Idaho Youth Ranch Blog

Effects of Cyberbullying on Social Media [& How to Prevent It]

Unfortunately, it is easier than ever for kids and teens to bully their...

Creating Holiday Memories that Build Resilience in Adolescents: A Guide for Parents from Idaho Youth Ranch

The holiday season is a special time for families to create lasting...

Unlocking Resilience: How Understanding Your Brain Can Help You Navigate Your Child’s Mental Health Journey

Parenting is a journey filled with joys, challenges, and unexpected turns....

Overcoming Schoolwork Challenges with Collaborative Problem Solving: A Guide for Parents of Teens

As your child enters their teenage years, new challenges may arise,...

Why Teen Counseling is Essential for Emotional and Mental Health

The teenage years are a time of change, growth, and discovery, but they...

Addressing Disrespectful Behavior in Teens: A Collaborative Problem Solving Guide for Parents

Parenting a teenager can be challenging, especially when they exhibit...

Growth Mindset and Academic Success: Boosting Your Teen’s Performance in School

As a parent, you naturally want to see your teen succeed academically and...

Teen Counseling Approaches: What Works Best and How They Differ from Counseling for Adults

As a parent, you want your teen to have the best possible mental health...

DBT Skills Every Parent of a Teenager Should Know

Navigating the teenage years can be challenging for both parents and...

The Power of DBT Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy at Idaho Youth Ranch: Why Your Teen Should Join

If you’re searching for a unique and transformative therapeutic experience...

Finding Balance with Screen Time: A Collaborative Problem Solving Guide for Parents of Teens

In today’s digital age, many teens spend a significant amount of time on...

When Anxiety and Depression Take Hold of Your Teen: Breaking the Stigma and Finding Help

The teenage years can be a challenging time for both parents and their...

Summer Online Safety: Protecting Your Teen from Cyber Threats During the Carefree Season

Summer is a time of fun and relaxation for most teens, but it can also be...

How You Can Ask Your Teen About Therapy: Tips for Parents

There’s lots of advice out there on how to talk to your teen about the...

Collaborative Problem Solving for Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide to Addressing Family Issues

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is an evidence-based approach that...

7 Often Overlooked Warning Signs of Teenagers’ Mental Illness

In today’s fast-paced world, parents of teenagers often struggle to...

Collaborative Problem Solving: A Resource Guide for Counselors Addressing Family Issues

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is an evidence-based approach that...

Teen Respite Care: Finding Balance for Idaho Families

Understanding Teen Respite Care 

Respite care is a temporary relief...

The Power of Yet: Introducing Your Teen to a Growth Mindset Concept

As parents, we all want to provide our teens with the tools they need to...

The Parent’s Guide to Balancing Screen Time and Real Life for Teens: Strategies for a Healthy Digital Diet

Today’s teenagers are part of a digital generation that has grown up...

Unleashing the Impact: The Power of Complimenting Your Teen

Discover how the simple act of complimenting your teenager can lead to a...

Helping Your Teen Take a Spring Break from Anxiety

Spring break can be an exciting time for teens to unwind and take a break...

How to Respond to Self-Harm Behavior

Idaho’s Youth Mental Health Crisis and The Role That Deteriorating Relationships and Family Bonds Play

The current generation is facing a mental health crisis, particularly...

Why is Dialectical Behavior Therapy So Effective?

Is Your Teens Mental Health Holding Them Back in School?

As a parent, it can be difficult to watch your child struggle in school....

5 Ways to Talk About Mental Health With Your Child

Regardless of age, discussions around mental health can sometimes feel...

3 Reasons Apologizing to Your Child Is Important

One of the most common mistakes parents make is attempting to maintain an...

Capital Campaign Cabinet Co-Chairs Honored as Philanthropists of the Year

Robert Rebholtz, Jr., CEO of Agri Beef, and Mark Miller, CEO of Miller...

Symptoms of Toxic Stress & Childhood PTSD

Some kinds of stress are good for the body, and some types aren't....

Take-Home DBT Skills: Emotional Regulation

Take-Home DBT Skills: Distress Tolerance

Take-Home DBT Skills: DEAR MAN

Take-Home DBT Skills: Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to having an awareness of your present thoughts and...

Tips for Building Low Self-Esteem

How to Help Your Child or Teen with Life After Divorce

Research shows that between 40-50% of married couples in the United States...

Social Media and Self-Esteem

A Teen’s Quick Guide to Supporting a Friend Struggling with Depression

6.7% of Americans struggle with depression in a given year.¹ Depression is...

Everyday Things You Can Do to Build Resilience in Your Child

Resilience refers to the ability to recover from adverse events and cope...

Giving to Charity: Why Donors Are Heroes to Idaho's Kids

When Idaho’s kids need help, there are a special group of people out there...

The Signs of Sexual Abuse in Kids and Teens

Physical Abuse: Signs in Children and Parents

When a child has an adverse experience, it can lead to greater issues...

What is Neglect and Why Is It Abuse?

When a parent withholds meeting the basic needs of their child...

Emotional Abuse: The Signs & Effects on Children

One of the most difficult forms of abuse to detect is emotional—also...

How to Help a Friend Who is Struggling [For Teens]

What should you do if a friend approaches you about a particular problem...

How Equine Therapy Helped Lacy Heal

Can you imagine being nine years old and watching your parents drive away...

Social Media Apps Parents Should Watch Out For

When Is It Appropriate for Your Child to Switch Schools?

What Is Going on With Your Insecure Teenager?

Everyone knows the teenage years can be chaotic and tumultuous....

3 Helpful Tips for Talking to Your Teenager

Does it feel like you’re walking on eggshells when you interact with your...

How Caring Adults Can Help Kids Develop

The simple fact is that young people are more likely to grow up happy,...

Why Your Teen Might be Skipping School

Have you recently discovered that your teenager is skipping school?...

The Protective Factors - Social Connections

“The greatest human need aside from food, water, and shelter is...

The Protective Factors - Parenting Skills

Do you know everything there is to know about your kids? Can any parent...

Protective Factors- Social, Relational Competence in Teens

Growing up isn’t always as easy as we might remember. The lack of stress...

Protective Factors: Concrete Support in Times of Need

One of the hardest things about parenting is knowing that you can’t...

Emotional Regulation and How It Helps Kids Succeed

We've all been there. You’re standing in the grocery store at the exact...

The 5 Protective Factors that Promote Resilience

There are many factors that play a role in how a person develops through...

When Is It Time to Get Help for Your Child?

The thing we hear most often from parents is, “I wish I would have known...

5 DBT Skills to Help Your Kids Manage Stress

How Equine Therapy Helps Vulnerable Youth

People often ask how, exactly, horses can make such a big impact on...

SUCCESS STORY - How Equine Therapy Healed a Broken Spirit

A child’s mind is not equipped to deal with the stress of adult burdens....

PRIDE Skills: Building Strong Bonds Through Skills-Based Parenting

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about parenting, and...

Idaho Central Credit Union Delivers Sweet Treats to the Thrift Stores

Last week our friends at Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU)took treats...

5 Ways Taking Care of Yourself Makes You a More Effective Parent

Strength in Kindness: Coping with a Smile

Stress has the ability to bring out the best and the worst in people....

How to Practice Radical Acceptance [For Kids & Teens]

One of the many approaches we take at Idaho Youth Ranch is a form of...

Intentional Communication That Makes an Impact

Have you ever opened your mouth and heard your parents come out? Being...

10 Ways to Compliment Kids & Build Resilience

One of the most basic needs of every child is the need for their parents’...

Coping Skills for Parents

The COVID-19 pandemic is giving parents more time than ever to spend with...

Class of 2020: The Impact of COVID-19 on High School Seniors

Senior year is an exciting time for most high school seniors. The last...

Success Story: TeleMental Health

“When routines get disrupted at home, kids don’t have the emotional...

10 Ways Families Can Come Together During Quarantine

COVID-19 has changed the shape of day-to-day life for everyone, but many...

Idaho State Tax Credit Ins and Outs

One of the unique things about giving to Idaho Youth Ranch is the tax...

Tax Deductible Donations: Rules and Tips

When tax season comes around, do you ever find yourself asking yourself,...

Domestic Violence Has a Powerful Impact on Children

The impact of domestic violence on children is huge, whether they become...

Choosing the Right Therapist For Your Child

There's so much to consider when it comes to child counseling that many...

How to Help Your Struggling Child

It can be challenging to know just what to do when your child is...

Kendall Auto Group Makes Generous Donation to Idaho Youth Ranch

Qualifying For Social Security Benefits Due To Child Abuse

Every parent fears that their child will be a victim of abuse. After...

Normal Teen Behavior Vs. Troubled Behavior

It can be hard for a kid to admit when things aren’t okay. If your teen is...

5 Signs Your Child is Overusing Technology

While there’s some debate about the reality of technology addictions,...

7 Tips for Having The Talk With Your Kids

Most parents find talking about sex and sexuality with their children...

Buy a Home. Give a Home.

We always feel so fortunate to receive so much incredible support from...

How You Can Help Foster Children in Need

To promote National Foster Care Awareness, we wanted to share some...

Micromanaging Kids

No one likes a micromanager--and that includes kids! Adults can understand...

How to Have Meaningful Conversations with Your Child

"My parents don't understand what it's like to be my age."

“They just...

Defining a Family Culture

What kind of family did you imagine you would create when you were younger?

Pokemon Go: Good or Bad?

As Pokemon Go continues to sweep the nation, it’s inspiring more than...

20 Fun Questions to Ask About Your Child’s Day

If you’re like most parents, you’ve probably noticed that there seems to...

How Parents Can Model Respectful Behavior

Have you ever been angry with your child for acting exactly like you?...

Fear and Respect: What’s the Difference?

The words “fear” and “respect” go hand-in-hand in the minds of many...

Saying 'Because I Said So' Doesn’t Work When Disciplining

The parenting catchphrase “because I said so” is so ingrained in our...

How to Discipline Your Child

Dealing with discipline is tough for parents. Are you being too strict?...

Generational Impact of Domestic Violence

The statistics on domestic violence are sobering -- and seemingly...

Free Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer

Signs of Abuse: Being a Child Shouldn’t Hurt

The realities of physical child abuse are unspeakably common and...

Child Abuse in Idaho

Everyone knows one kid—that one kid who “fell through the cracks” or “just...

From Homelessness to a High School Formal

It’s the little things that can mean so much to a teenager whose only...

IYR Earns 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator—Again!

Once again, the Idaho Youth Ranch has received four stars, the highest...

YOUTHWORKS! and the Power of People Skills

Our newest Idaho Youth Ranch program, YOUTHWORKS!, helps launch at-risk...

Dominic’s Story

Dominic’s life was on the wrong path and his future looked anything but...

Christina Hatfield is a Leading Lady in Volunteerism

Thanks to the Coeur d'Alene press for recognizing one of our valued...