By Christian Shire
Therapeutic Boarding Schools
There has been a long tradition of boarding schools of all kinds where students can get an education while living in a community of peers away from home. Since the 1960’s, there has been an ever increasing trend of combining the academic atmosphere of traditional boarding schools and treatment for troubled and struggling youth. As psychotherapy has lost its social stigma and an increasing number of young people are on behavioral medication Therapeutic Boarding Schools have become popular as a softer alternative to all-boys military boarding schools of the past.
Who are they for?
Therapeutic boarding schools now offer a wide range of services and programs for young people who are having conflicts with their families and getting involved with drugs and alcohol. Many schools also treat depression, adoption issues, eating disorders, learning disabilities, personality disorders and other behavioral and emotional issues. They can range from outdoor ranch-style home-like settings to well kept campuses with individual dorm rooms or home-stay programs located around a special school or a combination.
What do they offer?
Some therapeutic boarding schools offer the same facilities and a comparable curriculum as top college prep schools offering Advanced Placement courses, competitive sports, fine arts programs and horseback riding with therapy treatments available while others are more intensive and provide a structured and clinical therapy centered approach with academic credit.
How much do they cost?
Therapeutic boarding schools can be expensive and usually range from $30,000 to $50,000 a year and educational loans are also an option. They usually provide weekly individual therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, access to AA/NA meetings and some form of family therapy either in person with family programming or over the phone. Depending on the institution, there can be a variety of recreational activities and experiential therapies such as a hiking, horseback riding, triathlon training, martial arts, yoga and volunteer and work opportunities.
Ultimately, finding an appropriate therapeutic boarding schools is challenging and while there are many that provide wonderful support and help to struggling young people, there are others that are less student centered and more profit conscience. Parents should strongly consider meeting with an education consultant who specializes in placing clients in therapeutic boarding schools before making a decision.
