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Helping Your Troubled Teen with Psychotherapy

Marcelina Hardy | May 7, 2008

Many parents of troubled teens do not know what else to do. Many of these parents consider putting their teenager in a boarding school, residential treatment center or boot camp in hopes the structured and strict setting will scare their teen straight. The problem is sometimes these programs are not a good choice because the teenager is still not receiving what he or she is seeking from the deviant behavior he or she is exhibiting.

What Your Teen is Saying with Deviant Behavior

Many teenagers that begin to hang out with a tougher crowd do so because they feel they need a sense of identity separate from their parents. They may strive to find people who will give them recognition for the things they do and feel a sense of belonging. As these teenagers are trying to find themselves, they begin to lose sight of what is right or wrong. When a parent confronts a teenager about his or her actions, the teenager feels the parent is trying to get in their way of self-discovery. This frustrates the teenager to the point of retaliation by exhibiting behavior that is even more deviant.

Another reason why teens become troubled teens is that they do not receive the attention they want at home. Teenagers who come from unstable homes are much more likely to engage in troublesome behavior because it helps them escape from the issues they face at home. Groups that engage in illegal behavior usually seek out people who come from a bad home life because they are vulnerable and desperate to find a "family". These groups pressure the teenager to do things so he or she can be part of the group.

Places to Send Your Troubled Teen

Many troubled teens go to boot camps or military schools, which are short-term structured settings. These schools are set up to build respect towards authority, teamwork among others and instill a fear of what might happen if the teen continues down the path he or she is headed. The problem with these boot camps or military schools is they don't always work to change behavior. These settings are most effective for pre-teens that are just starting to get into trouble because they still have not experienced many of the highs of engaging in bad behavior. For adolescents who have been in trouble for years, they usually return home affected by the experience for a few weeks and then return to their old ways.

Boarding schools and residential treatment centers are another common choice among parents. These are long-term settings and provide structure, therapy, as well as schooling. This keeps the child away from the influences he or she faced in mainstream society. The problem with these settings is your teenager will be away from you, living somewhere else. Many parents do not mind because they know their child is getting the attention he or she deserves but what if you don't want you child living hours away from you?

Psychotherapy for Troubled Teens

Psychotherapy is an excellent choice for troubled teens. Boarding schools and residential treatment centers use therapy as part of their structured setting. A therapist can help your teen understand the causes behind deviant behavior and help your teen change those behaviors. A psychotherapist can also help your teenager feel better about him or herself so he or she doesn't have to hang out with the wrong crowd. Furthermore, the therapist will help you rebuild a faltering relationship between you and your teenager. Finding a psychotherapist to help your troubled teen can help you stay connected with your teen while getting the help he or she needs.