by Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC, founder of Lilley Consulting
Find Information to Protect Teens at Risk across the United States...
When it comes to a high school education, it's imperative to ensure you're
paying for the academic and emotional support that your adolescent needs.
Today's adolescents are filled with anxiety, depression, and a spectrum of
other mental health issues. So, while as parents you are thinking about
their academic future, you must also focus on their mental health needs. In
deciding on where your child should be attending school, there are a few
things you'll want to consider.
First, it's important to understand the types of schools you can be comparing.
The first category of school is Therapeutic Boarding Schools, previously
referred to as Emotional Growth Schools. The second type of school option is
a Traditional Boarding School. When researching the type of school for your
adolescent, the distinction between the two is extremely important to note.
Believe it or not, this title Therapeutic Boarding School is on the decline.
This doesn't mean that these types of schools don't exist. The majority of
adolescents who find themselves at a Therapeutic Boarding School would have
previously attended a wilderness therapy program. That's not the case for
every adolescent, yet a high percentage follow this track. What is distinctly
different about this type of school option is that it includes weekly
individual, group, and family therapy sessions. This is paramount to the
academic success of an adolescent who is struggling with mental health,
substance abuse, or family trauma.
If this is the type of school placement
you are considering, you may want to hire a Therapeutic Consultant to help you
with recommendations. Programs such as New Summit Academy or
Greenbrier Academy are just two examples of therapeutic boarding schools that
can offer the therapeutic supports for young people while simultaneously
providing a college-prep education. The National Association of
Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) or All Kinds of Therapy are great
resources in searching for Therapeutic Boarding Schools.
If your adolescent does not need an intervention like wilderness therapy,
the second type of school you can explore is a Traditional Boarding School.
If you are leaning this direction, you may want to hire an Education Consultant.
These individuals focus on the academic needs of your child and will make
recommendations based on schools they have visited. They help you narrow down
the options and know the best schools for the specific needs of your
adolescent (i.e. learning disabilities). An important distinction is that a
Traditional Boarding School may not offer the Mental Health Staff or
Direct Care staff to supervise an adolescent with significant mental health
or substance abuse concerns. Most Traditional Boarding Schools do not have a
Psychiatrist or Therapist on staff. They will, however, have School
Counselors and/or College Counseling teams to support the academic, career,
and emotional needs of your adolescent. When searching for Traditional
Boarding Schools you can refer to The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
or National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
Some families are determined to do the research without hiring a professional.
If that is what you are doing, here is a
Parent's Guide to helping you with the process. In addition, here are some key questions to consider when
speaking with potential schools:
In the end, the most knowledgeable resource about the differences in schools
and the best type of fit will be a Therapeutic or Educational Consultant.
In addition to the questions listed above, these individuals can provide
exhaustive lists of questions for families to ask potential schools in
regards to college-prep, community immersion, international travel, home
visits, as well as numerous additional areas that need exploration while
considering therapeutic or traditional boarding schools.