Stone Mountain School for Boys Gets Parents Involved with New Features Added to Family Program
Parents and their sons with ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities and behavioral issues who attend Stone Mountain School are discovering new ways to interact using webinars, weekend intensives, a parent guide and Skype conferencing.
Black Mountain, N.C. (PRWEB) November 14, 2009 -- Stone Mountain School, an all-boys therapeutic boarding school in North Carolina, is changing the way parents and teens interact while the child is away at boarding school.
Though they are miles apart, parents and their sons have never been closer. A series of enhancements to the school's family program is helping to keep parents actively involved in every aspect of their child's treatment for emotional, behavioral and learning issues such attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The comprehensive family program also ensures that the adolescents aren't the only ones working to make positive changes in their lives. Their parents are learning right alongside them so that when the students return home, new skills and communication strategies are in place to make for a more peaceful and productive home environment.
"No matter how much success the boys have had at school, if their parents haven't changed along with them, their old behavior patterns are likely to re-emerge," advises Leigh Uhlenkott, MS, LPC, NCC, LMHC, the clinical director at the school.
In addition to the offerings from years past, which include weekly family therapy sessions, home and hotel visits, and educational parent seminars that are hosted on-campus three times a year, the school now offers webinars, weekend intensives, a parent guide and Skype conferencing.
Parents of students at Stone Mountain School have the option to participate in monthly webinars that address pertinent topics like self-care, parenting traps, adoption issues, substance abuse, relapse prevention, transition planning and home contracts. The therapists at Stone Mountain also offer guidance on how parents can nurture their relationships with their spouses and other children while their son is away at school.
"The webinars are a welcome addition to our family program for 2010," notes Uhlenkott. "Parents don't have to spend money on flights and hotels, and can still learn about our program and get educated about ADHD and the unique way that boys with ADHD learn."
For 2010, the school is also launching a pilot program in which a family therapist provides in-person "weekend intensives" to help families in crisis (for example, those experiencing divorce or a death in the family). In a one-on-one or small-group setting, parents receive immediate feedback and coaching about how to hold their child accountable, cope with a new diagnosis, set realistic expectations and communicate more effectively.
Every student at Stone Mountain School progresses through a series of stages as they develop more advanced social and organizational skills and assume more responsibility for their own behaviors. At the same time, parents have responsibilities and lessons at each stage, which they follow using the school's "parent guide."
"Parents want to be part of the process," says Uhlenkott. "The parent guide, which includes assignments and suggested reading, helps parents understand how they can best support their son while he is away at boarding school."
One of the most exciting developments at Stone Mountain School is the addition of Skype conferencing, a free service that allows users to make phone calls over the Internet and see each other using webcams.
"Not only does Skype allow parents and kids to see more of each other, it has therapeutic value," explains Uhlenkott. "We can learn a lot about family dynamics by observing body language and behavior patterns, as well as the interactions between parents, between parent and child, and between parents and the therapist."
The staff at Stone Mountain School is already receiving high praise for integrating Skype into family therapy sessions. In the words of one parent, "The whole Skype experience lent an extra dimension beyond a conventional telephone conference. We were able to interpret [our son's body language and facial expressions, which in turn prompted a depth of interaction (and results) which would not likely have been achieved otherwise. We were surprised at the quality of both the picture and sound, and look forward to our future sessions via Skype."
All of the enhancements to the family program at Stone Mountain School will help parents take a more active role in their child's boarding school experience, providing both parents and teens with the greatest personal development and progress as a family.
Stone Mountain School is a SACS-accredited, year-round therapeutic boarding school for boys ages 11-17 with emotional, behavioral and learning issues such as ADD, ADHD and nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). Set in rustic western North Carolina, the school blends outdoor adventure trips, a nationally standardized academic curriculum, and weekly individual and group therapy to help students achieve academic and personal success. Since 1990, Stone Mountain School has helped boys build their confidence, strengthen their relationships and take charge of their futures. For more information about Stone Mountain School, please call (888) 631-5944 or visit www.stonemountainschool.com.
Stone Mountain School is a proud member of CRC Health Group, which offers the most comprehensive network of specialized behavioral healthcare services in the nation. With the largest array of personalized treatment options, individuals, families, and professionals can choose the most appropriate setting for their behavioral, addiction, weight management, and therapeutic education needs. CRC Health Group is deeply committed to making its services widely and easily available to those in need, while maintaining a passion for delivering the most advanced treatment available. For more information about CRC Health Group, visit www.crchealth.com or call (877) 637-6237.
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