When outpatient care isn’t enough, residential treatment offers teens a safe, structured environment where healing can happen around the clock. This guide walks parents through what to expect—from daily routines and evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT, to how family involvement supports lasting recovery. Learn how residential care helps teens stabilize, build coping skills, and prepare for a successful transition home.
There has been a significant surge in overdose deaths among American adolescents. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association points to synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, as driving a troubling spike in overdose deaths among teens. According to the research by Friedman, Godvin, Shover, et al., the overdose mortality rate among US adolescents 14–18 […]
Teen vaping — the use of e-cigarettes, or vapes, among teens, has become so widespread and so troubling that the Food and Drug Administration has started to take drastic action to counter the trend. Last September, the FDA ordered five brands—Juul, Vuse, MarkTen, blu e-cigs, and Logic—to submit plans to address teen use of their […]
The legalization of recreational marijuana use in California has set off an advertising boom on billboards across the state. They promise “Cannabis, the California Way!” and try to suggest that marijuana can help Californians say goodbye to stress or “get rid of pesky hangovers.” Another billboard promises “unrivaled potency” while asking users to “medicate responsibly.” […]
“That Zan With That Lean”: Adolescent Substance Abuse and the Rap Culture The current opioid crisis has received much attention in the United States. According to government data, more than 47,000 people were killed by opioids in 2017. Across 52 areas in 45 states opioid overdoses increased by 30 percent from July 2016 through […]
The use of e-cigarettes, or vapes, among teens has become so widespread and so troubling that the Food and Drug Administration has started to take drastic action to counter the trend. Last September, the FDA ordered five brands—Juul, Vuse, MarkTen, blu e-cigs, and Logic—to submit plans to address teen use of their products within 60 […]
Teen Rehab for Marijuana Use Disorder This article presents some of the factors associated with teen marijuana use that appear to be driving more and more adolescents into teen treatment of one kind or another. The number of Americans supporting the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana (cannabis) products has been steadily increasing over […]
Teen group therapy for teens is an important psychotherapeutic tool. When substance abuse enters the picture, the negative aspects of adolescence are magnified, leaving family members feeling helpless and frightened. Teenage boys who become addicted to drugs are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors like driving under the influence, having unsafe sex, getting into […]
Teens in recovery need a different therapy options than adults. Therapy for adolescents should focus on the issues that young people face and teach them coping skills that are appropriate for their lives. Character development and esteem building are at the heart of a successful program for boys who want to become strong, self-reliant men. […]
Adventure therapy for boys can make treatment more engaging and enjoyable. If asked to draw a picture of the room in which therapy might take place, teen boys might sketch couches positioned close to chairs. They might spend time drawing boxes of tissue resting on coffee tables, and if they feel inspired, they may even […]
Neuropsychological testing is an extensive and comprehensive evaluation process that encompasses a wide range of tests and allows treatment specialists to identify areas of need and specific challenges that can be addressed through a personalized treatment program. At Muir Wood, each patient begins his experience with neuropsych testing. Starting with this process allows us to […]
Individualized care can improve teen treatment outcomes.Deep down, buried inside the genetic code, people are different from one another. Those minor differences can be magnified and augmented as people age, as medical conditions take hold, memories form and experiences shape the way a person thinks and feels. At times, these differences don’t matter, and people […]
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), is a mode of psychotherapy that addresses patient’s views as compared to other therapeutic interventions included in the CBT classification; it provides patients with a mixture of traditional problem-solving strategies as well as acceptance strategies. This means that patients are encouraged to accept the issues, situations, or relationships that they define […]