The Notes From Home Blog

Inspiration for Families

Tips on How to Set the Tone for a New School Year with Your Teen

Just like the actual New Year brings a fresh start, a new school year is another chance to welcome positive change in your life. You can leave behind the mistakes you might’ve made last year and set your family up for success. Here are a few tips for setting a positive and constructive tone for […]

Home Team Members: Types and Roles They Can Play

You’ve heard the phrase “It takes a village to raise a teen,” and I believe that’s true. When I work with teens and their families, I emphasize the importance of building a “home team.” This is a group of individuals who can offer support during and after a teen’s residential treatment. Many parents come to […]

Seven Things Successful Parents with Kids in Residential Treatment Do

Once you’ve made the decision to place your son or daughter in residential treatment, it can be difficult to know your exact role in their journey. Though parents aren’t enrolled in the program, they play a vital role in their teen’s success both during and after treatment. Here are seven things that I’ve found […]

3 Secrets from the Adolescent Treatment Industry that Every Parent Can Benefit From

Helping teenagers through hard times is a tricky business, but those in the adolescent treatment industry have worked hard to unlock the secrets to success. Here are three big-picture techniques that can help your family through a difficult stage in life. 1. Parent Involvement. Now, I know you might be thinking, “Of course I’m involved […]

Women’s History Month: Empowering Your Teenage Daughter

March marks the month we celebrate Women’s History Month. This is a month to recognize the countless successes women have achieved﹘their discoveries, contributions, and tireless work ethic that has helped shape our modern world. If you have a teenage daughter, you undoubtedly see an enormous amount of power and potential within her. As much as […]

How to Identify Natural Mentors for Your Teen

The benefits of natural mentors in the life of adolescents and teens has been demonstrated repeatedly in research and in the field. Natural mentors are those – neighbors, teachers, relatives, coaches, etc., who form organic, long-lasting relationships with a young person. Where do we find these people who will provide guidance to our children? After […]

Client Success Story

Residential treatment followed by a supportive, structured transition plan have made a permanent difference in the lives of teens and their families for decades. I’d like to recount the client success story of one teen and his mother who put her trust in the process I outlined for her despite her doubts. When Jill’s son […]

Identifying Depression and Anxiety Among Teens

“I didn’t answer him. All I did was, I got up and went over and looked out the window. I felt so lonesome all of a sudden, I almost wished I was dead.” Holden Caufield, the protagonist in J.D. Salinger’s 1951 classic of teen angst, The Catcher in the Rye, was hardly the first depressed […]

Dangers Awaiting After Discharge

The moment a teen completes treatment is a heady time. It is natural to feel a sense of triumph. But as a coach might say after his team’s first victory, enjoy it today and then get back to work. There is plenty to be done and there will be inevitable defeats along the way. A […]

Let’s Make a Deal: The Excitement Phase

The first phase of transition after treatment is one of excitement for both teen and parents. There is a sense of “completion,” of accomplishment felt by all involved. It is a time of high hopes. It is a phase. This phase is not monochromatic. Teens and parents alike may feel anxiety about the unknown, about […]