Ozark Trails Academy is a place where troubled teens find hope, healing and purpose. Parents looking for effective therapy methods to help a struggling young teen boy or girl can learn about how we treat Separation Anxiety Disorder at our therapeutic boarding school in MO.
Ozark Trails Academy understands that parents want to send a young teen to a safe, monitored environment where he or she receives personal care, and individual therapies that help heal emotional and mental disorders–whether brought on by trauma, foster care, adoption or family genetics.
And while the young teen enrolls in our therapeutic boarding school for counseling, treatment, and improving academic/life skills, Ozark Trails Academy also helps students struggling with Separation Anxiety Disorder improve their mental and physical health.
What Is Separation Anxiety Disorder?
Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is a condition in which a child becomes fearful and nervous when away from home or separated from a loved one — usually a parent or other caregiver — to whom the child is attached. Some children also develop physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches, at the thought of being separated. The fear of separation causes great distress to the child and may interfere with their normal activities, like going to school or playing with other children.
Separation anxiety is normal in very young children (those between 8 and 14 months old). Kids often go through a phase when they’re “clingy” and afraid of unfamiliar people and places. When this fear affects a child over age 6 years, is heavy, or lasts longer than 4 weeks, the child may have separation anxiety disorder. Separation anxiety affects approximately 4%-5% of children in the U.S. ages 7 to 11 years. It is less common in teenagers, affecting about 1.3% of American teens. It affects boys and girls equally.
Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder:
- An unrealistic and lasting worry that something bad will happen to the parent or caregiver if the child leaves
- An unrealistic and lasting worry that something bad will happen to the child if they leave the caregiver
- Refusal to go to school in order to stay with the caregiver
- Refusal to go to sleep without the caregiver being nearby or to sleep away from home
- Fear of being alone
- Nightmares about being separated
- Bed-wetting
- Complaints of physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomachaches
- Repeated temper tantrums or pleading
- Intense fear or guilt
Ozark Trails Academy Teaches Students Healthier Ways to Deal with Separation Anxiety
That’s why Ozark Trails Academy treats Separation Anxiety Disorder. Therapists address physical symptoms, identify anxious thoughts, help your child develop coping strategies, and foster problem solving. Professional treatment for separation anxiety disorder may include:
Talk therapy. Talk therapy provides a safe place for your child to express their feelings. Having someone to listen empathetically and guide your child toward understanding their anxiety can be powerful treatment.
Play therapy. The therapeutic use of play is a common and effective way to get kids talking about their feelings.
Counseling for the family. Family counseling can help your child counteract the thoughts that fuel their anxiety, while you as the parent can help your child learn coping skills.
School-based counseling. This can help your child with separation anxiety disorder explore the social, behavioral, and academic demands of school.
Another goal of the therapy is to teach a student healthier ways of dealing with future situations. And we understand that it takes time to improve a student’s thoughts and actions. We want each student to experience effective counseling and treatment, as well as improve daily life at school, and back home with family.
Why Send Your Troubled Teen to Ozark Trails?
Troubled teens experience true healing and growth at our safe, remote residential treatment center home, school and ranch here in the beautiful Ozarks in Missouri. With room for up to 12 teen girls and 12 teen boys, ages 13-19, Ozark Trails Academy offers a “wilderness meets adventure” style program, as well as pure residential treatment, and focused academics.
From sunrise to sunset each day, students can find hope, healing and purpose in life, separated from harmful distractions. Instead, as they live and work on the ranch, troubled teens connect with nature, and the Creator, God. They experience a real change of heart, and become the person God wants them to be.
Ozark Trails Academy residential treatment center teaches teens ways to avoid destructive behavior, make the choice to change for the better, make good decisions, experience real success, develop healthy relationships, and then move back into a new and better life.
If you want to learn more about how we treat students struggling with Separation Anxiety Disorder at our therapeutic boarding school, please call (417) 278-6868 now.
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