The lives of teens are never easy. It can be challenging for them to cope between hormonal changes, academic pressure, social stress, and home life. Unfortunately, many teens struggle with mental health and subsequent substance abuse. For parents, it can be especially challenging to know how to help a struggling teen. There are countless programs, including boot camps, proposed to help teens gain structure, routine, and understanding of their mental health and overall needs.
If your teen is struggling, a troubled teen boot camp is sometimes considered by parents. At Venture Academy, we do not provide boot camps but rather more sophisticated, modern, and clinically comprehensive treatment programs for troubled teens. Our multidisciplinary approach to mental health and substance use disorders makes treatment accessible to teens and their families.
Reach us now at 866.762.2211 to learn more.
What Is a Boot Camp for Troubled Teens?
Many people are familiar with boot camp training in the armed services. A boot camp for troubled teens provides a similar short-term structure and routine to military boot camps. However, by modern standards, teen boot camps are largely considered something of the past and not an alternative to traditional therapy, academic counselling, and substance abuse treatment.
Benefits of Boot Camp for Troubled Teens?
That’s a good question. In the past, some thought there were many reasons a boot camp was an option for troubled teenagers during a difficult time in their life. That was largely at a time when less was known about mental health and how the brain and bodywork. Bootcamps were seen as a way to “tear down the boy and build up the man.” Sadly this is terminology that is even used today in some programs. Parents and referral sources should be aware of what’s out there and thoroughly research options for their child or client.
1. Short-Term Assessment and Intervention
As an alternative to boot camps, teens can benefit from short-term programs that focus on assessment and intervention at the same time and can provide the space they need from home and school stress without causing significant setbacks in their academic careers. Short-term treatment can also jump-start long-term approaches like group and individual therapy.
2. Regimented Schedule
Boot camps are known for their regimented schedules. While a regimented schedule prompts visions of forced compliance and everybody doing things as ordered, similar to a military school. At Venture Academy, we, too, have a schedule like one normally would, such as going to school, attending in-house counselling appointments and therapy, and even routines for sleep and healthy eating. For many teens, establishing routines and schedules can help them cope with stress, reduce substance abuse, and stabilize mental health.
3. Alternative Therapy Approaches
For many teens, traditional and old-school style boot camps are ineffective, and some might even argue that they can be harmful. At Venture Academy, we work to help teens through counselling, therapy, hands-on activities, fitness, and healthy changes in mindset. Hands-on experience through group activities and exercise can be a great way to help teens establish new patterns and thinking and ways of functioning, which translate to positive success upon return home.
Does My Teen Need Boot Camp?
While some parents still consider a Boot Camp, if your teen is struggling and traditional therapy or substance abuse treatment hasn’t worked, please feel free to contact Venture Academy and find out how we can help. If your teen needs crisis intervention or other support for mental health and substance use, know you are not alone. The team at Venture Academy is here to help. Our programs right here in Canada provide a range of multidisciplinary treatments and a continuum of care. Whether your teen is struggling with lying, substance use, social media, video games, or other behavioural issues, our team can help. Venture Academy works with teens in follow-up assessments after treatment to provide families with long-term support and care they can trust.
Call Venture Academy Now to Learn More
Reach out to us by calling 866.762.2211 or via our online form, and speak with our staff to get started with treatment.