Anyone who is a parent at this time in life knows that parenting is a dying art. Perhaps that sounds cruel, however consider the following: 1) More kids spend far more time on the internet than talking to their parents about “their problems”, 2) kids spend by far more money on themselves using their parents money than they do on their parents, 3) kids notoriously “listen” to their same age or slightly older peers and “follow” peer advice rather than to listen to and follow the sages and holders of wisdom, such as parents and others in authority, 4) language and behavior now changes impulsively to mimic attitudes of socially desirables (or undesirables) rather than ethical and cultural traditions and variables (piercings, tatoos, slang).

History repeats itself, and only those who have learned the lessons of the past and speak out can survive the present to continue on to their future. Consider this: If an entire population hides behind Google Glasses, Dr Beat Headphones, and Texting (monkey see, monkey hear, monkey do), a generation is lost.

We worry what songs our adult children will sing to their children (our grandchildren) at night as they fall to sleep? NWA? 50 cent? Hardly comforting.

So, what’s the proactive therapy that drives our youth and thereby ourselves back to family recovery? Answer: call 877-571-2524. We’ve got one.

I felt it important to anyone out there questioning whether recovery programs ‘work’ to post this message. As we approach summer, and your family member may be in need of recovery services, consider the following….

DrB

“…..spent last week hiking the Grand Canyon with one of his pals from the sober house and his family. He had a fabulous time and was SO happy when he called Sunday.  He’s actually starting to think about going back to school.”

Call today BEFORE the bottom falls out. 877-571-2524. We’re there, and we care.

Idaho in the late Spring is simply the best. Of course, this statement has a lot to do with the success of the young men and women who I placed in the Idaho schools. From the young man who I placed  with Matt and Dave, to spending time on Lake Pend Oreille with Greg H. from Wingate, to attending BCA graduation and watching this particular young lady “walk” across the stage to receive her diploma — it was all amazing. Did I say BCA is a winner for me? The staff are “best”.

North Idaho schools and programs have a reputation for staying power. Northwest Academy with Dr. Adam and staff have created a great option for older adolescents who otherwise would not have made it to graduation. Focus Point is a new program with Ranel H that will definitely help young adults to  ride that path (either by walking or bike!) of success to college. Innercept is there to offer more structure to those young adults who need it, and they’ve graduated mine as well.

After 30 years in the “helping” industry, I can tell you that it never means more to me than to I hear a young person turn to me and say, at this stage of a journey, “thank you for helping me graduate.” It’s enough to bring tears to your eyes, and it does. The parents are proud, the kids, even more proud. The staff and I — well, we just look over at each other and ‘smile.’ Good things happen to those pursue personal success with vigor. Congratulations to my families who did exactly that and graduated 2013.

What do these pictures have in common? Simple: They hold the answers to what is bothering your teen. The man is Erik Erickson, well known psychologist. Erikson’s theory of personality followed an 8 stage identified progression in virtues. Somewhere between Stages 5 and 6 is where kids “get stuck” and parents fail to recognize what to do about it.  In Stage 5, identity and role confusion questions emerge around ‘who am I’ and ‘how do I fit in’ with peers and famiily. If kids are allowed to safely explore, and not accept at face value their parent’s world views,  they will ‘find’ themselves, and transition on to Stage 6, intimacy over isolation. Parents today are experiencing the loss of relationship with sons and daughters when they fall into “the digital hole” of devices (e.g., gaming, internet, texting, FB, etc. etc.). Their kids fail to “explore” the ‘real’ world and test their belief systems against others. They are then “stuck” in this stage and do not develop intimacy and adult perspective.

The answer? The graphic below. It’s School Connections. Meeting in San Francisco this coming week, the conference focuses on schools that present a superior boarding life opportunity to allow your sons and daughters to “explore” who they are, and how they fit in to the greater community around them. Boarding is a safe and sound solution to the “digital hole syndrome” and allow teens to individualize and develop meaningful relationships with those around them. Interested? call 877-571-2524 and ask for Dr Burdick. We offer school and program solutions for you and yours to successfully ‘launch’ into the world of adulthood.