Schools using discipline to deal with troubled teens are missing the opportunity to understand problem behaviour that must be identified before it can be fixed. Psychologist Ross Greene says schools focus on disciplining teens when what they should do is identify lagging skills that keep troubled teens from behaving in the first place. “We’re losing…
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Teen boot camps are heading towards extinction after what has been described as a treatment experiment gone wrong. Corrections expert Dr. Edward Latessa has studied the issue extensively and says most boot camp operators have either gone out of business or modified their programs to emphasize treatment and rehabilitation. Latessa, a juvenile justice expert at…
DetailsVenture Academy for Troubled Teens has expanded into Ontario where it has opened a second residential treatment program for teens struggling with problems ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and criminal behaviour. The new academy, which provides an alternative to boot camp for troubled teens in Canada, is located one hour…
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Parents who think they can pinpoint when their teen’s life went off the rails are often surprised to learn how wrong they are. Venture Academy therapist and clinical director Connie Buckle says parents will often point to a teen’s drug use or criminal behaviour as the problem when in fact it is merely a symptom…
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At what point do parents throw up their hands in frustration and say “Enough!” We need help local resources just don’t seem able to provide. That question is one parents living with a troubled teen invariably find themselves asking. For some, the answer comes while completing an online survey created by the Venture Academy for…
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Four weeks at Venture Academy taught Rachel something she may never have learned otherwise: that her mother really did love her. “I’d been here about a month when I realized she does love me and that she wouldn’t send me to this program to get help for both of us if she didn’t care,” said…
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Technology that has driven a wedge between parent and teen has at the same time provided parents with tools they can use to keep tabs on their troubled teens. Today’s parent, whether worried about their teen’s well being or just plain nosy, can use software to track their child’s every move, keystroke, and Facebook post.…
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Tweens and teens may be spending more time interacting with entertainment media than they do sleeping, a new study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation has found. The report, Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8 to 18-year-olds, found youth 8 to 18-years-old spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day…
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Nick was a troubled teen who could justify just about anything from staying out all night to talking back to his mom. That was before a stay at Venture Academy for troubled teens, where he realized he and his mom deserved better. “I was sneaking out and stuff and my mom would call me and tell me…
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It all started one night at a party. All it took was that first time for Evan Smith’s life to unravel. Before long, the teen was using drugs and narcotics and pushing his parents to their limits.
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