Some teens express that certain types of therapy did not work for them. Whether it is because they have a hard time trusting, letting down their guard, or are just not ready to face their demons, traditional therapy is not for everyone. Horses can be a very calming force. They are very in-tune to what’s going on and can often sense human emotion. One girl involved with equine therapy says that working with horses helped her see emotions that she didn’t even know she had been carrying around with her.

Many of the horses used in equine based therapy are rescue horses, meaning that they may have been abused themselves. It becomes easier then, for youngsters to open up and express their feelings when they perceive that someone or something understands them. They can empathize and relate to the abuse that the horses have endured.

Working with horses can teach a lot of valuable lessons that translate well into the real world as well. You have to be respectful and resourceful when it comes to controlling an animal as big as a horse. Dealing with horses helps kids manage anger problems, low self-confidence and lack of trust in a different way. They have to learn to overcome these issues in order to make the horse feel comfortable with them.

In addition, a lot of young teens have power struggles with their parents. A power struggle with a horse is not going to end in the teen’s favor. Therefore, they must develop the skills necessary to deal with these matters in a constructive way. To get what they want from the horse, they may have to take a different approach, a lesson which can help improve communications at home, as well.

Horses are also used in corporate settings. Companies wishing to hold teambuilding or leadership workshops may use the animals to help illustrate examples of these important principles. Because horses have traditionally been part of a herd, the way they relate to one another socially can be referenced when trying to understand human behavior in group settings.

The use of equine-assisted therapy has and continues to be a success on many levels. As such, it remains a viable source to help troubled adolescents deal with the struggles of life in a healthy way.

Interestingly enough, approximately 10 percent of AA members are younger than 30 years old, and the last ten years has seen a surge in these types of treatment programs geared toward teens suffering from addiction.

AA offers two sorts of meetings – closed meetings and open meetings. In a closed meeting, only those struggling from alcoholism may attend. In an open, meeting, however, others such as parents and friends are encouraged to attend. While teens are able to attend either type of meeting, they seem to find the most benefit from attending closed meetings with others of their same age group. These types of groups offer the companionship and acceptance that teens so eagerly desire.

Research shows that these types of programs are beneficial for teens. One particular study tracked the progress of 160 youngsters with an average age of 16, over the course of four and six week treatments based on AA’s 12-Step Program. The teens were re-evaluated six months after their treatment finished and again after the first, second, fourth, sixth and eighth year following treatment.

What researchers found was that even small amounts of treatment were beneficial, even if teens decided to quit attending treatments after awhile. It appears after considering all factors, that for each meeting that youth attended, they gained two additional days of sobriety. Those who received the greatest benefit, however, were those who continued attending treatment into adulthood. Researchers also found that those who attended at least three meetings a week were able to stay completely sober.

There are critics to the 12-Step Program for teens. They argue that these types of programs focus too much on abstinence and not enough on prevention. They contend that these types of programs need to be coupled with parental support for teens educating them as to the dangers of alcohol. They say teens need to know that 1) alcohol is a drug and can cause cognitive problems, 2) it is illegal and getting arrested could change their lives, and 3) it can lead to binge drinking and addiction.

These experts also say that, because of their maturity level, teens may have a difficult time executing certain parts of the 12-Step Program on their own.

They advocate inpatient treatments that explore the root cause for their addiction. Since many times drinking can be a cover-up for issues such as abuse, anxiety and depression, they argue that the teens’ behavior is likely to continue unless the root cause is exposed and dealt with.

These experts don’t deny the power of the 12-Step model but rather see it as a follow-up to parental education on prevention and inpatient treatment aimed at healing the root cause of addiction.
 

Every year, more than 341,000 young people between the ages of 12 and 17 are enrolled in rehab-that’s 1 in 70. And many of these teenagers return to their former high schools after being released from rehab, which means returning to their old friends and their old habits, often including drug and alcohol abuse. But with the 2006 opening of Northshore Recovery High School in Beverly, Massachusetts, students have the option of a safe, drug-free environment where they can finish their education.

Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the local school districts, Northshore offers a traditional curriculum in addition to a 12-step program that helps prevent relapse. Group sessions are held every day where kids can talk about their recovery and any problems they are having. And weekly random drug tests are required of students, which also helps keep them clean. When they graduate, students are presented with a state-certified diploma.

Northshore Principal Michelle Lipinski says that recovery high schools are a lifeline for these students. “The main difference between a recovery high school and a public high school is that we’re the true safe and drug-free zone-I mean zero tolerance. As long as there’s drugs, you’re gonna need a recovery high school. Until you’ve eradicated drugs, then you can stop having to help the adolescents. Drugs are in every school.”

The Association of Recovery Schools has 21 high school and 14 college members helping students transition to high schools, colleges, and careers. Most are alternative or charter schools and get their funding from local school districts. Students can be referred to recovery high schools like Northshore by their school, parents, a treatment program, or a court. They have to be sober for at least 30 days and sign a contract agreeing not to use drugs, to attend three meetings a week, and to undergo weekly random drug testing.

The first recovery high school, Sobriety High, opened in 1987 in Edina, Minnesota. Director Judy Hanson, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, has been there for 18 years. “I would be so tired of seeing students that I transitioned from the treatment center to their former high school fail within the first month. You tell these kids to go back to high school and tell them not to see their old using friends and build a new network of friends, and it’s so hard.”

Joe Maternowski’s 17-year-old daughter Maria, who was treated twice for abusing marijuana and other drugs, is now a junior at Sobriety High and has been sober for two years. “It’s been a wonderful thing for her,” Maternowski said. “The school is great. The teachers and everyone there realize what the kids have been through and so it’s a very supportive environment where she can learn safely.”

Judy Hanson also explained that Sobriety High’s graduation rates are usually above 90 percent, which is better than most public schools. Lucy Gross, who started smoking marijuana at age 12 and was drinking and using cocaine and other drugs by high school, is graduating from Northshore in June with two years of sobriety, and starts college in the fall. She said, “It helps me so much to be there. I can’t imagine staying clean without it.”

Lucy’s father, Tony Gross, said, “Recovery high, the real gift that it gives to the kids is the soft landing when they come out of rehab or a longer-term facility…It just allows them to reintegrate at their own pace, gently.”