Alternative boarding school offering troubled teens programs and boot camps providing teenage help and parenting advice and tips.

Boot camps have recently been facing many controversies and questions about whether they are effective or not. It's probably better to put things into perspective when thinking about sending your teen to boot camp or not.

What are boot camps about?
There are several types of boot camps, some dealing with juvenile delinquents, some dealing with troubled teens, and some for people who have weight issues. Boot camps aim to achieve behavior modification mostly through physically punishing routines, most of them based on military camp format. Here are a few Boot Camp for Troubled Teens in Texas:

• Get Motivated Boot Camp - Uses both classroom instruction and military-style exercise to promote behavior modification in troubled teens.
• Texas Boot Camp LLC - A fitness camp that brands itself as a "Beginner Boot Camp" for people who want to lose weight. They aim to dispell the fear that comes with signing up in military-style weight loss camps.
• East Texas Adventure Boot Camp - A weight loss camp that runs for four weeks. It includes nutritional counseling and motivational training by a certified trainer.

Controversies about boot camps
There have been much discussion about whether or not boot camps really help troubled or struggling teens. This is because boot camps relies primarily on physically punishing daily routines, confrontation, and intimidation to inspire behavior modification. Losing weight, for example, is not just about shedding the pounds. For struggling teens who have weight issues, there are also other issues involved such as low self-esteem, depression, and possibly eating disorders.

Boot camps could be effective if the only intent is to lose weight in a short period of time. However, in dealing with more serious matters and underlying issues, it's probably not as effective.

The same goes for teens that are struggling with behavioral issues. Spending time in boot camps may be interpreted as punishment rather than help. Getting rid of the symptoms while in boot camp is not unlike sweeping dirt under the rug. Scaring teens into submission and breaking their spirit to achieve behavior modification may even result to more problems in the end. It's not a wonder recidivisim rates are high with boot camps.

A more ideal alternative to boot camp for troubled teens in Texas are therapeutic schools or camps where therapy is included in the daily program. Therapy can pinpoint the underlying reasons why teens are struggling and can provide ways on how to help them.

Even more important is the kind of help they can expect afterwards. Boot camps don't typically have an aftercare program in place, unlike some therapeutic camps where therapy and counseling can be provided as an extension of the therapy that teens have been receiving while in camp.

Some examples of alternatives to boot camp in Texas is the Fulshear Ranch Academy and the Meridell Achievement Center. Fulshear is an all-girls holistic therapeutic learning community with programs that run for as long as 12 months. Meridell is a coeducational residential treatment center with a staff that includes medical professionals such as neuro-psychologists, nurses, master level therapists, and more.