The Charlton School

In 1958 Anna Freud wrote, “There are few situations in life which are more difficult to cope with than an adolescent son or daughter during the attempt to liberate themselves!” Adolescence is recognized as a period of a child’s development that is characterized by hormonal changes, physical changes, acceptance issues, and emotional ups and downs. It is a time when parents begin to feel a natural separation from their children as their teens become more independent, fully functioning human beings. Adolescence is also a time of confusion and internal conflict for a growing percentage of teens. Results from the National Survey on Drug Use & Health show a considerable increase in mental health issues among teens and young adults in recent years. The US Department of Health & Human Services surveyed over 600,000 Americans from 2009 to 2017 and found that depression surged 69 percent among 16 to 17-year-olds. Among 18-19-year olds, the suicide rate rose 56 percent from 2008-2017. The following story is the first of a series of articles that focuses on four families and their individual journeys through the rocky waters of adolescence. It relates the unique road they traveled which brought them to The Charlton School of Burnt Hills as a resource that provided their child with what they needed to prepare for a healthy adulthood. The first family has a student who was diagnosed with ADD and emotional instabilities and showed signs of self-harm. The student attended high school and participated in healthy social circles, although his father recognized challenges dealing with social media. The student’s course started with therapy, including DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), which is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy focused on identifying and changing negative thought patterns in an effort to produce positive behavioral changes. The student’s first placement was in an out-of-state therapeutic facility. This placement was quickly followed by an intense 90-day program which surrounded the student with a controlled, safe environment that provided stability. After 60 days of the 90-day program, the parents were tasked with identifying where their child would go next because they knew the student could not go back to high school. Their local school district, in addition to offering the emotional support and guidance they needed throughout their journey, mailed out the student’s profile to schools across the states to identify where to send the student next. Admittedly, both parents found this to be a “scary” time. They not only had to find a school for their child, but they had to find the “right” one and one that could accept a quick turnaround admission. The Charlton School of Burnt Hills was the first establishment that responded with an opening. Upon visiting The Charlton School both parents were impressed by the campus facility and the low number of students in attendance. They looked at the other children and noticed a style that was similar to their child. “They look like our kid,” both parents thought, which made it feel right. Upon speaking with the Director and staff, “it seemed like they were totally on board with what we wanted as a facility,” said the father. “We have seen so much growth in our child since the Charlton School. Charlton is pro-student, there is an emphasis on growth of the individual. They want the students to make decisions on their own, rather than force them to do things,” the father commented. “Charlton has been a Godsend to us in many ways. We are grateful to the Charlton school for all they have done for our family.”

The Charlton School is a sophisticated, multidimensional residential treatment and education program for students working through anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, social-emotional issues, lack of self-esteem and questions around gender identity. Their focus is on the individual student and their needs. Their therapeutic approach recognizes the importance of creating and maintaining a caring and safe environment and establishing quality relationships in the healing and learning process. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit TheCharltonSchool.org/ or call 518-399-8182.