The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Teen depression and anxiety is on the rise. Sadly, we are seeing suicide as the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24. With today's digital lives there could be so many reasons. Are they missing the routine of a real-life social life?  Are they being harassed online ?  Or are they watching their friends on social media have a blast while they believe their life is boring or they are simply missing out? What was true a generation ago is still true today, teens are unpredictable and still difficult to figure out. However depression is a very real emotion. Adolescence can be a very turbulent and difficult time, even for the most well-adjusted child. Depression strikes teenagers and adults alike, and can have far-reaching implications when kids suffer from emotional difficulties that they aren’t sure how to manage. After noticing the signs of depression in your teen and helping him to get the treatment he needs, understanding the root of his depre...

Good teens making bad choices. It can be very common. “Does my teen need residential therapy? Isn’t this a drastic step? How will I know if we are at the point of placing our child at a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center?” – Anonymous parent As I share with parents,  residential therapy  is a major decision not to be taken lightly.  It’s not about teaching your child a lesson, it’s not about punishing your teen or scaring them straight — residential therapy is a huge financial and emotional decision that is made after you have exhausted all your  local  resources. Residential therapy is a choice made out of love to give your child a second chance at a bright future. Usually a parent has reached their  wit’s end ; they have been to local therapy, some have even tried having their teen stay with a relative.  Some have been through extensive out-patient programs but it isn’t until you remove (residential therapy) t...

Summer programs and camps can be an excellent time to give your teenager a boost of self-esteem as well as helping them with  grade recovery  if they have been underachieving during the school year. If your teen has been making bad choices for a while, chances are good it will take longer than 6-9 weeks to undo this negative behavior. However since making the decision to leap into a  residential treatment center or therapeutic boarding school  is not only an emotional one, it’s also very expensive — starting with a good  summer program  can sometimes be a way to determine if your teen is a fit for the longer-term program. After attending a summer program, you can determine the following: 1. They come home and go back to school in the fall. 2. They continue with the residential therapy educational program. 3. They come home, go back to school and if things don’t go so well, you know that he/she can go back to that program and finish it. ...

Do you have a good teen making bad choices? Have they changed their peer group? Withdrawn from family activities? Underachieving in school? Dropping out of their favorite sport groups or clubs? Are they obsessed or addicted to their devices ? Do you suspect drug use ? Have you exhausted your local resources, therapy isn't working - have you tried a hospital stay, they won't take the medication. Out-patient therapy failed..... Residential therapy has been very successful for many family's - but it can be very scary if you are online reading the haunting stories that some former students (with a chip on their shoulder) or otherwise have written. I frequently educate parents - that they need to do their due diligence - the 'teen-help' industry is a big business, you need to know who you're talking to and what's their motivation. Since 2001, we've helped educate parents on this industry. I was that parent that was scammed and duped by 'sale...