Parents with a teen in residential treatment often ask themselves, “I parented this child the same way I parented my other children. What could I have done differently?” Often the answer is nothing. You did the very best you could do with the skills and information you had at the time. Often a teen experiencing depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, emotional dysregulation, self-harm or trauma needs to be parented in a different way. Because teens acquire the abilities to become responsible, caring adults and citizens of their society from the people who are most intensely involved with them, parenting is the most important and challenging job any of us can have. Despite this, parenting receives little support or recognition in our society.
Even though families at CERTS programs were involved intensive family therapy, therapists often heard from parents that they wanted direction and desired education to acquire skills to more effectively parent and communicate with their teen. Parents also indicated that because of their teen’s behavioral issues, depression or emotional dysregulation they had lost the ability to just talk with their teen or simply have fun with them. With this need for parent education, CERTS has developed 5 different ways to educate and support parents when their teen admits to one of our programs–La Europa Academy, Kolob Canyon, Moonridge Academy, Mosaic House or Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy.
PARENT SUPPORT AND EDUCATION COMPONENTS:
1. PARENT SEMINAR WEEKENDS:
Parent Seminar Weekends are held at each CERTS Program once per quarter. Parent Seminars include classes from Clinical Directors, primary therapists and academic team members. Class topics might include, but are not limited to better communication with your teen, DBT Skills training and parenting skills development. Parent Seminar weekends always include fun activities with parents and their teens that help to repair their relationship, improve their communication skills and practice new skills.
2. CERTS PARENT WEBINAR SERIES:
Parents are provided with 3 live webinars per month drawing on a large variety of topics. Webinars are presented primarily by CERTS clinical team members including primary therapists, Advisors and Clinical Directors. Academic team members also present occasionally on academic topics. In addition CERTS records all webinars and uploads them to our private CERTS Parent Education Channel so that parents can view webinars on-demand.
3. PARENT COACHING:
At some CERTS Programs, parents are provided one-on-one parent coaching with their primary therapist. Parents are able to ask specific questions and receive individualized instruction and assistance. As part of the parent coaching component, parents are often provided with their own homework to do.
4. FAMILY THERAPY:
Parents and families receive weekly family therapy if their student is admitted to Kolob Canyon, La Europa, and Moonridge Academy. Family therapy is provided by a student’s primary therapist. At Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy, students can receive family therapy as needed through their community therapist. Family therapy is a way for families to do necessary clinical work and heal together
5. PARENT RETREAT WEEKENDS:
Starting in the Fall of 2018, CERTS will begin offering a Parent Retreat. Parent Retreats will be held twice per year–once in the early Spring and once in the Fall. This retreat will be a one day intensive where parents learn new skills without the distraction of their teens. Parents not only learn valuable new skills, but also receive the close support of other parents also going through the process of residential treatment.
In addition to these formal components, parents can also receive ongoing support from other parents on the CERTS Facebook Parent Support Group. CERTS is committed to educating and supporting our parents through each step of the treatment process. Call today to find out how CERTS can serve you as a parent.