Spending the Holidays with CERTS

Spending the holidays at a residential treatment center instead of at home can be difficult for the student and their family. At CERTS, we try to make the holiday season at our treatment program as special as it is at home. We also encourage our students to reflect on their treatment process and celebrate their achievements and growths.

Making the Holiday Season Special at CERTS

At CERTS, we want to make your struggling teen feel at home and special, especially during the holidays. Our residential treatment center staff works hard to provide family meals, activities, and festivities for our students. 

We encourage families and students to have more communication during the holiday season. This can be through cards, letters, emails, phone calls, and video calls. Families are encouraged to visit the treatment facility to participate in holiday activities and spend time with their children. Depending on where your student is in their treatment process, they may be able to visit the family at home as well. We also encourage students to spend time with each other, providing support for their friends during the holidays.

Benefits of Spending the Holidays at a Residential Treatment Center

There are benefits of spending the holidays at CERTS including avoiding triggering situations for students, reflecting on therapy, and celebrating achievements with other students. Time in treatment is required for long term success in recovery from depression, anxiety, PTSD, behavioral issues, substance abuse issues, and other mental health issues. The best thing a struggling teen can do for their healing journey is to focus on their treatment over the holidays, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still have fun at CERTS!

Avoiding Triggers & Harmful Situations

• Teens struggling with substance abuse may be more tempted to partake in drinking or doing drugs over the holidays. Staying in a residential treatment center can help students avoid these triggers.
• Bad memories of past behaviors or situations with family members can also be a trigger for many students struggling with teen mental health issues. These memories or situations can often be triggering for struggling teens and regress their treatment process.

Spending the Holiday Season to Reflect

• Spending the holidays in a residential treatment center is a perfect opportunity for students to reflect on their treatment process and on past behaviors.
• The holidays and new year are a great time for students to focus on other positive changes they’d like to make in their life.
• Students can also reflect on past experiences and behaviors. This reflection leads to motivation for students to continue their recovery at CERTS.
• Students can take the time to focus on their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Celebrating With Other CERTS Students 

• Residential treatment center staff and students work together to make the holidays special.
• The holiday season is a great time for our students to get to know each other better. They can also spend time with other students who have the same religious or cultural traditions to celebrate the season.
• Students can also teach about their holiday traditions or learn about other student’s holiday traditions.
• CERTS students are also encouraged to celebrate their achievements and the achievements of other students in the treatment program.

Celebrate the Holidays at CERTS Residential Treatment Centers

Struggling teens spending their holidays at CERTS have the opportunity to continue their recovery and treatment programs. Struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, behavioral issues, substance abuse, or other mental health issues is hard for both the teen and family. We try to make the holiday season a special time to celebrate while still providing therapeutic treatment. Call CERTS today to learn more about our residential treatment centers and how they can benefit your struggling teen.