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Wilderness For Troubled Teens

If you have a troubled boy at home and don’t know what to do to help him there are a few options that you need to consider. One of the most popular options is sending your child to a specialty boarding school.

Those schools are specialized in dealing with all sorts of teen issues and problems and have a success rate that is very reassuring. But if you don’t want to take that step yet there is a shorter alternative that just might do the trick, we are talking about wilderness programs for troubled teens .  

There is something in the wilderness therapy programs that make a child turn for the best; maybe it’s just nature at work. But you need to be known that not all wilderness programs are for every child, the simple fact that not all of the wilderness programs are created equal should state that they only work with specific types of teens. 

Well, I said there is something in wilderness programs that helps a child; it’s not just “something”. Kids themselves have a tremendous capacity to see the truth in themselves, especially in a free environment , meaning no parents around. This is based upon self-reflection in an environment free of all the distractions, computers, parents, friends, school, clothes, dates etc. In wilderness programs it’s all about relearning the basics, controlling what can be controlled and letting go of things that cannot be controlled.

A great thing is that wilderness programs represent and give challenges to these kids, which is what most kids need in order to find inspiration and motivation . And the best part is that they do it without pressure, so yes, the kids have a goal, a challenge they must complete, but they can do it on their own schedule, nobody is forcing them to do that in an hour.

So they take responsibility for their actions. Children that attend wilderness programs are seeing a therapist once or twice a week to discuss their progress and everything else that bothers them. Most of the children after just a few short weeks of hiking, sitting by the fire, achieving something on their own and talking with someone who listens come to a self discovery and they realize they have to change, they realize they have changed.

They realize they don’t need to do drugs anymore, they don’t need to yell to express how they feel, they realize that they miss their friends and their family and that they are sorry for the things they’ve done. Keep in mind that 6 to 8 weeks in wilderness may help most of the teens, but some troubled teenagers need more attention and special care than others. So talk to a professional and get your kid to an evaluation before making a decision. If your child is suited for a wilderness program that is one of the greatest experiences a kid can get, so don’t hold back to do it again even after your child get’s back on track.

John Baisden

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