Having a child in residential treatment can cause a great deal of worry and stress. However, at the same time, you can relax, knowing that your teen is getting the best possible care. But what do you do when they return home? Life doesn’t go back to normal straight away; your teen will need support to maintain the progress they achieved during their time at teen residential treatment. Knowing how to support your teen after residential treatment can help them have continued success in recovery. Here’s what you can do to help and how Venture Academy can support you and your teen.
Understanding
As a parent, it can be hard to see where your teen is coming from at times. After participating in a teen residential treatment program, your child may find everyday life challenging. One of the best things you can do is try to be understanding. Expect some irritability, or acting out, and try to remain calm. Your teen may try to push the boundaries or feel unable to cope outside of a supported setting. Try to think about any situations that arise from your teen’s point of view. Another way to exercise understanding is to remind yourself of your teen years. Remember how important it was to impress your friends or go to a specific party. Keep this in mind when chatting with your teen.
Watchfulness
Your teen is now back in an environment where their destructive habits are freely accessible. It’s going to cross their mind that social media is around, or that their games console is available. They will need your help to avoid slipping back into harmful habits. If you feel like your teen is returning to old habits, intervene as soon as possible. For instance, ensure that your teen’s toxic habit is not kept anywhere in the house, such as removing consoles, monitoring or turning off the internet, and eliminating alcohol from your property. Be watchful, but not overbearing. Hovering over them and micro-managing their life is going to alienate them from you even further, but being mindful of the chance of relapse is vital.
Support
On their return from a residential treatment center, your teen will need your support. Support comes in many forms, and it ranges from the straightforward things like making sure they’ve eaten to listening to them on a bad day. As a parent, you will find supporting your teen comes naturally. In other words, you are already used to getting them to appointments, feeding them, and buying things they need. You are accustomed to soothing concerns and dealing with tears. Let your natural instincts as a parent guide you. Nevertheless don’t forget to take care of yourself too. If you’re stressed, tired, and irritable, you will have a lot less patience for your troubled teen. When you find it difficult to cope or feel that your teen is deteriorating, contact teen residential treatment.
Teen Residential Treatment at Venture Academy
Venture Academy is Canada’s leading residential treatment center for teens. We offer a range of programs, including:
- 30-day assessment and intervention
- Behavioural treatment
- Drug and alcohol treatment
- School programs and education
- Electronic addiction treatment
Our teen residential programs are run by a multidisciplinary staff and emphasize education as a way forward and as a way out of destructive behaviours. Your teen will make new friends and learn new skills.
Your teen’s return from treatment can be a stressful process for both of you. But our experts have plenty of advice on how to make this a smooth and stress-free experience. If you need to talk to someone about teen residential treatment, call Venture Academy at 866.762.2211.
