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Every teenager has a unique set of personality traits, learning styles, and life circumstances. As a result, some teens may flourish while living at home and attending a public or private school, while others thrive in a boarding school away from home. There are many different types of boarding schools for teens, including religious, military, and performing arts schools. At a therapeutic boarding school, adolescents receive additional support to boost both their mental health and academic progress.
Types of Boarding Schools
For parents and teens exploring the option of a youth boarding school, a familiarity with the various types can help. Here are the seven main categories of teen boarding schools.
College Preparatory School
College prep boarding schools, also known as prep schools, provide teens with a rigorous academic schedule. Therefore, teens at this type of traditional boarding school are expected to apply to college and complete an undergraduate degree. In addition, prep schools give students an understanding of what college life will be like. However, they are more structured and supervised than colleges.
Gender-Specific Boarding Schools
In contrast to a coed campus, agender-specificboarding school enrolls either girls or boys. Proponents of such schools believe they provide a more positive and less competitive atmosphere among students. Moreover, boarding schools for girls may have slightly different educational approaches than boarding schools for boys.
Pre-Professional Performing Arts Schools
Teens who have a strong talent and interest in performing arts may attend boarding schools dedicated to this field. Therefore, they can focus on theater, music, dance, and/or singing. Arts programs at such schools offer more performance opportunities than students find at public or college prep schools. Thus, many teens who choose these schools are planning a professional career in the performing arts.
Military Boarding Schools
Military schools are sometimes confused with juvenile detention centers, and thought of as boarding schools for troubled teens. They’re sometimes referred to as “boys’ homes” or “boys’ ranches.” In truth, military schools for teens have high academic standards. In addition, teens receive an education that prepares them for a military college, such as West Point. For example, they may get up early to do physical exercises before classes. Furthermore, military schools emphasize seniority and rank among grade levels. Such schools typically do not focus on providing therapeutic programs for teens.
Sports-Based Schools
Almost all boarding schools for teens have competitive and intramural sports teams. However, some boarding schools focus to a larger degree on sports. Hence, students at a sports-based school prepare for careers as professional athletes.
Religious Schools
Boarding schools with strong religious affiliations, such as Christian boarding schools, provide religious studies, scheduled prayer sessions, and regular worship services. Moreover, religion is woven throughout the curriculum and into the daily life of students.
Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Therapeutic boarding schools for teens are designed to support students struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. That’s why they’re sometimes known as boarding schools for “troubled teens.” These boarding schools integrate academics with group and individual therapy sessions. In addition, behavioral therapy boarding schools provide close supervision and a clear daily structure, which can make them the right choice of school for defiant teenagers. In general, therapeutic boarding schools are an appropriate choice for teens who are not well equipped to succeed in a traditional day or boarding school environment.
Benefits of a Teen Boarding School
Not all teens are ready to leave home for extended periods of time. However, for those who are, teen boarding schools offer a wide range of benefits. These include the following:
- High teacher-student ratio: A teen boarding school often prioritizes small classes and personal attention for students.
- Greater independence: Living and studying away from home gives teens a chance to become more resilient and self-reliant. A study conducted by the Arts & Science Group of Baltimore found that 78 percent of boarding school alumni felt well prepared for the non-academic aspects of college life, including independence and time management.
- Safer environment: As a rule, youth at teen boarding schools have less exposure to drugs, alcohol, and other risky situations.
- Peer support: Because they live together on campus, students at a boarding school have more opportunities to support each other in academic and extracurricular pursuits.
- Character development: Teen boarding schools often emphasize campus-wide values and mutual respect among all members of the school community.
- Strong connections: Students living together at a teen boarding school create strong bonds and make lifelong friends. This is especially important for teens.
What Does a Therapeutic Boarding School Offer?
Therapeutic boarding schools for troubled teens are designed for those who need extra emotional and psychological support while progressing academically. Traditional boarding schools, such as college prep schools or performance-based schools, do offer counseling if students request it. But therapeutic boarding schools provide much more comprehensive mental health services.
Teenagers healing from depression, anxiety, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), eating disorders, or other behavioral disorders, as well as teens in recovery from substance abuse, can receive support at a therapeutic boarding school. Furthermore, some schools specialize in addressing specific diagnoses. Hence, they provide curriculum and care designed for that specific disorder.
Differences Between a Traditional Boarding School and a Therapeutic Boarding School
Therapeutic boarding schools offer many of the same benefits and opportunities as traditional boarding schools. But therapeutic boarding schools also provide
- Regular counseling sessions for all students
- A home-like environment, with fewer students and more residential staff, as opposed to a traditional dorm
- Rolling admission year-round rather than a standard school year
- Student-teacher ratio as low as 4:1
- Experiential therapeutic modalities, such as Equine Therapy or Adventure Therapy.
Therapeutic Boarding School vs. Residential Teen Treatment
Therapeutic boarding schools are academic environments that offer enhanced mental health services. However, residential teen treatment programs put the primary focus on healing mental health challenges. While such programs do provide academics, treatment and therapeutic care are the top priorities.
Hence, therapeutic schools and residential treatment have a number of differences as well as many similarities.
How They Are Similar
Both therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment programs …
- Accept teens with mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, ADD, and ODD
- Employ trained and licensed therapists and counselors
- Provide home-like residential environments with staff supervision
- Offer experiential therapeutic modalities, such as art, music, Equine, and Adventure Therapy
- Are proven to have a significant positive impact on teen mental health
- Support teens in building self-esteem, self-regulation, coping skills, and positive relationships.
How They Are Different
Length of stay: Teens may spend a year or more at a therapeutic boarding school. But a stay in teen residential treatment is typically between 60 days and six months.
Number of residents: Therapeutic boarding schools have more students on average. Student population may be similar to a traditional boarding school—at least 60. Residential therapeutic programs tend to have fewer teens on campus, perhaps 30 or 40. As a result, they can provide a highly protected therapeutic environment.
Supervision: Teens in residential treatment are supervised at all times. However, a therapeutic boarding school environment is less restricted.
Focus on Therapy: Teens at therapeutic boarding schools do attend therapy sessions. But in residential treatment programs, therapy is a primary focus of each day. Students may spend 30 or more hours a week in therapy of some type. This includes individual, group, and family therapy sessions, as well as experiential modalities.
Cost coverage: Insurance policies often cover residential treatment programs for teens. But the families of teens are responsible for the full cost of a therapeutic boarding school. Finding an affordable boarding school can be difficult.
In summary, families considering a specialized boarding school can research multiple options. And teens and families struggling with mental health issues have choices.
Again, each teen is unique. To determine the right fit, parents need to assess their teen’s temperament, emotional needs, state of mind, and stage of development. Families can also seek the advice of an educational consultant or a therapist who knows the teenager well.
Ultimately, the goal is to provide every teen with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive while feeling safe and supported.
Newport Academy: A Boarding School Alternative Focused on Healing and Academics
Newport Academy is comparable to a therapeutic boarding school for teens. Our clinical and academic experts address the underlying mental health issues causing a teen to act out, while helping them build executive functioning, emotional regulation, and academic engagement and advancement. Rather than a “high school for troubled teens,” we are an evidence-based program supporting the well-being and brain development of adolescents.
We specialize in guiding teens to overcome the behavioral and mental health challenges that are preventing them from thriving and maturing. Our approach restores harmony in the family, and our accredited academic curriculum keeps young people on track with their educational and career goals. Our boarding school alternative includes:
- Working in partnership with families, including weekly family therapy, family support groups, and special events for families
- Treating behavioral issues and co-occurring disorders, such as substance abuse, aggression, and anger, as manifestations of underlying trauma, depression, and/or anxiety
- Engaging teens in our individualized academic program Monday–Friday, by tapping their natural strengths and talents, while supporting them to improve organizational skills, motivation, and joy in learning
- Providing teens with tools for healthy coping and emotion regulation, and building self-esteem and teamwork through experiential activities, such as Adventure Therapy, music therapy, and art therapy
- Designing personalized treatment and education plans in response to in-depth psychological and academic assessments.
Contact us today to get support right away to heal your family and help your teen to thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Do boarding schools help with behavior problems?
Behavioral therapy boarding schools are equipped to support teens in building emotion regulation and healthy coping skills. However, most boarding schools are not focused on providing therapeutic services.
What is the purpose of a therapeutic boarding school?
Therapeutic boarding schools for teens are designed to support students struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. That’s why they’re sometimes known as boarding schools for “troubled teens.” In general, therapeutic boarding schools are an appropriate choice for teens who are not well equipped to succeed in a traditional day or boarding school environment.
Are boarding schools good for mental health?
That depends on the school. Traditional boarding schools, such as college prep schools or performance-based schools, do offer counseling if students request it. But therapeutic boarding schools provide much more comprehensive mental health services.
Key Takeaways
- There are many different types of boarding schools for teens, including religious, military, and performing arts schools.
- Another type of boarding school for teens is a therapeutic boarding school, where adolescents receive additional support to boost both their mental health and academic progress.
- In contrast to therapeutic boarding schools for “troubled teens,” residential treatment programs put the primary focus on healing mental health challenges. They may also provide academics, but treatment and therapeutic care are the top priorities.
- Newport Academy is comparable to a therapeutic boarding school for teens. Our clinical and academic experts address the underlying mental health issues causing a teen to act out, while helping them build executive functioning, emotional regulation, and academic engagement and advancement.
Sources:
J Therapeutic Schools & Programs. 2010; 4(1): 106–117.
TABS Study conducted by the Arts & Science Group of Baltimore