• Residential Treatment Program for Teens 14-18

Attachment Issues

handling family conflict
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Family Conflict: How To Come Together Instead of Falling Apart

Family Conflict: How To Come Together Instead of Falling Apart 2560 1707 srtc_admin

Conflict in families can become more pronounced as children transition into adolescence, as teens crave independence and don’t necessarily want to run to their parents with every problem they are facing. What may have started off as an innocuous conversation about a homework assignment or an outfit choice can quickly turn into a heated argument, leaving all family members hurt and confused.

While some conflict during the teen years is healthy and normal, it can be stressful when it feels like constant conflicts are getting out of hand. There are many conflict management strategies that you and your teen can use to help solve problems together.


Ways Teens and Families Can Work Together to Resolve Conflict

Finding appropriate ways to work together as a family to resolve conflict can strengthen your relationship with your child as well as reduce family stress levels. Learning how to healthily manage conflict can also help your teen develop key relationship skills they will need as they transition into adulthood.

To set yourself up for success in working together with your teen, it can be helpful to readjust your mindset and perspective so you can identify the source of the conflict. Before addressing a conflict head-on, try perspective-taking by thinking back to what it was like when you were a teenager. While perspective-taking allows you to relate better to your teen, keep in mind that your teen might not be able to reciprocate as teenage brain development can hinder them from understanding the risks and consequences of a situation.

As you prepare for conversations with your teen, try to remain flexible on the smaller issues; your child will be more willing to listen to the bigger issues if they feels like they are not being criticized at every turn. It’s also important to gauge your own emotions before attempting to engage in conversation. If you are angry or upset that is likely to come across in your discussion and could result in further hurt feelings.

During conflict resolution conversations, eliminate all distractions and create an environment where both parties can truly listen to what the other is saying. Be sure to allow space for your teen to speak and share their perspective so they knows that their voice and stance on the issue matters as well. To effectively communicate your feelings, let their know why you want their to do or not do something. For example, “I feel worried about your safety when I don’t know where you are”. Conveying that your main concern is for their well-being will let their know that you care about their and what happens to her.

After both sides have shared their perspectives, be prepared to negotiate and arrive at a compromise. Compromising teaches teens important problem-solving skills and allows them to feel like they have truly been part of the resolution process. If despite your best efforts, conflicts persist, you could consider alternative options like Solstice RTC.

Solstice RTC Can Help

Solstice RTC is a leading residential treatment program for young girls and assigned female at birth ages 14-17 that has been specifically designed to help families resolve conflicts and strengthen connections. We specialize in helping teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationships by utilizing a unique blend of therapeutic techniques based on traditional and holistic methods.

Our mission is to support teenage girls and assigned female at birth and their families in creating strong, lasting relationships. The core of our programming focuses on healing damaged relationships and restoring healthy connections within the family system. For more information about how Solstice RTC can help strengthen your family bonds and assist your child with building and maintaining healthy relationships, please call (866) 278-3345.

attachment issues in teens
  • Misty Rosier
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Treating Attachment Issues In Teens

Treating Attachment Issues In Teens 2560 1707 Misty Rosier

Attachment Disorders are psychiatric illnesses that can develop in young children who have problems creating emotional attachments to others. And while attachment issues are not uncommon for teens who have been adopted, there are ways to address these issues. 

Adoption and Attachment Issues in Teens

Attachment is the feeling of connection and security a child receives from their caregivers. When a baby is born they immediately begin to connect to their mother through skin-to-skin contact and time spent together. This connection provides them that sense of security. And since babies can recognize their mother’s voice and scent, when that bond is broken that sense of security can be fractured as well. This is why even when a child is adopted at birth, there is still a higher likelihood that they will struggle with behavior issues, academics, or their sense of identity. 

As babies grow into toddlers, they now have more basic needs that need to be met. Shelter, food, and love make young children feel safe. They know that if they are hurt, a parent or loved one will be right there to help them and make sure everything will be okay. On the other hand, if there is any kind of abuse or trauma experienced in childhood, that toddler isn’t getting the support and love they need to help them deal with those issues. When young children feel unsafe and without attachment to the people who are supposed to be taking care of them, they also run the risk of not being able to form healthy attachments for the rest of their lives. 

Residential Treatment for Attachment Issues

While 1% to 2% of the whole population is adopted, most residential treatment programs have about 30% adopted students. This speaks to the rate of issues that can come from adoptions. Of course, there are many benefits from adopting, but it is important that adoptive parents understand the issues that their child may struggle with. An education around attachment issues and adoptions can be extremely beneficial to potential adoptive parents so they can understand what resources might be available and know that it’s not something isolated to just their relationship. 

Parents and children can benefit from an attachment specialty group. Therapists can work in individual sessions and in group sessions to help students understand how to have positive relationships. Students can learn how to create healthy boundaries, both physically and emotionally through experiential sessions. Students with attachment issues may exhibit a lack of eye contact, or affection. They may even get stuck in a freeze mode when they feel they’re being confronted and creating movement in the body helps them reconnect with their body. 

Equine therapy is a great way to teach students to be present in their body while also learning to set boundaries with their horse. A horse will respond to a student’s energy and body language, and by learning to connect with the horse, they can learn to give the horse commands it will follow. This can be translated back to the student’s human relationship. Exploring how connecting to the horse can apply to how they can connect to the peers and family. 

Students can also benefit from participating in a group where they can share their experiences with other teens who are also adopted. Communicating with peers who understand what they are experiencing can help them to feel less isolated. When students learn to have healthy attachments and feel a sense of security, they are setting themselves up for long-term success. 

Solstice RTC Can Help

Family therapy interventions are at the heart of our clinical program. We firmly believe in the strong nature and immense importance of family relationships. Research studies on the effectiveness of residential treatment indicate that the most significant factor in creating positive long-term outcomes for the child is parental involvement in the treatment process. Parental involvement is defined not only by the parents being actively involved in the child’s treatment, but being actively involved in their own treatment and growth process.

The core of our programming is based on healing damaged relationships and restoring healthy connections within the family system. For more information please call (801) 406-7475.

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