By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-11-29 14:05:39 | Word Count: 664
Eagle Ranch Academy, a residential program that helps gifted but troubled teens in St George, Utah, is dedicated to helping teens battle depression. The program is actually a 500 acre, working ranch, where teens who have been in trouble, but otherwise excel academically, athletically, or in the performing arts, are given a place to heal and become productive.
Founders Paul and Dave Arslanian, who have both worked for years helping troubled teens, say they have often seen a young person with a bright future become self destructive because of problems in their home life, psychological, or social issues. As such, they have dedicated their lives and the Eagle Ranch Academy program to give teens a chance to heal.
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Depression is an omnipresent symptom of the teens who come to Eagle Ranch Academy. Many have gotten there because their parents simply don’t know where else to turn. They may have been experiencing their teen’s out of control behavior. Many factors influence a teen’s behavioral coping mechanisms, such as negative peer group pressure, substance abuse problems, medically diagnosed issues such as ADHD or weight control disorders, emotional issues related to divorce, adoption, avoidance (running away), or anger control issues such as defiant behavior or being emotionally distant . The professionals at Eagle Ranch Academy are intent on helping the teen overcome the root causes of their depression and anxiety, thus inducing changes in their behavior.
These professionals provide intensive therapy, teaching life skills and teaching teens about self- introspection—all using state of the art Behavior Changing Value based program techniques. The central characteristic of a teen at Eagle Range Academy is that they are highly functioning in terms of their talents and skills, but they are underperforming in school or in the home because of depression and/or anger. Eagle Ranch academy hopes to correct this by teaching them how to deal with depression and emotional issues, as well as how to make good decisions so their talents and skill can take them far in life.
Those skills are not ignored in the program, because helping students to maximize their ability only reinforces healthy self-perceptions among them. Eagle Ranch Academy’s aim is to help students enhance their abilities beyond what they thought was possible for themselves. Each core ‘class’ consists of only 12 teens with a professional staff member and an ‘embedded’ therapist monitoring and assessing each one’s progress. In addition to therapy and an excellent academic program, teens are expected to work around the ranch and engage in fitness and nutrition programs.
The Arslanian brothers have made sure to get the best professionals available to provide the much needed therapy to help their charges with depression and other issues. The program also works closely with parents, keeping them informed and helping them with support. They even have workshops and seminars for parents to help them learn to deal with their troubled teen in a positive way. In fact, the whole family can attend these functions.
The bottom line is that Eagle Ranch Academy wants to reach a teen with depression in time to help them heal and become productive in society as adults. Visit our site today to see the strategies we employ that will help your family heal.
