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

Benefits/Downsides of Wilderness Programs for Troubled Teens:

There are many benefits to sending your teen to a wilderness program for at-risk youth, and also a few downsides. The outdoor therapy that wilderness treatment programs offer is very effective in helping troubled teens to appreciate the luxuries of life and to help them to start thinking about what is really important. The outdoors offers powerful therapy that will help almost any lost teen to find a good direction in life and make parenting teens easier. Unfortunately, many wilderness programs are very expensive (usually $15,000.00 to $20,000.00+) for a six-to-eight week length of stay and usually require that the troubled teen goes on to a more long-term Boarding School or Residential Treatment Program after completion of the wilderness program. If you as a parent can find a long-term boarding school or residential program that utilizes the outdoors and offers similar structure and outdoor experiences as you will find in a wilderness program or a troubled teens camp, you will save time and money.

Is a Wilderness Treatment Program the Answer to Get Troubled Teen Help?

Most adolescents or teens are sent to wilderness programs and summer programs for troubled teens because of negative behaviors such as: lack of motivation, anger at home, drug use, alcohol use, violence, poor performance in school, low self-esteem and being easily swayed by peers in the wrong direction. These are all issues that are deep rooted and take time and therapy to heal. While wilderness programs do offer help for parents of troubled teens, the real and lasting changes are not solidified for months or years down the road. In most cases, wilderness treatment programs should only be considered if it will be followed by a long-term program which will help further and solidify any changes a teen has made. If you can find a good structured long-term program or troubled teens school with a wilderness component we would recommend that the wilderness program is bypassed.

Our Recommendation

We feel the best option for any parent who is struggling with a troubled teen is to consider the long-term result that is desired and then look for a long-term therapeutic private boarding school or residential treatment program that offers an outdoor component. We recommend long-term because it takes more then a couple of months for teens and people in general to make lasting, solid changes. Find a program that offers a Wilderness component and a structured environment, which are both very therapeutic and will act as a catalyst in bringing about positive change for any and all troubled teens.

Troubled Teens Program

Turning Winds Academic Institute offers a long-term alternative to Wilderness Programs and summer camps for troubled teens and at the same time offers many of the same experiences that a teen will have in a Wilderness Program or summer camp. The students participate in many outdoor experiences throughout their stay and will participate in things like backpacking, camping, hiking, and outdoor awareness classes. Turning Winds Academic Institute also offers one of the best academic institutes at our specialty boarding school with our students scoring on average above 70+ percent of all graduating high school seniors. Many of our students also have the opportunity to start college courses during their stay.

To find out more about Turning Winds Academic Institute and how we can help your teen contact us by filling out our online form or call 1-800-845-1380 to speak with our admissions personnel 24 hours a day.