Sex Offender Counseling – Program For Treatment Resistant Teens

Among the most frustrating situations that parents encounter with teens is knowing there is a problem, but being unable to talk with them about the issues and being unable to persuade them to talk to a therapist or counselor. This dilemma is compounded when the issues are sexual problems including pornography addiction, sexual abuse, and cyber-sexual activity including soliciting sex on the internet. Many teens are reluctant to talk about any problems with their parents, but more especially when the problems involve a sexual theme. A recent study concluded that a high percentage of teens have never actually had an open discussion about sex with their parents. Unfortunately for many families, sexual topics continue to be taboo and dialogue about sexual themes simply does not occur. When a teen begins to experience problems related to sexual behaviors, most will typically go to great lengths to hide them from their parents and will refuse to participate in any type of counseling, treatment or therapy.

When discovered, often times well intended parents will seek counseling or psychotherapy services for their teen in an effort to provide their child with the chance to talk about sexual issues in a safe setting with a caring professional. In some cases, the teen is ready to talk about these issues, but what do parents do when their child won’t talk to the therapist? Outpatient counseling is only effective when communication occurs between the client and the therapist and a treatment resistant teen can’t be forced to talk. Parents often feel powerless to help their child under these circumstances and are unsure where to turn for help.

• wilderness placement “unplugs” teens from all technology and communication with the outside world requiring them to develop healthy coping skills for dealing with problems. Many youth today have never spent a day without technology and have become dependent on the use of technology.  Wilderness placement immediately disrupts the dependency on viewing pornography as a coping style.
• -wilderness placement requires more than “talk” to be successful.  Savvy, treatment resistant youth are no longer able to manipulate their environment to avoid responsibility.  The wilderness delivers natural consequences for irresponsibility that can’t be manipulated by charming or charismatic talk.  Youth who have been in denial about their addiction are no longer able to hide their issue through manipulating others.
• wilderness placement reveals an individual for who they are at their core.  Time spent in nature is the quickest way to begin the process of self-discovery.  Pornography addiction prevents an individual from discovering their true identity.  Shame, guilt, humiliation, self-loathing and depression interfere with this process.  Wilderness placement allows addicted teens to begin to heal from the emotional scars that so often accompany pornography addiction.
• wilderness placement allows addicted teens to gain new perspective on life.  Without the amenities of modern society, teens realize how much they have taken for granted in their lives.  Teens gain a renewed appreciation for their parents, their homes, their health and their families.  They are able to put into perspective the destructive role that pornography has played in their lives and are able to re-prioritize what is important to them.  This allows for the creation and implementation of a recovery plan to guide their return back home following completion of the program.