Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Brat Camp
BRAT CAMP TEEN ARRESTED
Anonymous:
Of course it depends on the kid (some kids do indeed have profound mental health issues and will need psychological/psychiatric support indefinitely)---but it sounds to me like you (Dysfunctional) are placing excessive importance on the amount of individual therapy provided per child in these programs,
We often forget that people--including teenagers--have untapped personal, frequently unrecognized strengths and resilience. A therapist can have a role in realizing these things, no question, but so can trusted adults, good friends, ministers, positive life experiences, opportunities to do better, and so on.
Now I understand that Dysfunctional doesn't think that any of these good contacts happen in any programs---we may have to agree to disagree on that---my point is: don't think of all teenagers who are acting out as just a pool of potential clients for some mental health professionals.
They might be better viewed as still maturing people in need of learning more about how to be fully functioning individuals in the world---I've got nothing against therapists and good ones certainly can help with this process--but so can many other things and people
I also think Dysfunctional may be a little off on whether or not therapists can ethically work at these kinds of programs---it will obviously depend on the program----but I know of therapeutic boarding schools that have actually been APA internship sites, presumably these school were considered ethical practice sites by the APA which had to approve them as a training location
Troll Control:
Don't confuse "therapeutic value" with "seeing a therapist."
My question to you is, if "therapeutic value" can be had through relationships with ministers, teachers, role-model-type adults and others, then why would you ever need to send your kid to a program to find these people?
I never said that these types don't work in programs. There aren't many, but there are some. But why do you need to send your kid away for that?
You really defeated your own argument behind sending kids to programs.
I also think that the vast majority of kids don't need therapy either. They can be helped by caring parents.
But what you're saying is that most kids don't need therapy (I agree wholeheartedly) and that very little therapy takes place at a TBS or wilderness program (again, I agree).
So, I guess what I'm asking then is why did you ever send your kid away in the first place? You say it wasn't for "therapy" and you say most kids can be helped at home? What happened in YOUR home?
If your kid was too messed up to be helped by you and others as you describe above, you must have sent them away for something else, which most people would assume to be therapy.
Please help me understand your contradictory statements...[ This Message was edited by: Dysfunction Junction on 2005-08-05 11:25 ]
Anonymous:
Title: Two Years Later: A Qualitative Assessment of Youth Well-Being and the Role of Aftercare in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Treatment.
Author(s): Russell, Keith C., University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, US
Address: Russell, Keith C., University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, US
Source: Child & Youth Care Forum, Vol 34(3), Jun 2005. pp. 209-239.
Journal URL: http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/f ... eader=true
Publisher: Germany: Springer
Publisher URL: http://www.springeronline.com
ISSN: 1053-1890 (Print)
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1007/s10566-005-3470-7
Language: English
Keywords: youth well being; aftercare role; outdoor behavioral healthcare treatment
Abstract: This study evaluated youth well-being 24-months after the conclusion of outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) treatment and explored how youth transition to a variety of post-treatment settings. OBH treatment involves integrating clinical treatment approaches with wilderness expeditions that average over 50 days. Transition from OBH treatment often requires that youth and family utilize aftercare services, which are typically: (a) outpatient services, which are comprised of individualized, group or family therapy, or (b) residential services, which are comprised of residential treatment centers, therapeutic boarding schools, and others. The results suggest that 80% of parents and 95% of youths perceived OBH treatment as effective, the majority of clients were doing well in school, and family communication had improved. Aftercare was utilized by 85% of the youths and was perceived as a crucial component in facilitating the transition from an intensive wilderness experience to family, peer and school environments. Results also indicated that many continued to use alcohol and/or drugs to varying degrees, had legal problems, and still had issues forming friendships with peers. OBH treatment was perceived as being a necessary and effective step in helping youths address, and eventually overcome, emotional and psychological issues that were driving destructive behavior prior to OBH treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract)
Subjects: *Aftercare; *Health Care Psychology; *Well Being
Classification: Health & Mental Health Services (3370)
Population: Human (10)
Male (30)
Female (40)
Age Group: Adolescence (13-17 yrs) (200)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older) (300)
Tests & Measures: Youth-Outcome Questionnaire
Form/Content Type: Empirical Study (0800)
Followup Study (0840)
Qualitative Study (0880)
Journal Article (2400)
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal (270); Electronic
Format(s) Available: Print; Electronic
Release Date: 20050531
Accession Number: 2005-04985-003
Number of Citations in Source: 28
Persistent link to this record: http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?dire ... -04985-003
Database: PsycINFO
Anonymous:
"But what you're saying is that most kids don't need therapy (I agree wholeheartedly) and that very little therapy takes place at a TBS or wilderness program (again, I agree)."
A comment by Dysfunctional about my previous post.
So on this much we can agree. Not a lot of therapy at least in many programs but in my experience at least a whole lot of learning and positive change through experience and relationship and development of self
So why send kids away, why not have change at home---again, I think that we can agree that boarding school placement should be a rare occurrence---it should always be a last resort.
However, in my opinion, there are times when a kid---for a variety of reasons---has gotten into a negative spiral of behaviors at home. And it is pretty hard to end that spiral while in the home---because a)the kids enjoys the behaviors, and b)the circumstances of his life at home have become "cues" to the behaviors.
Can family therapy or other serious motivation to change within the family short-circuit these behavior patterns without having to sent the kid away? Sometimes, with effort, but sometimes maybe more effort than the family is capable of.
Remember, parents are almost always (I think actually always) part of the kid's problem---as a parent who has been in that situation, I believe that wholeheartedly. And remember that at some point in the acting out, the kid may have pretty much lost confidence in the family and the family may have lost hope of being able to change.
Sometimes--as it was in our case---it is through the family being separated and changing separately---that both child and parents do become better and are able---as we were---to beging again with mutual acceptance and new skills. I saw it happen with other families also sso I know that it wasn't something unique to us.
That's our experience so you'll just have to take my word on it---as I have to take yours about what you've seen: once more I think that we can agree that one has to choose a program very carefully since they are not all of the same caliber
Anonymous:
My son's wilderness therapist was actually very present in his program. He was one of the founders of the program and a licensed psychologist. He saw the kids two days (back to back) a week and spent an hour on the phone with us (the parents). He was quite gifted. He had an assistant who was also a licensed psychologist. My son related well to both men once he got over his anger at being in wilderness in the first place.
The junior staff to which I refer at the TBS are actually also psychologists. I'm not talking about the couple of babysitter-types who are on staff. I'm talking about the actual therapists who lead groups and work one on one with the kids. This is the front-line, but it is frequently the upper management who thinks they know better.....
I really think wilderness is a different animal from TBS. For one thing, there is no school going on. At my son's TBS (and another thing with which some of us took issue) holding the kids out of class was a means of punishment. This served to put them behind in their work and affected their grades. Most of these kids were pretty solid students heading for good colleges, and it seemed stupid. Wilderness is very intense and eliminates many of the distractions of day to day living. Of course, the TBS eliminates many as well, but not as many as wilderness.
Ben's Dad
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