Wilderness Therapy Programs for Troubled Teens in Kansas City, MO
Within the last few decades, America (including Kansas City, MO) 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 Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO area
For moms and dads from Kansas City, MO 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 Kansas City, MO area, including:
- attachment disorders
- attention deficit
- eating disorders
- anxiety, depression
- self-destructive or antisocial behavior behavior
- adoption-related issues
We lead troubled girls from Kansas City, MO 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.
Assistance for Parents of Troubled Teenagers in Kansas City, MO
Many families from Kansas City, MO who are seeking help, have made Elk Mountain Academy their first choice for their troubled child who may be experiencing substance abuse (including marijuana), behavioral misconduct, or clinical depression related issues. Here at Elk Mountain, our therapists understand the common issues that troubled teens from Kansas City, MO are faced with every day; and we offer help to our students, so they can recognize and deal with their social-related problems in a way that is both healthy and productive. Our robust outdoor recreation and adventure therapy programs rely on connection, trust, and respect; thus inspiring an internally motivated restoration that lasts a lifetime.
As a result, Elk Mountain is committed to meeting the particular needs of each teenager with the utmost professionalism and compassion. Elk Mountain’s therapists and field staff discourage the use of judgments and labels, and never condone one’s diagnosis to interfere with a struggling teenager’s sense of self or ability to form friendships with one another. Elk Mountain has provided assistance to numerous families from all over the nation. Our experienced therapists offer superior treatment to set the path of restoration for teens struggling with trials such as food addiction (binge eating, overeating), bullying (or being bullied), or even behavioral misconduct.
Elk Mountain has transformed the lives of countless troubled teens over the years, including many from Kansas City, MO. Our approach has improved the lives of our troubled students, and their families. We see that struggling teenagers can grow to be healthy adults with a desire to succeed! Elk Mountain understands that in order for our troubled students to experience real restoration, the entire family needs to be part of the life skills development and experiential education help that our therapists offer. Our family advocates can be reached immediately at (208) 266-1122.
Additional Counseling in Kansas City, MO
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (NCBH): Mental Health First Aid - Mental Health First Aid is a course that requires eight hours for completion. This course teaches people in Kansas City, MO how to offer assistance to troubled teenagers and young adults, who may be developing the signs of a mental health problem; or are experiencing the warnings signs of an impending mental health crisis. This training educates people in Kansas City, MO on being able to identify, understand, and properly respond to the warning signs of teen and young adult mental illnesses and pain medication abuse/addiction disorders.