Wilderness Therapy Programs for Troubled Teens in Allentown, PA
Within the last few decades, America (including Allentown, PA) 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 Allentown, PA 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 Allentown, PA 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 Allentown, PA area
For moms and dads from Allentown, PA 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 Allentown, PA area, including:
- attachment disorders
- attention deficit
- eating disorders
- anxiety, depression
- self-destructive or antisocial behavior behavior
- adoption-related issues
We lead troubled girls from Allentown, PA 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.
Direction for Parents of At-risk Teenagers in Allentown, PA
Elk Mountain Academy is the trusted choice for parents from Allentown, PA who may be searching for the optimal therapeutic boarding school to provide direction for their at-risk child who may be battling seasonal affective disorder, alcohol dependence, or peer conflict related obstacles. Here at Elk Mountain, parents and families from Allentown, PA can expect only the best results from our compassionate and professional counselors. Our research-validated approach to a variety of relevant residential treatment strategies (equine, life training, behavioral therapy) and outdoor recreation and adventure therapy has proven to deliver tremendous success!
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.
In short, the counselors at Elk Mountain are skilled at assisting troubled adolescent girls from Allentown, PA with lasting rehabilitation. As a top-notch therapeutic boarding school, we offer a variety of relevant residential treatment strategies (equine, life training, behavioral therapy), outdoor recreation and adventure therapy, and life skills development and experiential education; leading our teen students to a healthy, balanced life. If you feel you may benefit from our therapeutic boarding school, we encourage you to contact our admissions specialists as the first step to creating lasting change in your at-risk child’s life. We provide support to vulnerable teens from Allentown, PA. Call us at (208) 266-1122 to speak with one of our knowledgeable admissions specialists today!
Additional Partnerships in Allentown, PA
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA): The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This agency works to encourage public health endeavors for the advancement of the mental health in Allentown, PA, and all over the nation. SAMHSAâ??s goal is to dramatically reduce the impact that alcohol dependence and mental illnesses have on Allentown, PA communities. SAMHSA is made up of advisory councils and committees that help to move their goals forward. Through the direction of these committees, SAMHSA receives information and advice from the public members and counselors in the field of mental health and drug abuse/addiction (including marijuana) treatment for struggling youth and young women.