Can Boarding School Help with Teens' Emotional Issues?

By Stefanie Hamilton

Boarding schools are most often promoted as being beneficial for teenagers who struggle with behavior disorders or substance abuse issues. But what if your teenager's main challenges are emotional? Can boarding schools help teens overcome emotional challenges?

Yes, they can.

Getting to the Root of the Problem

At their core, most behavioral problems are caused by emotional issues. A person who is happy, has good self-esteem, and a healthy outlook on life isn't likely to exhibit defiant or destructive behavior. People often act out and act up because of negative emotions that they aren't able to get rid of, process or explain.

Granted, this isn't true for everyone. Some teenagers have diagnosed disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But for those without a diagnosable disorder, an emotional growth issue is often the cause of the behavior challenges.

How Boarding Schools Can Help

A boarding school can help a teenager who has emotional problems, because boarding school programs are developed specifically with that teenager in mind. The environment is more structured and consistent, classrooms are often smaller, and extra-curricular activities are designed to promote improved self-esteem and personal responsibility.

A good boarding school will be staffed by trained, licensed professionals. This includes the teachers, counselors and administrative staff. Group therapy sessions are typically offered at these schools, and required at some. You want to make sure your teenager's counseling is appropriate and beneficial, and that's most likely to come from people with the proper education and experience.

Many Ways to Meet Students' Needs

At many therapeutic boarding schools (sometimes called "emotional growth" schools), students are encouraged to participate not only in the classroom, but in the community at large. This leads to affirmations about the value of their participation and about their value as people. For teenagers with emotional issues, this type of genuine appreciation builds their self-confidence, self-respect and sense of value.

Extra-curricular activities are designed to help students develop their problem-solving and decision-making abilities. These activities can include basic chores such as cleaning, cooking, or helping with simple repairs and maintenance of the school property. More elaborate activities can include trust-building exercises like high-ropes courses -- all of which are carefully supervised to ensure student safety.

Benefits for the Whole Family

Teenagers aren't the only ones who are helped by attending a therapeutic boarding school. The family as a whole benefits, too. If the teen has been especially troublesome, boarding school may provide a much-needed break for parents and siblings. In addition, a teenager who is disruptive and antagonistic prior to boarding school will return better prepared to make positive contributions at home.

Sending a child to a boarding school is not an easy decision -- but in the right circumstances, it can be the ideal choice, both for the struggling teen and the entire family.