In our fast-paced and hectic world many children display the typical symptoms of self-destructing behaviour. Parents find it rather hard to deal with this serious problem. In fact, they are rendered completely helpless by the hostility of their children. Where you can turn when you have already tried the therapists and school counselors without success? Many parents feel guilty about sending their troubled child away to military school or boot camp. Oftentimes they try to find a therapeutic boarding school or opt for an wilderness program.

Wilderness Therapy

Wilderness programs are intense, short-term, therapeutic options for teens who want to get their life back. These programs are a good alternative to boot camps, as wilderness therapy is much more effective if the children display predominantly psychological problems. In comparison to a long-term boarding school, wilderness programs are short-term and low-cost. Wilderness therapy is a kind of ‘preliminary stage’ before sending a troubled teen to a boarding school. As a matter of fact, many therapeutic boarding schools will suggest that children attend a 30-day wilderness program to break down their hostility and defiance.

In contrast to the youth boot camps that tend to emphasize military discipline and do not deal with the therapeutic solutions, wilderness programs focus on real behavioral and emotional problems. Wilderness therapy is an outdoor activity that focus attention on the emotional needs of troubled teens. They learn social skills such as cooperation, self-reliance and responsibility. Wilderness therapy, with its emphasis on behavioral change through well-established therapeutic interventions makes it more effective program for troubled teens than military style boot camps.

Therapeutic boarding school

If after a 30-day wilderness program your teen still displays the same defiance and hostility, you should opt for a therapeutic boarding school. While the wilderness therapy is a short term program, boarding schools are a long-term option that focus on behavioral change as well as on academics. Not only do therapeutic boarding school help your children to take responsibility for their actions, they help them to catch up academically as well.

Before sending your child away to a therapeutic boarding school, make certain that your troubled teen really needs a specialty boarding school environment and is not going through the normal growing problems of adolescence.