Ash_Administrator_Ville August 8, 2017Parents often come to us feeling as though their family is irreparably damaged and all hope is lost for a peaceful, trusting family dynamic. Asheville Academy provides an opportunity for families to reconnect, rebuild, and restore their relationship.
Family programming is vitally important to the overall success of students. The age group we work with, 10-14 year old girls, still have a lot of growing up to do and can’t raise themselves. That’s why involving the entire family in every step of the therapeutic process is so important. If everyone in the family is not on board in the healing journey, girls may ultimately end up reverting back to old patterns.
What does family programming at AAG entail?
Family programming at Asheville Academy:
- Is highly individualized:
No two students have the same needs. Because of this, we cater to the needs of each family in order to provide the highest quality of support and care possible.
- Includes 90 minutes of Family Therapy per week:
Family therapy sessions are usually carried out via video conference. When students first enter the program, those sessions are usually made up of relationship building activities to help strengthen family bonds.
As a girl progresses through the program, more and more of those 90 minutes will include actual family therapy as she gains tools and techniques to help communicate herself effectively.
In addition to the 90 minute family therapy session, students also receive 2 additional calls home each week. These “social calls” help girls practice information exchanges about life at home and school. They also can be a ton of fun!
- Encourages parents to visit their daughter on campus:
Each family works with their daughter’s therapist to schedule how often they should be coming to visits on campus, what those visits will entail, and when would be appropriate for their daughter to begin making visits home.
These visits are scheduled based on a family’s specific needs and obligations. Families who live further afield, we can make special accommodations based on their daughter’s progress in the program. For example, we might have a family who lives on the West Coast fly in on a Friday, do an on campus day on Saturday. If the Saturday visit goes well, the family would have an off campus day on Sunday. However, this is done on a case by case basis and based on the specific issues within the family dynamic.
- Brings families to campus for parent seminars.
Each quarter, we host a four day parent seminar. Siblings are encouraged to come, as well. This seminar focuses on specific concepts important to the therapeutic process. For example, one of the topics we have focused on in the past is Love Languages. This idea is based on the ways in which each individual wishes to be appreciated and recognized. Two days of the seminar are spent discussing the concept we are focusing on and what it means. This is followed by a day and a half of experiential activities which explores the concept in fun, playful ways.
Doing the Work
At the end of the day, the success of our girls is dependent on the family’s willingness to show up for their daughter and get involved in the work we do here. Families who succeed at Asheville Academy are heavily invested in their girl’s success. They really challenge themselves to do the hard work it takes to rebuild family connections. This is what allows our families to experience lasting change and develop strong relationship skills that form a solid foundation for their success.
Learn more about family programming at Asheville Academy here>>>
Asheville Academy can help
Asheville Academy is a therapeutic boarding school for girls, ages 10-14. Our students commonly struggle with anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning differences, and other behavioral or emotional challenges.
With the help of our licensed therapists, experienced teachers, caring staff, and expertly designed program, our students move closer to a healthier life. We use the best tactics and therapeutic methods in order to build healthier, happier futures for young girls at Asheville Academy.
For more information about how we help at Asheville Academy, call 800-264-8709 today.
