subject: Therapeutic Christian Boarding Schools [print this page] When adolescents and teenagers are struggling in terms of unacceptable behaviors such as defiance, running away, drug/alcohol abuse, and related problems, two fundamental solutions are to provide a more structured and closely supervised environment and to emphasize a return to core values and principles.
In many such cases, Christian boarding schools are the ideal places for both of these solutions.
Christian boarding schools feature the benefits of traditional boarding schools (such as round-the-clock supervision, comprehensive care, and high structure) along with the ethical and moral instruction associated with adherence to Christian principles.
For teens who have been struggling with substance abuse and addiction, Christian boarding schools may also provide a faith-based foundation upon which to build a successful long-term recovery. Whether affiliated with a particular church or an ecumenical program, Christian boarding schools blend traditional school services with faith-based principles in order to provide an immersive educational environment for students.
As with all effective therapeutic boarding schools, effective Christian boarding schools provide a wide range of services designed to help students with their academic, social, emotional, and spiritual needs. This whole person approach is designed to ensure that the focus remains on helping the student, rather than merely masking inappropriate behaviors.
Depending upon the unique needs of the student, the right Christian boarding school may be single-gender, coeducational, therapeutic, college-prep, recovery-focused, or a combination thereof. Christian boarding schools have had success helping students who are struggling with myriad challenges, including the following:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Learning Differences
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Substance Abuse & Chemical Dependency
Low Self-Esteem
Poor Self-Image
Anger Management Issues
Self-Harm
In addition to providing comprehensive services to students, effective Christian boarding schools will also ensure that family members (parents, and depending upon the program, siblings) are involved in the students progress. Because the issues listed above have an impact on the entire family, it is important that all solutions also involve the entire family.
As with all boarding schools, deciding to enroll a child in a Christian boarding school is a matter of finding the program that best meets the needs of the student and the family.
