Aspen Education Group's Utah-based Youth Care program, an intensive therapeutic program for adolescents in a small, home-like setting, was featured October 16 on the nationally syndicated "Dr. Phil" show. A 16-year old pregnant, runaway teen attended Youth Care for two months as part of a life-changing intervention.
"My daughter had been missing for about a month. When I found out that she was pregnant, I was hurt and scared for her," said Heidi, Brittney's mother. "I love my daughter and wanted her to understand how difficult it is to raise a baby. Through the help of Dr. Phil, we were able to send Brittney to Youth Care."
"When I first came to Youth Care, I was very confused. I was mad at my mother," Brittney explained. "I'm starting to feel more confident in my relationship with my mother."
"I definitely feel like our relationship has improved. There's still a lot of work, but it's definitely improved a lot," Heidi notes.
"Brittney has made outstanding progress while at Youth Care, both personally and in her relationship with her family," noted Youth Care Executive Director Trina Packard. "Youth Care's comprehensive therapeutic approach has provided an opportunity for her to develop a strong foundation for a hopeful future and has helped her family redefine what matters most as they create a new relationship going forward."
Youth Care provides licensed residential treatment in a small, nurturing setting for adolescents 11-18 who are experiencing emotional or behavioral problems that interfere with their ability to succeed at home and in life. Youth Care's intensive, individualized approach provides each student with a structured weekly program including: three individual therapy sessions, five group therapy sessions, a family therapy session, and a licensed psychiatric visit. Utilizing a "whole child" approach, Youth Care students also participate in an accredited school program, recreational therapy, and if necessary, substance abuse counseling and dual diagnosis treatment.
"Youth Care uses an empirically-based treatment model -- Dialectical Behavior Therapy - to help students like Brittney develop effective coping strategies and sustain these changes to adulthood," added Packard. "Brittney also was able to access our extensive pregnancy program, which includes the 'Baby-Think-It-Over' infant simulator, a life-like doll with realistic computerized responses that allows pregnant teens to experience some of the demands of infant care."
"We are extremely happy that Brittney has responded so well to the comprehensive therapeutic offerings provided for her at Youth Care," said Mark Hobbins, senior vice president of Aspen Education Group. "The teenage years are a pivotal time for girls who are struggling with family or personal identity issues. Youth Care has provided Brittney with an opportunity to understand her feelings, reassess her personal choices and relationships, and overcome issues that are holding her back from achieving her potential. We wish Brittney continued success in her journey through young adulthood."
Located outside Salt Lake City in Draper, Utah, Youth Care is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, and licensed as a residential treatment center. Youth Care is a program of Aspen Education Group, recognized nationwide as the leading provider of education programs for underachieving or struggling young people. Aspen's 30-plus programs in 12 states provide a range of therapeutic interventions, including wilderness therapy, boarding schools, residential treatment, and weight-loss programs. In addition to being featured several times on "Dr. Phil," Aspen and its programs have been profiled by major news and television organizations around the world, including: CNN, the New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, National Public Radio, NBC's "Dateline NBC" and "Today," and ABC's "Good Morning America."
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