​Therapeutic Offerings

This service is for clients with more specialized needs. 

The student may be on the autism spectrum, have severe ADHD, anxiety, depression or have sensory integration issues. A child may need a specialized day school or boarding school. Some students do well in school until they begin middle or high school. Peer pressure, stress or a number of other issues can cause the teen to sneak out of the house, lie, abuse substances, become addicted to computers or develop eating disorders.  

Often the first thing parents notice is a drop in grades and/ or a change in friends. Parents may look to school officials and/or therapists for help. After they have tried all of the local options and nothing has given the parents or their teen relief, they decide to try a residential therapeutic program. There are both short and long term therapeutic options. 

Short term options may include a therapeutic wilderness program or an assessment in an acute care residential treatment center. Longer term options include emotional growth schools, therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment centers. These options can be either single sex or coed. 

Several of the programs have alluring websites and make incredible promises.  Many therapeutic programs are wonderful and help the student lead a productive life; just when the parents thought their child would not be able to attend college, he/she graduates from a therapeutic program and has several college options. It is rare that the public hears about these programs; the programs the public hears about are not operating appropriately. How will you know what program is able to provide the appropriate clinical care for child? I can advise you. I visit all programs before recommending a program to a parent and have visited excellent programs as well as programs I would not recommend. A beautiful website does not mean that the program is appropriate for your son or daughter. To make the decision to send your child to a therapeutic program is difficult and usually made under stress; take the time to meet with an objective person who can help you through this difficult time. 

Some high school graduates may not be ready to handle the freedoms and pressures of college life. They may need to leave college to attend a structured therapeutic program. This will help the young adult set appropriate goals and learn independent living skills to ensure the next attempt at college is successful. 

I can help you find the appropriate program for your child with special needs.