Residential program for gentle teen?
I am looking for residential treatment program recommendations for my 14 yr old son who has a mild eating disorder, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and incredibly low self-esteem. He's a gentle kid and does not use any drugs or alcohol. Does anyone have experience with a residential program (nearby) that would be a good fit for someone like him? He is very impressionable, which makes me a little apprehensive about placing him somewhere with teens who have their own demons, as he tends to take on other people's struggles. Any suggestions?
Apr 22, 2019
Parent Replies
I am sorry you are going through this. I have a teen son with similar issues with mellow personality. We hired an Ed consultant and discussed various times whether placing my son in a therapeutic boarding school where there are kids with drug/alcohol or brushing with the law issues was a good fit for my child. Ed consultant reassured me that yes he would be a good fit because all the behavioral issues stem from emotional problems (mostly low self-esteem). They way they manifest their behavior is just different. The Ed consultant was right, he is now in a therapeutic boarding school out of state fitting in well and making great progress. Bonding well with his peers. One thing I have noticed while visiting there is that as soon as the kids are placed in the program they start behaving nicely. So there is not going to be a lot of wild uncontrollable behaviors that your child is going to be exposed to.
You were looking for somewhere in the area but CA law does allow to have those kind of program in the state. You would have to go out of state.
As for your child you would want to discuss with your Ed consultant whether a residential treatment center or a therapeutic boarding school would be a fit for your son.
Good Luck!
I have had a teen in residential treatment for the past year. What we did and what a lot, but not all, parents do is hire an educational consultant. Educational consultants are very knowledgeable about many different programs and are best qualified to match a teen with a program and to ensure that the selected program has current availability. Many of these programs will only deal with educational consultants. We are very fortunate in the Bay Area that there is a support group for parents with kids in treatment or just thinking about treatment. The name of the organization is Willows in the Wind. Their website has lists of recommended educational consultants and other professionals whom you may need at some point. There are monthly meetings in three different locations each month: San Rafael, Oakland, and Los Altos. Los Altos is meeting on May 5, Oakland on May 18, and San Rafael on May 19.