Therapeutic boarding schools?

[wadadli]

Any girls boarding school experiences or suggestions?

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[lbjnltx]

Is the focus of your search on education and character development through learning coping strategies  or is it on thorough mental health treatment alongside an educational program?

One is Therapeutic Boarding School and the other is Residential Treatment Centers.  Often times facilities are listed as both.

[wadadli]

Hi lbj, I also posted yesterday asking for opinions on McLean and Wellspring. We're trying to figure out if our daughter, 15, super smart, high academic achiever could get into a school that has enough therapeutic support and supervision to help her stay on the right path, while also maintaining a stronger academic focus than many RTCs seem to.

[lbjnltx]

Working at it from the back door... .

Does your daughter need full thorough mental health treatment with strong academics or does your daughter need challenging academics  in a structured environment with therapeutic support?

I ask because it would help focus your search if you looked for an RTC w strong academics (shorter list) rather than Therapeutic Boarding Schools with strong therapeutic components.  Also... many TBS's won't provide psychiatric (meds) support.  That is an outside resource facilitated but not provided by the TBS

[wadadli]

Great questions lbj! From what we can tell, we think the ideal setting would be a therapeutic boarding school with challenging academics, and a strong therapeutic component. The challenging academics seems to be a motivator for her, so we worry that sending her to a program that sacrifices that will negatively impact her buy in and progress.

[lbjnltx]

Great questions lbj! From what we can tell, we think the ideal setting would be a therapeutic boarding school with challenging academics, and a strong therapeutic component. The challenging academics seems to be a motivator for her, so we worry that sending her to a program that sacrifices that will negatively impact her buy in and progress.

Many RTC's educational components are self paced online programs.  Would that be a plus or minus for your daughter?

[wadadli]

I think that would be a minus. She really prefers the classroom teaching interaction.

[lbjnltx]

Has the question/answer/question/answer process given you more clarity on what you are looking for in a program wadadli?


If so, your search now has an established criteria and will make the process more focused and productive.

I hope!

Do you have a list of possibilities that meet your criteria?  Can you pare it down to 3?  Can you call the facilities and speak with the intake coordinator?  Request information in print form? After reviewing the printed information... .if you believe they are still viable options for your daughter's placement can you call and ask each facility for a list of parent references... .past and present.  After you speak with each of the references for each of the facilities you will most likely pare it down to 2. This is the time to go visit each facility.  Ask for a meeting with the heads of each department of the facility... .and come prepared.

lbj

[wadadli]

This has been very helpful, thank you.

I think you have helped me solidify in my mind that a boarding school option could hopefully offer the best combination of an academic focus as well as enough structure and therapeutic support for my daughter.

Now, the key is to find one that seems like a good match and that would take my daughter!

Two possible options are Carlbrook and Greenbriar. Carlbrook is coed, which is a concern, we'd ideally like an all girls option, given daughter's history with boys.

I'm sure there are others we should be looking at, will search some more.

[lbjnltx]

This has been very helpful, thank you.

I think you have helped me solidify in my mind that a boarding school option could hopefully offer the best combination of an academic focus as well as enough structure and therapeutic support for my daughter.

Now, the key is to find one that seems like a good match and that would take my daughter!

Two possible options are Carlbrook and Greenbriar. Carlbrook is coed, which is a concern, we'd ideally like an all girls option, given daughter's history with boys.

I'm sure there are others we should be looking at, will search some more.

Many factors to consider wadadli!  "all girls" was one of my top 3 in search criteria.

Let us know how it goes and please come back so that we can support you!

lbj