Childhood should be a safe, happy, carefree time, full of fun and exploration--but for some kids, it's not. Depression and anxiety make it difficult for children to enjoy life to the fullest, and if not adequately addressed, can cause problems that last long into adulthood.
It can be hard for a kid to admit when things aren’t okay. If your teen is displaying negative patterns of behavior, they may be trying to communicate through their actions, instead. Research shows that upsetting experiences and stress are often the culprits behind behavioral issues in teens, and just because you can’t always see an underlying cause, doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong. This guide offers some helpful ways to identify problematic behaviors, understand the effects of highly stressful situations, and help your child cope and move past their experiences in a healthy and proactive way. This assessment is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment.
Studies show that healthy families create healthy communities everywhere.
At the Idaho Youth Ranch, equine therapy is available to children and families who participate in any of our programs and services, not only kids in residential care. That includes family therapy, group and individual counseling, short-term crisis relief, even adoption services--because it gets such great results.
The family is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture. It... is a perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and emotional refueling that empowers a child to venture with confidence into the greater world and to become all that he can be.
Marianne E. Neifert, Dr. Mom's Parenting Guide
One of the first things you’ll notice about Z * is her very shy demeanor, but she hasn’t let that define who she is or what she wants to be: a designer for clothing supergiant, Adidas.
It’s the little things that can mean so much to a teenager whose only idea of “normal” is homelessness. Things like having a safe place to stay, regular meals, access to showers and clean clothes to change into- or going to your high school dance with someone you really like.
One of the key ingredients to a promising future is a sense of belonging and feeling connected to others and valued for what you have to offer. That’s why volunteering, or what we call service learning, is such an important part of treatment at IYR.
Rayanne was barely 16 when her mom’s alcoholism finally got so out of control that she couldn’t take care of her kids or herself. It was a shock to Rayanne, who had no idea her mom was drinking.
Jennie, a single mom, worked hard in low-paying jobs all of her life to support her children. She has also cared for a 14-year-old boy, Jacob, since he was left in her home by his birth mother when he was only three days old.
Jennie always meant to make it official and adopt Jacob but she didn't know how she would manage to pay for the legal fees or the home study. When the school system notified her that Jacob would have to leave school unless she could produce his birth certificate or prove she had legal authority for him, she turned to Idaho Youth RanchAdoption Servicesfor help.