Wilderness Therapy Programs for Troubled Teens in Alexandria, VA
Within the last few decades, America (including Alexandria, VA) has seen the demographic of adolescents deemed, troubled, or out of control, reach epidemic numbers. While experts aren’t sure as to why our nation’s teens increasingly turn to negative behavioral patterns, modern-day issues such as easier access to drugs and the advent of the internet, social media and other screen-based distractions (to name a few) are most likely significant contributing factors.
But with the number of troubled teens rising each year, cities like Alexandria, VA so too is the number of residential treatment centers that advertise their services to parents seeking respite and therapeutic healing for their child.
And, while many of these treatment programs are well-intentioned and run by those who truly believe in their program’s treatment model and core curriculum, parents from Alexandria, VA and elsewhere are all too often duped into sending their teenage daughter to an expensive program that at best, is ineffective in treating their child’s behavioral and emotional issues, and, at worst, exacerbates said issues even further.
Among these detrimental programs are treatment facilities that pose as wilderness therapy programs for troubled teens when in reality, they are more akin to glorified outdoor boot camps.
With the wilderness industry's increasing popularity and recent mainstream exposure, parents sometimes unwittingly send their children to programs that omit the clinical aspects of wilderness therapy.
Though technically a wilderness program, these treatment facilities omit the very foundations that make wilderness therapy effective, and instead, utilize behavioral modification and punishments to enact change within their campers.
For example, instead of providing experiential group therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy, like the most reputable, adventure-based programs, these facilities merely seek to exploit the natural environment as a means to 'break' their campers, before 'building' them back up again.
These tactics are not only deceitful and misrepresent genuine wilderness therapy camps, they often aggravate the very issues campers were sent there to correct, to begin with.
Considering the average wilderness program is $500 dollars per day with a $3,000 dollar enrollment fee (not including what it would cost to transport said teen through a transport company two or more times) choosing this route of treatment is quite expensive.
Legitimate and Cost-effective Wilderness Therapy Programs for teens from the Alexandria, VA area
For moms and dads from Alexandria, VA unwilling to pay double (or potentially triple) for a wilderness program for their teenage daughter, there are cost-effective and dynamic treatment options to consider - like that of Elk Mountain Academy.
Elk Mountain Academy is a Christ-centered wilderness therapy program and residential treatment center for troubled teenage girls.
Elk Mountain Academy offers affordable, expert treatment for life-controlling issues and disorders in girls from the Alexandria, VA area, including:
- attachment disorders
- attention deficit
- eating disorders
- anxiety, depression
- self-destructive or antisocial behavior behavior
- adoption-related issues
We lead troubled girls from Alexandria, VA to seek truth and to trust in the Holy Spirit, our Holy Comforter who was given to all believers in Christ. At EMA we coach and train our students to seek, trust, and rely on the Holy Spirit, who is their comforter.
For more information regarding our treatment program, please call us today at (208) 266-1122.
Mental Health Resources for At-risk Teenagers in Alexandria, VA
Families from Alexandria, VA, searching for support for their at-risk child, trust the direction that Elk Mountain Academy provides for teens who may be undergoing obstacles related to video game addiction (gaming), blended family (relationship), or low self-esteem. Here at Elk Mountain, our licensed counselors have a deep and wise understanding of the issues that at-risk adolescent girls from Alexandria, VA are battling every day. With dedication and expertise, our team delivers direction to our troubled teen students, so they may recognize and deal with their alcohol dependence or drug abuse/addiction (including marijuana) in a way that is both healthy and productive. We specialize in a variety of relevant residential treatment strategies (equine, life training, behavioral therapy), that is based on a solid trifecta of trust and respect. Through this approach, we inspire an internally motivated rehabilitation that lasts a lifetime.
Because working with highly resistant teens is challenging, most programs rely on level systems, punishments, and other behavioral techniques to manage the adolescent girl’s behavior. However, Elk Mountain recognizes that the personal circumstances of one at-risk child doesn’t always apply to all of our teen students. Because of this, Elk Mountain’s professional counselors are faithful to the management of each teens requirements; and they do this with professionalism and sympathy. At Elk Mountain Academy, we involve the entire family (especially the parents) in the teen’s therapy, rehabilitation, and direction. Elk Mountain has served numerous at-risk adolescent girls over the years. Our track record has proven to cause life changing results for our teen students and their families.
Elk Mountain has transformed the lives of countless at-risk adolescent girls over the years, including many from Alexandria, VA. Our approach has improved the lives of our at-risk teen students, and their families. We see that troubled teens can grow to be healthy adults with a desire to succeed! Elk Mountain understands that in order for our at-risk teen students to experience real rehabilitation, the entire family needs to be part of the life skills development and experiential education direction that our counselors provide. Our admissions specialists can be reached immediately at (208) 266-1122.
Additional Direction in Alexandria, VA
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (NCBH): Excellence in Mental Health Act - SAMHSA has released a Request for Applications for Planning Grants for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics which will become a new designation for all community-based behavioral health facilities in Alexandria, VA; that are able to provide an intensive, customized, multidisciplinary approach to evidence-based screening, diagnostics, testing, assessments, prevention and wellness services. These services include 24/7 crisis intervention and response for struggling youth and young women in Alexandria, VA.