"The purpose of this e-book is to provide an introductory look at the various types of teen treatment opportunities that have helped thousands of young people and their families overcome issues that traditional public schools or limited outpatient therapy have not been able to adequately address."

1. An Aspen Education Group Publication
The Aspen Guide
To Teen Treatment

2. Introduction
Troubled teens. Struggling students. Youth in crisis.
These terms (and, unfortunately, a plethora of far less neutral labels) are commonly
used to describe adolescents and teenagers who are dealing with a variety of academic,
behavioral and mental health challenges.
However, while most parents, teachers, and even the students themselves are familiar
with the words we use to describe these problems, too many remain unaware of the
wide range of options that are available to put them back on the path to continued
success.
The purpose of this e-book is to provide an introductory look at the various types of
teen treatment opportunities that have helped thousands of young people and their
families overcome issues that traditional public schools or limited outpatient therapy
have not been able to adequately address.
Topics covered in this e-book include the following:
Chapter 1: Introduction to Residential Treatment
Chapter 2: What is a Therapeutic Boarding School?
Chapter 3: Wilderness Works!
Chapter 4: Weight Management Programs for Teens
Appendix A: Residential Program Guide
Appendix B: About Aspen Education Group

3. Chapter 1
Introduction to Residential Treatment
The decision to enroll your teen in a residential treatment program is likely to be
difficult for any parent.
You may feel that enrolling your child in a residential program means that
you have either failed or given up on your teen.
But just the opposite is true – by enrolling your teen in an effective
residential program, you are giving them the best chance to overcome any
addiction or behavioral or mood disorder.
Residential boarding schools and therapeutic programs provide students with essential
guidance, structure, and supervision, along with the necessary amount of time in a
productive healing environment.
Length of Stay
Enrollment periods in a residential treatment programs for adolescents and teenagers
may last from a few weeks to a year or longer.
One of the primary benefits of residential treatment programs for teens is the
development of individualized treatment plans and high degree of personal attention.
Because each participant is working through a plan that has been specifically developed
for him or her, he optimal length of stay depends upon the needs of each student, and
should provide ample time for each child to make necessary progress on his or her
unique issues.
Family Involvement & Support
When an adolescent or teenager enrolls in an effective residential treatment program,
parents can (and should) expect to play an active positive role in their child’s healthy
development.
Residential treatment programs provide regular opportunities for parents to speak with
their child’s therapist, teacher, or other program personnel – and many of the best

4. programs provide opportunities for parents to visit campus and participate in family
support sessions (both with and without their children present).
The major goal of all our boarding schools and residential programs is to realize true
healthy growth and assist in the creation of a positive future for each student and their
family
History of Proven Success
About 97 percent of teens who attend a private residential therapeutic school show
improvement in behavior, communication, confidence and any emotional problems
they were experiencing, according to a study of nine private schools.
 The study was conducted by independent research company Canyon Research &
Consulting Inc.
 The study involved 993 students ages 13 to 18 who attended schools operated
by Aspen Education Group between August 2003 and January 2006.
 Regardless of age, sex or the reason for treatment, most teens showed a
significant improvement between the time they entered treatment and the time
they were discharged.
“The analyses suggested that adolescent problems improved significantly during private
residential treatment,” said Ellen Behrens, PhD, and Kristin Satterfield, B.S., authors of
the study.
By the time teens complete their stay at a residential therapeutic school, the study
revealed, the majority will improve in the following areas:
 Normal emotional issues, behaving like any typical teenager
 Confidence to resist peer pressure and other outside influences
 Much more cooperative
 Decrease in negative behaviors
 Improved communication
 Better compliance with rules
 Improved family relationships

5. Chapter 2
What is a Therapeutic Boarding School?
Boarding schools have a long tradition in our society, generally known for their
excellence in education and ability to prepare students for a bright academic and
professional future.
Small class sizes, individualized attention, and often a higher quality of teachers and
other academic professionals has given boarding schools a much-deserved reputation as
educational institutions that produce bright, skilled, and capable young adults.
Over the years, a new breed of boarding school has developed. These schools – which
are commonly referred to as “therapeutic boarding schools” – specialize in students
whose parents want them to excel academically, but who know that their children have
academic difficulties, behavioral issues, and other mental health challenges that need to
be addressed if they are to achieve this goal.
Therapeutic boarding schools serve students who have emotional or behavioral issues
by giving them not only an academic education, but a life education.
Therapeutic boarding schools teach more than the “three R's."
They also teach responsibility and self-reliance, and promote
healthy behaviors so that these unique students can achieve to
their greatest potential.
What Sets These Schools Apart?
Class Size
Generally the ratio of teachers to students is much smaller in therapeutic boarding
schools. Children receive individualized academic attention, which makes them an
excellent resource for kids with ADD, ADHD, or learning disabilities.
Most parents who have teens with these issues know their kids are bright and capable.
They also know how such children can "fall through the cracks" in a traditional academic
setting.

6. Therapy
Therapeutic boarding schools promote emotional growth by offering group and
individual therapy for students, and educational opportunities for parents. No two
children are treated alike, which means your child gets an individualized education plan
that is specifically designed for him or her.
The approach of these boarding schools is to create a complete education, one that
addresses the unique issues of its students and respects both their abilities and their
differences.
Specific & Significant Expertise
Therapeutic boarding schools employ teachers, counselors, therapists and other trained
& experienced personnel who are prepared to provide innovative support to students
who are dealing with a wide range of issues.
Common issues that therapeutic boarding school students are struggling with include
the following:
 Anger, Defiance, & Disrespect
 Anxiety/Panic
 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)
 Bullying
 Depression
 Eating Disorders
 Grief/Loss
 Learning Disabilities
 Opposition-Defiance Disorder (ODD)
 Poor Self-Image/Low Self-Esteem
 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
 Running Away
 Substance Abuse
Recreational Activities & Unique Adventures
Many therapeutic boarding schools offer children exceptional opportunities to
participate in wilderness adventures or other unique activities.
Experiential therapy involves learning through experience, and is particularly effective
with young people. Working with animals such as horses, rabbits and dogs helps a
troubled teen connect with nurturing and love.
Participating in art, music, drama, dance or writing becomes an outlet for pent-up
emotions. Some therapeutic schools teach students calming techniques such as deep
breathing exercises, visualization, and yoga.

7. Structure & Supervision
Most therapeutic boarding schools are highly structured with set times for classes,
meals, homework, therapy, exercise, outings and sleep. In the best programs, students
are under constant supervision with staff members guiding them throughout the day.
These staff members will be trained in working with students who are struggling with
behavioral disorders and other mental health challenges.
A Holistic Approach to Education
The therapeutic boarding school educates the whole child by addressing the emotional,
behavioral, psychological, academic, and creative needs of each adolescent.
Teens who attend therapeutic boarding schools can make remarkable progress in all
these areas in their lives, enabling them to return home with a renewed sense of self
and strong character.

8. Chapter 3
Wilderness Works!
For some teens, a therapeutic boarding school doesn’t provide the ideal initial
environment to begin working on the issues that have prevented them from achieving
to their greatest potential.
For these teens, a short-term, high-intensity therapeutic wilderness program can help
them develop the skills they need to pursue success either during follow-on placement
in a therapeutic boarding school or after returning home.
Wilderness therapy programs, sometimes referred to as outdoor education programs,
have proven themselves to be exceptional catalysts for change in troubled children,
adolescents, and teenagers.
The basic premise behind therapeutic wilderness programs is that the wilderness
presents an environment that cannot be manipulated by teenagers who have been
rebellious and defiant, and who break all the rules.
Nature serves as the ultimate teacher, unable to be manipulated
or conned by a defiant, angry adolescent. Such an environment by
necessity requires certain behaviors and actions.
Teens quickly learn how cooperating with their peers results in a
significantly more positive experience than when they refuse to
participate.
By removing the child from the home environment and all the influences of modern
culture, such as parties, television, videos, and movies, a therapeutic wilderness
program provides the teen with the ideal environment in which to explore his or her
motives, behaviors, and self-defeating attitudes.
Through the use of positive peer pressure, introspective group discussions, and the
building of primitive skills, adolescents begin to understand through metaphor the skills
and behaviors that are necessary to lead productive lives in society.

9. The average program lasts four to eight weeks, and the cost of these short-term
programs is relatively low when compared with longer term residential therapeutic
facilities or boarding schools.
Benefits of Teen Wilderness Programs
By providing a safe yet dramatic environment within which to effect positive behavioral
changes, the wilderness experience accelerates the therapeutic process and gives
students a powerful foundation on which to build a more positive, productive life.
Students quickly learn how cooperation, responsibility for behaviors, and a strong work
ethic can create a positive group environment where they can develop self-esteem and
obtain greater self-knowledge.
Teenagers with behavioral and emotional problems begin to explore their relationships
with others and their issues with authority, peers, and family members.
Positive peer pressure replaces negative peer pressure.
The group encourages defiant individual teens to participate in the necessary activities
for an outdoor wilderness experience.
Focus on Safety
Safety is the primary concern in any quality wilderness program.
Because nature itself is such a powerful teacher, there is no need to allow any situation
to progress to a degree that might put participants at risk for injury or illness.
By keeping risk at a minimum, top-notch wilderness programs create a physical
environment where dramatic changes can take place while keeping the participant as
safe, if not safer, than they would be in their home and school environment.
 A quality wilderness program will have a support "base camp" that keeps in 24-
hour touch with field personnel.
 Radio contact is made between field supervisors and base camp on a regular
basis.
 An Emergency Response Team is ready to respond at a moment's notice should
any child become ill or injured.
 The rates of injury in qualified wilderness programs are extremely low.

10. Studies of effective therapeutic wilderness programs for teens have shown a child is at
much greater risk of injury driving in a car in his or her hometown or participating in
traditional hiking trips or school sports such as football.
Study Shows That Wilderness Works
A study out of the University of Idaho has shown wilderness therapy interventions to be
highly effective, even at a one-year follow-up.
A number of outdoor education programs participated in an independent research
study by Keith C. Russell Ph. D., of the University of Idaho's Wilderness Research Center.
The study was designed to measure treatment effectiveness in outdoor behavioral
healthcare using the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ). The Y-OQ is an industry
accepted outcome instrument designed to measure symptom reduction in therapy.
The University of Idaho study was based upon 858 participants, of which 589 were male
and 269 were female.
 About 57% of these participants had prior outpatient treatment
 About 17% had prior inpatient treatment
 About 13% had both prior inpatient and outpatient treatment
Results of this study included the following:
 The study concluded that participation in outdoor behavioral healthcare resulted
in clinically significant reductions in severity of behavioral and emotional
symptoms.
 More than 83% of participants made clinically significant improvement.
 The average score change for participants as a 51.6 point reduction. A 13-point
reduction is considered significant.
 Almost half (46%) of participants returned to a normal range as a result of
treatment.
 The highest reduction for all age groups based on a parent assessment occurred
among 13 year olds.

11. Chapter 4
Teen Weight Management Programs
Over the past 20 years, overweight and obesity among children, adolescents and young
adults has skyrocketed from 8% to 33%. This makes overweight and obesity the most
serious health issue facing our children.
Research from top universities shows that overweight children are likely to become
more and more overweight, and that 90% of overweight teens will become obese
adults. In addition, studies are increasingly showing that overweight teens face social
and psychological challenges that can have permanent effects.
The health risks associated with being overweight are well documented and include
cardiovascular, orthopedic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, hormonal, neurological, and
metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
In the past, the few options for young people were summer fat camps that were not
based on principles of long-term weight management.
Today, the Wellspring weight loss program has developed a network of highly successful
weight loss opportunities for adolescents and teenagers
Wellspring weight loss camps and weight loss boarding schools
are designed by leading researchers and clinicians to maximize
long-term behavioral change, which results in substantial and
sustained weight loss.
Wellspring recognizes that weight loss and management is a complex behavioral and
biological struggle and that most adolescents have an unprecedented level of freedom
in determining their own lifestyle.
This is why Wellspring’s intensive clinical programs provide campers, students and
participants with the necessary tools, decision-making skills and new behavioral
strategies to control weight permanently.
Wellspring programs have achieved the best results ever recorded for weight loss
programs for children, adolescents or adults.

12. Appendix A: Teen Treatment Guide
Academy at Swift River
 Cummington, Massachusetts
 www.swiftriver.com
 800-258-1770
 College preparatory therapeutic boarding school that specializes in working with
adolescents ages 14-18 (grades 9-12) who have social, academic and family
difficulties.
Adirondack Leadership Expeditions
 Saranac Lake, New York
 www.adirondackleadership.com
 877-252-0869
 Wilderness program for troubled teens ages 13 -17
Camp Huntington
 High Falls, NY
 www.camphuntington.com
 866-514-5281
 Co-ed, residential summer program for children and young adults (ages 10 to 21)
with special learning and developmental needs
Copper Canyon Academy
 Rimrock, Arizona
 www.coppercanyonacademy.com
 928-567-1322
 Therapeutic boarding school for young women ages 12-17
Cove Forge Behavioral Health
 Williamsburg, Pennsylvania
 www.coveforgebehavioralhealth.com
 800-873-2131
 Residential center for adolescents, teenagers, and adults who are dealing with
addiction and co-occurring disorders

13. Four Circles Recovery Center
 Horse Shoe, North Carolina
 www.fourcirclesrecovery.com
 800-893-2221
 An addictions, substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders
treatment program for young adults ages 18-28 that combines a traditional
counseling setting with a series of wilderness expeditions
Island View
 Syracuse, Utah
 866-952-7930 or 801-773-0200
 www.islandview-rtc.com
 Residential treatment center for teens ages 13-17 that focuses on helping
students determine their strengths, abandon self-defeating behaviors, and
understand their unique issues and gifts
The Meadow Lodge
 Scotts Valley, California
 www.themeadowlodge.com
 800-924-2879
 Comprehensive detox, residential & outpatient substance abuse treatment for
adolescents ages 14 to 17.
Oakley School
 Oakley, Utah
 www.oakley-school.com
 435-783-5001
 Co-ed college preparatory therapeutic boarding school for teens ages 14-19
Outback Therapeutic Expeditions
 Lehi, Utah
 www.outbacktreatment.com
 800-817-1899
 Wilderness program for teens ages 13-17 blends the best of the “ancient cultural
systems” with the most effective and proven therapeutic processes

14. Phoenix Outdoor
 Old Fort, North Carolina
 www.phoenixoutdoor.com
 877-305-0904
 Therapeutic wilderness program for teens ages 13-17 who are struggling with
substance abuse, as well co-occurring behavioral and mental health issues.
Starlite Recovery Center
 Center Point, Texas
 www.starliterecovery.com
 800-292-0148
 Adolescent drug rehab program for boys between the ages of 13 and 17
Stone Mountain School
 Black Mountain, North Carolina
 www.stonemountainschool.com
 888-631-5994
 Year-round therapeutic boarding school for boys ages 11-17 with emotional,
behavioral and learning issues such as ADD, ADHD and nonverbal learning
disorder
SUWS Carolinas
 Old Fort, North Carolina
 www.suwscarolinas.com
 888-828-9770
 Therapeutic wilderness programs for young people ages 13 to 17 who are
struggling with a range of behavioral, emotional, and substance abuse issues
SUWS Programs
 Shoshone, Idaho
 www.suws.com
 888-879-7897
 Therapeutic wilderness programs for adolescents ages 11-17 with a focus on
clinical intervention and assessment.
SUWS Seasons
 Old Fort, North Carolina
 www.suwsseasons.com
 888-828-9770
 Wilderness-based treatment program for preadolescents & young teens (10-13)

15. Talisman Academy
 Zirconia, North Carolina 28790
 www.talismancamps.com
 888-458-8226
 Year-round academic program designed to help children ages 13-17 with
Asperger’s Syndrome, Nonverbal Learning Disorder and High-Functioning Autism
thrive in an experiential learning environment.
Turn About Ranch
 Escalante, Utah
 www.turnaboutranch.com
 800-842-1165
 Residential treatment center for teens ages 13-17, located on a working horse
and cattle ranch
Wellspring Academy of California
 Reedley, California
 www.wellspringacademies.com
 866-364-0808
 Boarding school for overweight students (ages 12-24)
Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas
 Brevard, North Carolina
 www.wellspringacademies.com
 866-364-0808
 Boarding school for overweight students (ages 11-18)
Wellspring Camps
 Various locations
 www.wellspringcamps.com
 866-364-0808
 Summer camps for overweight adolescents and teens
Youth Care
 Draper, Utah
 www.youthcare.com
 800-786-4924
 Residential treatment for children and adolescents ages 11-18 in an intimate,
homelike environment

16. About Aspen Education Group
Aspen Education Group is the nation’s leading provider of education programs for
struggling or underachieving young people.
As the largest and most comprehensive network of therapeutic schools and programs,
Aspen offers professionals and families the opportunity to choose a setting that best
meets a student's unique academic and emotional needs.
Aspen's programs exist at the intersection of therapy and education for students that
have demonstrated behavioral issues that are preventing them from achieving to their
greatest potential.
Recognizing that every individual is different and challenged by different needs, Aspen
offers a wide diversity of educational programs, settings and solutions that match client
needs with the right learning and therapeutic environment.
Our help and services range from short-term intervention programs to residential
treatment, and include a variety of therapeutic interventions including: boarding
schools, wilderness therapy, residential treatment, special needs summer camps, and
weight loss programs.
Aspen Education Group is a proud member of CRC Health Group, the nation’s largest
provider of behavioral healthcare services.
For more about Aspen Education Group, please visit www.aspeneducation.com
For more about CRC Health Group, please visit www.crchealth.com