HE IS AGED 13-18 YEARS
First and foremost, we want to clarify that we focus exclusively on helping teenagers. If your son is 12 or under, or a legal adult, he doesn’t fit within our age range. For your preteen, we recommend pursuing solutions at home, and to bring them in if things get worse during their teenage years.
HE IS ANGRY, DEFIANT, AND/OR DISRESPECTFUL
Ah, those bittersweet teenage years. While you’ve surely struggled with an angry, petulant teenager, it’s impossible to forget that we all had an attitude at that age — to some degree.
Of course, if you’re at the point where you’re researching residential treatment problems, it’s likely that your son’s anger issues have transcended that of a typical moody teen. Stubborn rebelliousness is natural for teenagers, even expected. But at a certain point, it can start to raise some alarming red flags. One important component of our program is helping to calm those stormy waters. A teenager can build up a lot of resentment at home, but when they’re placed in a more peaceful, isolated, and therapeutic environment, it’s possible for them to return to a more calm and respectful baseline.
HE HAS A HISTORY OF SEXUAL BEHAVIORAL ISSUES
Let’s be clear on one thing: sexuality is a natural part of human life, and it’s something that blooms aggressively during one’s teenage years. Everyone has those feelings, and most choose to act on them in some way. We’re not here to be the final word on the morality of sexual acts, as that largely comes down to your own personal belief system. However, there is one thing we certainly do believe to be true — it is possible to act on your sexual impulses in all the wrong ways, and when you do, it can create a lot of problems, especially in the hectic, hormone-driven life of a teenager.
Has your teenage son reached the point where his sexual behavioral issues have become alarming? Is he struggling with addictions and impulses he might carry with himself his whole life if he doesn’t get help? If so, he is a prime candidate for Kaizen Academy.
The problem is that “sexual problems” are subject to a wide variety of interpretations. One parent may argue that even a single indulgence in pornography is unacceptable, while another parent may encourage it, arguing it can be good for self-health in small doses. The point is, it can be hard getting people to agree about what’s problematic and what’s not.
At Kaizen Academy, we will assess your teenager with a psychological and psychosexual evaluation to determine whether or not he’s an ideal fit for our program. But when in doubt, we encourage you to contact us.
HE IS HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FAMILY DYNAMICS AT HOME
One of the most telling signs that a teen needs residential treatment is if his (or her) behavior is seriously souring things at home. Now, it’s important not to misunderstand — we’re not saying that you should just kick someone out if they’re stirring the pot at home, but there comes a point where a temporary period of detachment can be beneficial for all parties.
There’s a strong argument for residential treatment when your son’s behavior is having a negative impact on his siblings. An openly rebellious teenager can create a toxic situation at home, especially if he resists every attempt at discipline or understanding. The last thing you want is for his innocent siblings to be a casualty of that toxicity, or to adopt similar behaviors. <br>
Another important factor to consider is your marriage. Most of us here at Kaizen are parents ourselves, and we understand the unspeakable tension that a difficult teenager can bring to your otherwise happy marriage. Residential treatment is a win-win in this respect — it allows the teenager to rehabilitate in a more stable, therapeutic setting, and it allows loved ones to recuperate from a difficult home situation.
HE IS STRUGGLING WITH OTHER CO-OCCURRING CHALLENGES
We’ve made it clear that our primary focus here at Kaizen Academy is to treat teenagers who struggle from sexual behavioral problems. However, it would be naive to suggest that those problems aren’t frequently accompanied by other challenges and conditions. More often than not, they come paired together, one of them usually actively contributing to the other.
Our therapeutic program seeks not only to heal the wounds of sexual addiction and trauma, but also to help teens overcome those other issues they’re struggling with — depression, anxiety, and much more.
If your teenage son struggles with any of the following problems, we’re prepared to help:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Poor Relationships
- Self-Harm
- Learning Challenges/Disabilities
- Trauma
HE STRUGGLES WITH SELF CARE, ACADEMICS, AND BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES
The final indicator that we look for is when a teenager’s problems are affecting their life so much that they struggle with basic responsibilities. A lot of teenagers aren’t the most hygienic people on the planet, but when your son starts uncharacteristically neglecting his personal care, that’s a red flag. When his grades start tanking at school and he starts showing an unprecedented degree of apathy, that’s another red flag.
Please be observant of your teenager, especially if they’re struggling with any of the problems listed above. When it starts to impact these very basic facets of their life, it might be time for some rehabilitation. At Kaizen Academy, we’re not just therapists — we help our teenage students to grow and become more productive well-rounded human beings. We help them to cultivate personal hobbies, experience the great outdoors, learn new skills, develop a sense of community, and more.
