Therapeutic Boarding School or Teen Boot Camp
Therapeutic Boarding School or Teen Boot Camp?
Many people struggle finding the perfect placement option for their defiant and troubled teen. There are very few, if any, teen boot camps in existence today. This means parents seeking placement for a troubled teen may not find the exact type of placement they are seeking. Teen boot camps have virtually disappeared. Troubled Teen Boot Camps were an option 10 years ago, but most have been forced to close. Some troubled teen boot camp owners have even been incarcerated for charges associated with child abuse. It is unfortunate that teen boot camps could not help the teens they were entrusted with. In some cases Teen Boot camps have gotten a bad wrap. While it is true that some were charged with child abuse there were some that actually had the teens best interest at heart.
Is There a List of Therapeutic Boarding Schools?
Many people search the Internet for a comprehensive list of options for Troubled Teens, Troubled Teen Schools, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, and Teen Boot Camps. We are not aware of such a list. Some entities advertise quite heavily on the Internet, their main goal is to place students and troubled teens into the schools and boot camps they own. This has a tendency to funnel teens into a specific network of schools rather than what might be best for the troubled teen. Another important question to ask is, Is a Therapeutic Boarding School the proper place for my troubled and defiant teen? A Therapeutic Boarding school is designed to assist through Therapy, and psychological counseling. This type of program can only work if the troubled teen is willing to open up to the Therapist or Psychologist in the Boarding School. Many of the teens in teen boot camps or therapeutic boarding schools don't think they have a problem, they believe their parents are the ones that need help. Since they don't think they have a problem the entire Therapy model is very difficult if not impossible to utilize.
How is a Teen Boot Camp Different than a Therapeutic Boarding School?
A Teen Boot Camp is designed to provide a similar experience to that of a United States Military Boot Camp. This means very strict adherence to orders given and consequences for those that fail to comply. The troubled teen is usually not willing to comply with any orders and in many cases has not been told “No” very often if ever in their life. This collision with those in authority at the troubled teen boot camp happens very quickly. When the teen refuses to comply the military style troubled teen boot camp will levy penalties or loss of privileges to the defiant teen. They may even assign the teen to write an essay or perform calisthenics to come into compliance. The drill sergeant will often times have the troubled teen drop down on the spot and do some push ups or sit ups. This type of correction is controversial and forbidden in some states. The punitive style and consequences are the biggest difference in between a Therapeutic Boarding School and a Teen Boot Camp.