed my life more than anything else has! I also have become more assertive, independent, brave, and open minded. I am still pretty opinionated though :) and my patience is something I try to be better at… but sometimes fall short. :) That’s just Abby though.

"I would like to express my unconditional gratitude for every single one of you! My life is a lot brighter than I ever thought it could be! There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about Turning Winds. My family and I discuss it quite often with laughter and tears as to all the wonderful memories I have made there. I miss it a lot and I always ask for a plane ticket to Spokane for a Christmas, or birthday gift :) That place is holy ground in my eyes, a place of love, change, hardship, struggle, and strength. Thank you all for the roles you have played in my life for me to finally see a greater potential then I could possibly imagine. Life is wonderful and has its moments of pure bliss… all because of that place… that place that changed me… Turning Winds Academic Institute… my home away from home."
– Abby

Residential Treatment Programs for Teenagers

Teenage years can be tough and when a young person lands in trouble, a residential treatment program is often the answer. Now we need to define trouble. It may be the teenager is a victim and has little if anything to do with their state of mind or body.

Sometimes the teen mixes with the wrong crowd and needs to straighten out their life. But whatever the cause, it’s essential the parent does the right thing. Professional advice is a given. Start with your family doctor. In turn you may visit a specialist and then you can investigate various centers which run programs for troubled teens.

A defiant teen is bad news for his or her family. As a parent, you never want your child to lose respect for their family. And that defiance may cross over into school. Your teenage son or daughter may defy their parents, teachers and other figures in authority.

So what can any parent do in this situation? Well professional help is clearly an option. You could start with your GP. Explain the situation and ask for advice and most probably a referral. A personal interview and a session or sessions with an expert may be an ideal move. But travel concerns or financial worries may force you to look at alternatives.

Thinking positive has always been a way to uplift one’s mental outlook. By focusing on the conscious choice that one can make in order to see the glass as half full rather than empty, troubled teenagers can make the decision to benefit their own mental well-being. “MindSigns Personal Billboards” is a book composed of 52 signs which can help motivate your teenager to stay positive through affirmations and thought-provoking questions, despite the problems that an adolescent may face. The book has one sign for every week of the year which can be utilized as visual motivation.

Once your child hits adolescence, you yourself may be hit with defiance as your teenager goes through a lot of physical and mental changes. Reestablishing proper respect is something that many parents out there should be working on with their troubled teenagers. The book “The Time Keeper” was written in order to help your teen realize how much he should value his relationship with his parents. Kevin Cropp, the author, was actually a rebellious teen himself and describes his real life experience with his own mother in The Time Keeper. It was Kevin’s rebellion that made him lose respect for his mom but when she faced a life-threatening sickness he learned to love her the hard way.

Not only do those troubled teenagers facing depression have to struggle with their negativity, but they also have to face the public stigma which is placed on those with metal health disorders. 16-year-old Di Sha Phillip, a Brampton Centennial Secondary School student, has recovered from depression and is fighting to help remove the mental health stigma that has become yet another hurdle that a depressed teen must face on her way to recovery.

Phillip has helped form a community youth organization called Students Erasing the Stigma.

Christina Botto has studied troubled teens for more than a decade in order to develop parenting strategies that work. She shares these strategies in her book “Help Me With My Teenager! A Step-by-step Guide for Parents that Works” It all began with her trying to help her own teenage daughter with her personal issues. She didn’t stop there. She became a well-known mediator for parent and teenage relationships.

Nigel Latta, author of the book “Before Your Teenagers Drive You Crazy, Read This!” goes on to explain why teenagers act the way they do. Latta discusses how he believes that the unpredictability in the actions of adolescents is actually normal.

He is also known for speaking at various schools and organizations about troubled teenagers. Recently he had a talk at Westlake Boys High School. Interestingly, Latta follows a common sense approach to understanding and dealing with troubled teens. "That's all I do with the kids and families that I work with. It's just simple, common sense, let's try and fix the problem sort of approaches," he said.

The foundation of his approach lies in these basic principles: Success is in the relationship, the approach should be ‘not too loose, not too tight’, communication is your greatest tool, and punctuation is the key to great parenting.

Unwed pregnant teenagers can seek help at Rosalie Hall, a social service agency located in the Bronx, New York. They offer residential services for these troubled teen girls and even have an aftercare program for up to two years after the teenager has had the baby.

Executive Director of Rosalie Hall, Dr. Steven Parker, D.S.W, said “Many of the young women who pass through the doors of Rosalie Hall have no support from family or the father of the child. We provide our single teenagers and women with warmth, understanding and emotional support throughout their pregnancy.”

Those teenagers at the agency are placed into groups in order to hone their individual strengths. They are provided with extensive counseling as well as medical support. Child care classes are offered in order to avoid the issues that young teen mothers may come upon when they are faced with childbirth at a young age.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program aims to help about 7,000 teenagers who may become high school drop outs and engage in drug use or gang violence. These troubled teens may also be exposed to the risk of abusive relationships.

Youth ChalleNGe began in 1993 by the Guard and since then more than 77,000 of those who have graduated from Youth ChalleNGe have gone back to school. They’ve earned GEDs, started their own careers, enrolled in college, or joined the military.

In order to showcase the program’s success, a number of state and federal officials, sports figures, defense leaders, corporate representatives, and performers were present at the National Guard Youth Foundation’s 2008 ChalleNGe Champions Gala.

Mount Carmel Youth Ranch has programs that aid young teen males from 12-18 years old who are struggling with issues in three main categories: Academic underachievement or Suspension, Alcohol and drug abuse, Rebellious and defiant. These are some troubled teen warning signs that the ranch offers to concerned parents.
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Providing valuable aftercare support for your teen

Turnabout/Stillwater Academy includes three vital components in its residential treatment program for troubled teenagers which results in an enduring change in their behavior and issues. First, it is the involvement of the family in the teen’s treatment, then it is the assurance of the teenager’s return to a secure and stable home environment, and lastly, it is the aftercare support given to the families and their teens.

Presently, Turnabout is working in partnership with Homeward Bound, an aftercare prominent leader, in order to ensure that the teenagers who enter their program will receive comprehensive aftercare services that can help with their lasting triumph.

It may be customary to send your troubled teenager to a counselor to help him deal with his issues but it can be a good idea to utilize a Parenting and Life coach yourself to help you with your parenting and self-improvement. Parenting and Life coach Barbara Desmarais offers teleclasses in order to help parents out there with their own parenting issues. She is the resident parental expert of The West Coast Moms, a group whose aim is to empower today’s youth through positive growth.

Starting off, you may be wondering how exactly a parenting and life coach may differ from other kinds of counseling. The major difference lies in the focus. A life coach focuses on the future and the present, rather than the past. The energy is not concentrated on the problem but on the solution. Communication and coping skills in relationships are some of the major points of emphasis as their clients are trained through healthy, functional living. A life or parenting coach is not the one who diagnoses mental disorders or challenges, but helps a parent become the parent they want to be.

Many mothers out there wouldn’t pass up on a chance to further improve the relationships they have with their teen daughters, and the book entitled “Motivating Messages for Mothers of Teenage Daughters” by Frankie J. Jackson, Ph.D. is just the read that could help do this. The book shares ideas on communicating with your teen daughter through motivational messages. Jackson puts her focus on the improvement of communication between mother and daughter and the development of the relationship through this. It also offers a number of motivational messages which can be applied to different situations with troubled teen girls, ideally inspiring mothers to portray themselves as strong role models.

The book is filled with concise topics which each have a motivating message that addresses real situations. Being a mother of three teen daughters herself, the author knows how hard it can be to get some solo reading time in and that is the reason for the book’s format which provides the reader with clear sections and quick information.

Anasazi Outdoor Treatment Program

The Anasazi Outdoor Treatment Program for troubled teenagers is conducted in northern Arizona’s wilderness areas and has become known across the nation because of its philosophy of embracing love. The program itself is licensed by the State of Arizona and has hundreds of graduates which have gained new awareness in the manner that both parent and teen act toward one another—with a focus on respect and love.

The Anasazi program uses the help of a team of health care professionals as well as an “extended family” in Arizona’s wilderness in order to guide defiant teenagers through issues such as substance abuse and rebellion.

In a fast-paced environment, parents and teenagers may not always get the chance to all sit down together and enjoy dinner and a good meal. Fast food and tv dinners are just some of the normal examples of what this traditional family meal has been exchanged for in a number of present-day homes. Food and lifestyle expert, author, and TV personality Lauren Groveman puts emphasis on how a traditional home cooked family dinner can help a busy parent strengthen his bond with his teen. Much communication with your teenagers can occur in simple family moments like this, and the Home Cooking Strategy may just be what you need to reach your troubled teen.

About 16 percent of teens in the U.S. are overweight or obese. As a concerned parent, you may be wondering why? The reasons behind this statistic involve a decrease in physical activity, the present fast food craze, and the hours that adolescents may spend in front of a screen. For all those parents out there who are dealing with teenagers who are packing on the pounds, there’s finally a weight loss plan which was made especially for teens-- the Healthy Teen Diet. Teens have different caloric and nutritional needs during the period of physical and psychological growth they experience through adolescence. The Healthy Teen Diet takes all these matters into consideration in order to provide your teenager with a diet plan which not only puts together exercise with nutritious foods, but gives importance to all the food groups.

Family Camp

SUWS youth wilderness program for teenagers from ages 11-17 has come up with a five-day family camp including parents. SUWS therapists send out invitations to parents from all over the country in order to join their teenagers in Shoshone, Idaho for a wilderness experience.

Kathy Rex, Executive Director of SUWS Adolescent and Youth Programs, says "In the wilderness, teens learn dozens of new skills to improve their relationships. But these skills have to translate into real life. At SUWS, we test the waters at family camp. During those five days, our campers are challenged and tested to make sure they understand how to apply these new skills to real-life family conflicts, all under the supervision of a trained therapist."

The main objectives of the family camp are to assist parents in identifying both positive and negative family dynamics, interact with teenagers utilizing new skills, and realize how their teen can use the right tools in order to be capable of success. For others, it may also show how long term treatment can be effective for their teen.

An Artistic Outlet for troubled teens

A unique art class is being offered at Clair Burgener Academy in Oceanside where troubled teenagers are able to de-stress themselves through sculpting lessons at Lynn Forbes Sculpture studio in Carlsbad Village. Clair Burgener Academy is a public school for teenagers with academic troubles who may come from tough environments.

Blakeley Taylor, a teacher at Clair Burgener, mentioned that a number of her students once were not able to express themselves artistically in a healthy way. “They never have any opportunity to take anything like art or ceramics, because they're always in remedial classes. A lot of them, for the first time, are finding something in school that they're successful at and can enjoy,” said Taylor.

Being an "Inside-Out" Parent

Karyn Gordon is a parent and teen coach who has become an authority on the period of adolescence. She has a private counseling practice in Toronto and also contributes to Slice Network’s The Mom Show. Not only does she give advice on Generation Y issues but she is also the author of “Dr. Karyn’s Guide to the Teen Years”.
Gordon’s recommended style of parenting is being an “Inside-Out” parent. She describes this as “A parent who focuses on whom the child is becoming and less on what he's achieving. More on the effort not the mark. It's also about parents looking inward. What do I need to do differently? How am I contributing to the problem?”
For example, when dealing with a teen issue like sexual promiscuity, Gordon would recommend approaching the issue with a one-on-one talk.
“You choose the right time, when everyone is relaxed. You raise it, not in terms of judging, but trying to get to the root of it, maybe it's pressure or low self-esteem. You might ask, "Can you help me understand?" Then you voice where you're coming from: These are my values and why I've chosen them. But the No. 1 tip is listen first.”

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