Tagged: Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

The Teaching-Family Model

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints kids in group

When it comes to creating the best future for children, so much is dependent upon the environment in which they are raised. Interaction with their parents informs how they talk to others, understand themselves, and mature as adults. If children lack the necessary interpersonal skills they should have learned in infancy, they will face more severe problems in the future.

The Teaching-Family Model offered at Alpine Academy aims to address various behavioral and emotional problems families face to improve their lives and provide the tools needed for success. At Alpine Academy Utah complaints that students have suffered with for years are often reduced in severity upon entering this new environment. This trauma-informed behavioral intervention focuses on positive feedback and can help kids with a wide range of issues. But does this method work?

We’re sharing a detailed report on the Teaching-Family model below.

Teaching-Family Model’s Research-Based Approach

The Teaching-Family Model, also known as TFM, was one of the first-ever evidence-based programs in human services. It has innovated and grown over the last 50 years to be one of the best programs for providing individualized treatment to families.

The basic principle of the program is based on research collected from hundreds of hours of data. It shows that people learn by imitating others, particularly their role models. With that in mind, researchers proved that by having role models show specific, positive behaviors, children would mirror the positive behavior. This means that rather than teaching children how to act, it’s about teaching parents and role models how to present themselves to children.

Some programs will function as short, home-based interventions. This might be 6-10 weeks with a practitioner in the home teaching the parents. Others will be long-term residential care facilities for the children. It will depend on the needs of the family, the duration, and the level of intervention.

TFM is not limited to parents and family units. It can also be used with teachers, coaches, doctors, and more. Anyone who spends time with children can learn how to set an example for children through this model.

Teaching-Family Model Brings Proven Benefits

Researchers continue to study the program and improve TFM’s practices. However, these are the benefits most often noted by experts and collected through published research.

Improved Mental Health

For those who have dealt with trauma or have developmental disabilities, one problem often cited by mental health professionals is the difficulty to process and share emotions. Additionally, expressing those emotions and communicating effectively can be a sticking point.

The TFM provides a blueprint for honest conversations. This helps families have open discussions about their mental state and instructs people to address their feelings. Young ones get the guidance they need, and parents can take the time to help themselves and model good mental health practices.

Less Restrictive Living

Although most programs for children are applied in restrictive environments, TFM experiments have shown success with children in the least restrictive settings available. The level of restrictiveness depends on each family’s case.

The method relies on modeling, which means more restrictive environments don’t necessarily provide proper modeled behavior. Families also report more stress in restrictive spaces, and this may inhibit progress within a family unit. TFM has the structure that many need, but without excessive restrictions.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints three students

Reuniting Families

There are alternative methods to TFM that show success with children. However, these may involve separating children from their families for treatment. Experts observe that separation can cause additional trauma whereas reunification is often a source of healing. For many professionals, reunification is a top priority.

By enacting the TFM with parents and children, families can create a safe environment for reunification. Once reunited, the strategies and tools provided by the TFM should continue to keep a living situation safe for everyone in the home.

Personalized Plans Available

Psychological research shows that children do not only imitate their parents. While parents may have the most opportunities to influence behavior, anyone can apply the principles of TFM and model healthy behavior for other people around them.

Because of the flexibility and potential to be used by anyone for any child, the method is seeing a growth in popularity even outside industry professionals. Just as anyone can apply the principles, the strategies can help children from a wide range of backgrounds.

Teaching-Family Model Target Demographic

There isn’t just one population that benefits from this model. Examples of those who have benefited from the program include those who are:

Neglected
Abused
At-Risk
In the Foster Care System
Juvenile Delinquents
Developmentally Disabled
Severely Emotionally Disturbed.

While the strategies and principles of the method are highly adaptable, it is recommended that families in severe cases partner with accredited Teaching-Family Model programs. Industry professionals can best assess the situation and provide support.

Final Thoughts

According to Teaching-Family Model practitioners, healing trauma doesn’t start with children; it begins with their role models. And with the success that the Teaching-Family Model has seen, this principle appears to be true. With so many benefits and a record for success, TFM programs are reuniting families and improving the lives of children, no matter what they face.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

How Sports Can Positively Influence Teen Development

Alpine Academy in Utah works to help troubled teens by providing them with a well-rounded experience that includes schooling, therapy, recreational activities and more. Alpine Academy understands that teens have complaints about entering the program because they fear the unknown and may be resistant to making positive changes. The experts at Alpine Academy are prepared to address those complaints and make positive, lasting changes in the lives of all students. One of the best ways to improve the outlook of a teen is to get them involved in sports that they love. Today, Alpine Academy in Utah will look at the many benefits of organized sports in teen development.

So much of changing the direction of a teen’s future is about improving their mood. Physical activity provides a natural boost of serotonin and gives direction to those who are feeling lost. The health benefits of organized sports cannot be understated. Teens involved in organized sports are one-tenth as likely to develop obesity. This in turn helps lower the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and more.

Members of Alpine Academy in Utah play sports for the love of the game. A lot of teens quit organized sports by the time they reach high school because they are not selected to start in their preferred sport. Being a player on the bench is not an easy thing for a teenager. It’s obviously not as fun as playing and it often comes with feelings of doubt or lack of self-worth. Everyone who wants to play gets a chance to play at Alpine Academy. The idea behind incorporating sports is to not only build skills on the court or playing field but build communication skills as well.

While everyone gets a chance to play, there’s naturally a competitive nature that comes from sports. Just like in life, there will be adversity to overcome. Teens can learn great lessons both in success and in failure when playing sports. The lessons learned during play can be reviewed in therapy and help unlock a lot of opportunities for growth. Team sports provide teens with a wonderful opportunity to form friendships that can last a lifetime. The hardest part of forming relationships is breaking the ice. By playing organized sports, there’s a common theme that allows teens to come together via a shared interest. Sports like basketball also require a level of communication in order to be successful. Growing as a communicator is essential to boosting self-esteem. People want to be heard and deserve to be heard. Not everyone has the easiest time making their voice heard and sports provide a great place to practice communicative skills.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

Warning Signs of a Troubled Teenager

Alpine Academy is a unique therapeutic school that helps troubled teens get back on track. Being a parent or a teenager in the modern world is no easy task. It’s important for both parents and their children who are struggling to know that regardless of their current circumstances, there’s hope around the corner. Alpine Academy hears complaints from parents routinely that they wish they noticed the warning signs of trouble earlier. Today, Alpine Academy will look at some different things parents and loved ones can look out for to see if their teen may be a candidate for help from Alpine Academy in Utah.

There is a delicate balance between typical teen behavior and damaging teen behavior. For instance, as teens grow into adulthood, they are going to naturally be on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Just like anyone else, they will have good days and bad days and experience swings in their moods. Small tweaks to appearance or a slight increase in push back to authority figures are common teen behaviors that can be addressed and moved on from rather easily.

Red flags appear when rather drastic changes in behavior are made. Teens who switch to an entirely different peer group who are having a negative influence on their behavior are on a dangerous path. Weight fluctuation in teens is normal, but if a teen either puts on an excessive amount of weight or loses an excessive amount of weight, there could be a much more serious problem afoot. Parents and loved ones must also stay on the lookout for an increase in secretive behavior or lying. Trust is everything in any relationship and teens must be held accountable for their words.

Other common warning signs of a troubled teen include:

Excessively Sleeping
Addiction to Technology
Plummeting Grades in School
Sexual Promiscuity
Disregard for Personal Hygiene
Skipping School
Bullying

All of these warning signs are acts of desperation from a teen. Whether or not they are consciously acting out as a means of asking for help, it’s what these behavioral issues represent. All warning signs listed above are also indicators of potential mental health issues like anxiety and depression. The sooner parents can identify warning signs, the sooner they can provide their teen with the special assistance they need. No warning signs are a life sentence. Alpine Academy in Utah has a track record of helping teens unlock their potential by finding healthier ways to cope and discovering healthy passions in life.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

Who Is a Typical Student of Alpine Academy?

At Alpine Academy Utah, we work with teenage and adolescent students from all different walks of life. However, they all have a unifying factor in common — the need for a therapeutic approach due to various traumas and conditions.

Whether your child is struggling with a learning disability, suffers from conditions like depression or anxiety, or is recovering from severe trauma, they should be able to find the care, attention, and education they need at this school. Regardless, our educators have the skills and training to provide them with a customized learning environment to help them succeed.

As the parent of a student with therapeutic needs, you undoubtedly have concerns about whether Alpine Academy can address various complaints and if is the right environment for your child. To help you with your decision, let’s look at what a typical student of the school is like.

What Sort of Therapeutic Needs Are Common for Our Students?

Our students face various challenges for which they require therapeutic approaches. Here are some of the most common situations our students are seeking help with.

Depression

Teenagers with any form of depression, mood disorder, or bipolar disorder are going to find a stimulating environment at Alpine. Through thorough evaluations, we develop customized treatment plans and help them succeed in everyday life.

Anxiety

We work with many students who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder and other related conditions like social phobias, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

Trauma

Students recovering from a traumatic experience such as neglect, abuse, or loss may find the care they need at our school. Our experts help them not only identify the source of their trauma but also help them develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Learning Disabilities

Students with learning differences, especially attention deficit disorders like ADD and ADHD, are excellent candidates for the therapeutic techniques at the Academy.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teenagers and adolescents on the autism spectrum can find the tools they need to succeed in their educations right here with our devoted staff of teachers.

Personality Disorders

Alpine Academy is a caring and nurturing environment for students struggling with conditions like borderline personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, and narcissistic personality disorder.

Relationship Problems

Students who have strained relationships with their family members or peers, including but not limited to attachment disorders, can see improvements from our therapeutic methodologies.

What Kind of Behaviors or Coping Mechanisms Do Our Typical Students Exhibit?

Most of our students have engaged in some form of potentially unhealthy or destructive behavioral pattern or coping mechanism due to their unique needs. Here are some of the most common behaviors we see manifest in our students.

Social isolation or withdrawal is prevalent amongst the adolescents we work with. This symptom may manifest as a lack of interest in communicating with family members and friends, having difficulties maintaining long-term friendships, or leaving home without parental authorization for long periods. They may also struggle to remain honest in communication with friends and family.

Many of our students have a history of academic challenges. Poor academic performance or a refusal to attend school or work on academic tasks is not uncommon among the teenagers we work with. They may even have significant difficulties when it comes to respecting authority figures or following directions.

Other common manifestations include angry or aggressive behavior, a lack of interest in activities that normally bring them joy, as well as self-harm and suicidal ideation.

How Can Alpine Academy Utah Help?

As an education center focused on providing services to teenagers and adolescents with therapeutic needs, we can help your student grow and succeed through a variety of different methodologies. In addition to academic instruction, we will also give your child the therapeutic attention they need to progress.

Our therapeutic teaching methodology is based on the Teaching-Family Model and supplemented through various clinical strategies. Weekly therapy sessions on an individual basis with a licensed professional start the day your child is enrolled and have shown positive results with the vast majority of our students. We also offer group and family therapy sessions for students that stand to benefit from these techniques.

In addition to these therapeutic methods, we also offer clinical psychiatric care for our students through the University of Utah’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. These two programs work in conjunction to provide the most effective care for all of our students.

See If the School Is Right for Your Family

As you can see, Alpine Academy Utah is the perfect learning environment for teenagers and adolescents with all sorts of therapeutic needs. No matter what daily struggles your student is facing, they can find the encouragement and proper education they need right here. Feel free to contact us via our website for more information.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

What Are Benefits of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy?

Alpine Academy is known for offering equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) for students in individual and group sessions. Equine-assisted activities are seen as a worthwhile therapeutic approach for teens, children, families, and groups is because of many conditions and disorders respond well to it. According to Alpine Academy in Utah, abuse of substances, behavioral disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a variety of other conditions can be managed with EAP and assistance when combined with help from certified counselors. Alpine Academy realizes that many are not aware of the many ways that equine-assisted therapy can help children and teens. Here, Alpine Academy in Utah reviews just a few of its benefits.

Contributes to Stress Relief

People that are suffering from mental health problems or any of life’s obstacles may find it difficult to relax and clear their minds. Day-to-day stressors exist for us all, and it can be great for stress management to have the ability to take a step back and relax. Equine-assisted psychotherapy is cited as a process that is great for stress relief. One of the reasons for this is because riding and caring for a horse requires concentration. This means that your concentration on your horse may prevent you from dwelling on what is causing your stress or anxiety. Addressing our worries can be made easier when we can enjoy our time and find clarity.

Improves Communication Skills

Alpine Academy in Utah realizes that communication skills (verbal and non-verbal) are important to learn as they paint so many of our interactions with others. When we find it difficult to communicate, things can get lost in translation, situations can escalate, and it may limit our ability to have fruitful conversations. Equine-assisted psychotherapy is a great activity for individuals that need to hone communication skills for several reasons. Horses cannot be controlled by purely physical means, which means that riders must work on building trust through communication. Horses respond well to non-verbal cues as well, which can be helpful for people that are not up to talking or want to build skills in non-verbal communication.

Horses may not be able to speak in the traditional sense, but they are great communicators

Increases Self-Esteem

Teens that are experiencing low self-esteem may benefit from working with animals. This is because animals cannot criticize, mock, or accidentally make an offensive off-hand comment that may hurt feelings. Riding and caring for horses well reflect the work that you have put into it. For some individuals participating in EAP, riding boosts self-esteem because it produces a sense of pride and accomplishment. Riding a horse requires building a relationship founded on trust and respect. This can require work, and people who are willing to see it through are able to see the value of their hard work. According to Alpine Academy in Utah, complaints that we have about ourselves are often made more manageable as we take positive energy from EAP and apply it to obstacles that we face in our lives.

Builds Empathy

Empathy is an important trait to develop in our teen years because it helps us realize that there is a lasting impact to what we do or say to others. Equine therapy is seen as an excellent tool for honing empathy because of the relationship that is built with horses when we ride and care for them. As touched on before, horses cannot talk or share their feelings in a traditional verbal sense, but they are still adept at giving us clues as to what they are thinking. This may be emotions such as happiness or excitement or less than pleasant emotions such as fear, hesitancy, or anger. The rapport that we build with horses during equine assisted therapy keeps us in tune with the emotions that they are feeling throughout the process. When teens see that they can work as a team to overcome obstacles, they realize that their skills with empathy can be used to build upon other relationships in their lives as well.

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints

Alpine Academy Examines the Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

Alpine Academy takes advantage of its proximity to easily accessible recreation to offer its students a wide variety of opportunities for both exercise and fun. The campus is near hiking and horse trails, bowling, swimming, and golf. At the Fitness and Arts Center, the school provides an athletic field and a range of indoor sports as well. Alpine includes exercise within its routine because physical activity can have an extremely positive impact on the mental health of its students. Here, Alpine Academy in Utah reviews some of the mental health benefits of exercise and how these positive changes empower students on their path.

Decreased Stress

There is a scientific bases to how exercise helps decrease stress. Exercise decreases stress hormones such as cortisol while increasing endorphins — which are known as your body’s “feel good” chemicals. This gives your mood a natural boost while you work out. Exercise can also decrease stress by giving young people an outlet for relieving tensions. Some teens have an issue with bottling up their stress or negative emotions until they are too difficult to keep them inside. With exercise, you can have a healthy coping technique built into your routine, helping you relieve stress and center yourself when you experience strong emotions.

Improves Overall Health

Alpine believes that our physical and mental health are linked, which can explain why we may not feel well emotionally when our physical health is not at its best. There are multiple ways that exercise can contribute to better overall health for teens. For example, exercise can improve sleep habits by helping them regulate their circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is our built-in alarm clock that controls how tired or alert we feel. Exercise also can increase energy and stamina, build endurance, contribute to weight loss, and reduce cholesterol while improving cardiovascular health.

Increases Self-Esteem and Confidence

Sometimes a negative self-image can be a contributing factor to unhealthy behaviors and routines, starting a cycle that can be difficult to break alone. Exercise can improve self-image and self-esteem in a variety of ways. For example, reaching goals because of regular exercise can give teens a large boost in self-esteem and confidence. Exercise can also help teens with their self-esteem and confidence by improving their overall health. The goal of exercising does not need to be to lose weight. After all, that in and of itself can reinforce negative self-image issues that do not necessarily make us feel more positive. Still, we often feel a definite difference in our health when we make a commitment to being more fit, and this can be an excellent way to drive confidence and improve our personal opinions of ourselves.

Reinforces a Healthy Routine

By nature, we are driven by routines. This can work in our favor or negatively depending on whether the habits that we develop are healthy. Alpine Academy promotes adding exercise into teens’ daily routines in part because it helps them create and develop healthy routines that can keep them on track physically, emotionally, and academically. When teens know how to develop positive routines, it helps them keep sight of goals and empowers them to remain positive as they work towards them. These skills help prevent them from backsliding on their progress and encourages them to find even more positive activities to add to their routine.