4 Troubled Teens Blog

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice (Florida) has given a $100,000 grant to the Jewish Family & Children's Services of Sarasota-Manatee. The additional money will fund an expansion of its Brief Strategic Family Therapy Program to all the schools in southern Sarasota County.

"The program targets middle and high school aged youth exposed to problems including domestic violence, bullying, rebellion, peer pressure and early substance abuse."

The program includes hour-long counseling sessions once a week for 15 weeks. Read more at Sun-Herald.com.

Labels: schools, therapy, family

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people age 15- to 24-years old. Strong ties to family and friends can help protect most teens.

"'Early identification and access to help is the best way to reach out to children and adolescents at a very vulnerable time in their lives,' said Sally Fiehrer, director of the Butler County National Alliance on Mental Health."

Sudden withdrawal from friends, family and activities, neglect of personal appearance, and violent or rebellious behavior are just some of the warning signs. Read more at Journal-News.com.

Teenagers struggling with issues can find professional help and treatment at a residential treatment center like Island View. If you've been unable to find a treatment program for your teen becuase of a lack of proper diagnosis, then check out The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment. The Institute offers all of the assessments necessary to gather and assemble a clear diagnostic picture and a treatment plan that will help get your teenager back on the right track.

Labels: suicide, risky_behaviors, prevention

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Wisconsin is consistently placed near the top of the list when states are ranked for levels of drug and alcohol use among their residents. Beginning in March, the state began taking steps to lower their ranking.

"...a clinic screening and assistance program administered by the state and funded by the federal government has been launched at 20 clinics... Initial screenings are aimed at identifying at-risk patients, who then meet with health educators to discuss options for decreasing alcohol and drug use."

In May, 14 clinics completed more than 1,600 screenings. Earlier studies have shown that the state saves about $1,000 in health care and criminal justice costs for every patient that is screened and treated for at-risk behaviors. Read more at Madison.com.

Teenage drug addiction and teen drug abuse can be hard for parents to accept and scary for them to deal with. Learn more and find ways to help your teen at Teen-Help-Directory.com.

Labels: drug_testing, clinics, drug_screening

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Professor Anna Mueller at the University of Texas recently confirmed what many teachers and parents have long known or suspected: teens that are under emotional distress can't perform well at school. If one area of a teen's life is causing emotional stress, the other areas of his life will be affected as well. Most parents automatically think "summer school" when a teen is struggling academically, but a wilderness therapy camp can address the root of the problem  emotional distress  so that a teen is better equipped to handle the pressures of life, even after high school is over.

"Instead of learning weather from books, charts, and maps, these teens master weather systems by tracking changes in the wind, temperature, and air pressure... 'Seeing' geology instead of studying it comes as a revelation to most students. They learn to 'read a mountain' by understanding what the rocks and formations in each level mean in terms of the mountains history and composition."

A wilderness camp is a world free from distractions like cell phones, television, and the Internet, where a teen can learn valuable life skills.

Read more online.

Labels: wilderness_therapy, summer_programs, failing_in_school

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

There's a new mural being created in the Virginia Avenue Park Teen Center in Santa Monica, California. It's special, specifically because it's not being created by a professional artist, but by the young people of the center.

"The effort is part of a $750,000 federally funded program dubbed 'Night Bridges', which includes weeks' worth of after-hours tutoring, counseling, life coaching and other activities. Launched three months ago, the program is part of a larger, three-year effort to reduce gang and youth violence in Santa Monica."

If the program is successful, it may serve as a model for other youth programs. Read more online.

A Directory of residential treatment centers, teen drug rehabs, and other resources for adults and parents of teenagers struggling with alcohol or drug abuse can be found Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com. Adolescent drug treatment programs can help get your teen's life back on track. Learn about the myth's of alcohol and teen drug abuse at AdolescentSubstanceAbuse.com.

Labels: counseling, teen_center, tutoring

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

For four years, Becky Shumake has headed up a program called Summer Building Trades. Working in conjunction with The Heart of Texas Workforce Commission, she has given many at-risk teens the chance for a future they may not have otherwise.

"Through the program, teen parents, dropouts, juvenile offenders, homeless youth, and others learn fundamental trade skills that will land them high-demand jobs and  for some  a chance at a college education."

Teens who are interested in the program have to apply and go through an interview process. Their 40-hour work week is spent at non-profit groups and college workshops.

Read more at WacoTrib.com.

Labels: at_risk, summer_programs, workshops

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

At a recent gathering, Staten Island parents talked about the sharp drug use increase they've seen lately among their teenage children. Borough President James Molinaro expressed concern that most parents choose to ignore the early warning signs.

"Dr. Kipnis summarized the attitude of many parents he has spoken with as, 'We live in a great place. There's no one selling heroin on the corner, so I can't believe that my child is addicted.'"

Some parents also said that, because they grew up in the 1960s and 1970s - and may have used drugs themselves, they feel their authority as parents is compromised. However, Joe  the parent of a teen who started using marijuana but quickly progressed to harder drugs  says that's no excuse, explaining that a parent can't know if their kid will be the one who can't stop using. Read more at SILive.com.

Adolescent drug treatment programs can help get your teen's life back on track. Learn about the myth's of alcohol and teen drug abuse at AdolescentSubstanceAbuse.com.

Labels: drug_use, influences, role_models

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Created in 1983, Project Safe Place acts as a "first step" that teens can take when they need help but aren't sure where to go. Safe Place Coordinators partner with local businesses, like the ones in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to connect troubled or at-risk teens with local social services."

Children run away from home to escape abuse or neglect, the drug or alcohol problems of family members, and sometimes, family members force them to leave, the Web site stated... 'The program allows a runaway child or a child in distress to get help pretty quick,' [Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy] Francis said."

Safe Place currently operations in multiple cities in 40 states and seeks to expand. There are currently 21 Safe Place locations in Murfreesboro and 16 teens have taken refuge thus far. Read more at DNJ.com.

Labels: runaways, abuse, social_services

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Amanda Daniels' father struggled with substance abuse and eventually committed suicide. When she found herself pregnant at 17, she couldn't believe what her life had become.

"Now 31, Daniels is a social worker and author of 'Transparent Tears', a new book she hopes will serve to educate both troubled teens and professionals who work with them."

She shares her experiences not only as a teen, but with teens. Living in Waltham, Massachusetts, she sees many of the same issues that she saw in her hometown of Cambridge. Read more at DailyNewsTribune.com.

If your teen is struggling with substance abuse and drug addiction, visit the Teen Help Directory for help with teen drug abuse.

Labels: risky_behaviors, support, substance_abuse

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Dr. Robert Chalfant, medical director of Colorado West Mental Health and child adolescent psychiatrist says it's time to take mental health issues as seriously as things like high blood pressure and diabetes. The causes, he says, are the same  genetics and environment  for both mental and physical illnesses, but because of the stigma associated with mental health issues, many go untreated.

"Throughout the U.S., 15 million children and adolescents suffer from a serious emotional or mental disorder, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. And when left untreated, youth mental illnesses are associated with higher rates of academic failure, school drop-outs, problems at home, substance abuse and crime."

When a young person is properly diagnosed and seeks treatment, he or she is laying the foundation needed to deal with the disorder as an adult. And because most mental health issues don't disappear in adulthood, learning to cope is important. Read more at VailDaily.com.

Some of the best high school boarding schools are listed at TeenBoardingSchools.com. Private boarding schools, military boarding schools, and other residential schools are all listed at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: behavioral_issues, mental_health, treatment_programs

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Trichotillomania is the medical term for someone who suffers from compulsive urge to pull his or her hair out. The action is often accompanied by a feeling of relief or the release of tension. Though it was first mentioned in the media in 1989, it is believed that there are as many people who suffer with this condition alone as there are people seeking help.

"Dr. [Catherine] Madigan is quick to point out that it is unusual for Trich sufferers to be open about their disorder because of the obvious hair loss, and the stigma that is considered abnormal behavior not only by themselves but by society. She adds that Trichotillomania is very similar to other psychological problems with respect to the silence and social stigma."

Hair pulling is often associated with depression, and can lead to low self-esteem and social insecurities. Some have classified as an obsessive compulsive disorder, but it's more an issue of impulse control and may be precipitated by a stressful event such as a death or divorce in the family. Read more online.

Help for parents of troubled teens can be found at ByParents-ForParents.com. Parents of troubled teens can get help in the form of online resources, articles with tips for parents of teenagers, and a forum where parents can post and answer questions themselves.

Labels: depression, behavioral_issues, disorders

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The phrase "troubled teen" is most often associated with broken and underprivileged families, but for the last several years a new kind of troubled teen has been emerging from upper-middle class families. The stress of high expectations is pushing many teens over the edge.

"Twenty-two percent of girls from affluent families suffer from clinical depression, three times the national average, [Madeline] Levine said. And when [Denise] Pope researched her book, 'Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic and Miseducated Students', she found that 75 percent of high school students said they had at some point cheated on a test, and 90 percent had copied homework."

While many parents push their kids academically, they simultaneously try to protect their kids from feelings of frustration, sorrow, or disappointment, which hinders the development of proper coping mechanisms in adolescents, causing them to resort to things like cutting, or substance abuse to deal with their stress. Read more at News-Service.Stanford.edu.

Labels: stress, substance_abuse, affluence

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments