Substance abuse and addiction problems Poor family relationships Difficulty with anger management Negative peer affiliations Verbal aggression Low self-esteem Depression/anxiety Emotional, sexual, or physical abuse

Low motivation Defiance towards authority Runaway behavior Inadequate coping skills Failure in school/truancy Dishonesty/manipulation Grief or loss ADD/ADHD issues Transitional needs

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

Timber Ridge Preparatory School for Girls expects significant family involvement while a child is enrolled with us. When families are willing to make the substantial financial commitment that is involved with placing their child outside of the family home, we see an even greater success when they make the additional commitment of their time and emotional energy.

Timber Ridge Preparatory School enrolls teenage girls ages 14 -17. Our students are typically in need of a highly structured program and generally have histories of adjustment problems in relation to family, school and their peer group. Some have participated unsuccessfully in a previous program or drug and alcohol treatment. Our overall objective is to teach your daughter a different approach to viewing her behaviors, feelings and issues, while establishing a firm academic foundation. 

Our program has four distinct levels designed for a young woman in need of:

• A therapeutic experience capable of interrupting disruptive behavior patterns while preparing for her return home or a transitional program.

• Assistance in recognizing dysfunctional behavior patterns in order to begin the process of developing functional coping skills, including problem solving, conflict resolution, communication, verbalization of emotions, anger management and addiction issues.

• A physically and emotionally safe haven within which the student can examine herself, her relationship with family and friends, as well as develop the self-identity and self-reliance to approach life with balance and confidence.

• A forum for a teen and her parents that fosters an open and honest parent-child relationship with healthier communication.

• Support and encouragement to succeed academically.

THE FOUR LEVELS OF TIMBER RIDGE

Level One is about Awareness and Acceptance.  Awareness is about a child slowing down, settling into the Timber Ridge Prep program, acknowledging her issues and learning to communicate with her family in an open and honest manner.  Acceptance is about the poor, negative choices that led to her placement at Timber Ridge Prep with a willingness to see and appreciate the value of where she has been placed.

Level Two is about Determination, a young woman's strong commitment to heal in her life and move forward, past self-imposed limitations by using healthy decision-making skills while developing healthier, more positive relationships.

Level Three is about Vision, the ability to envision her future in healthy terms, while realizing her true potential and the value she brings, not only to herself but to others. This is the time for advocacy and expressing what she needs in an appropriate fashion, while allowing feelings of success.

Level Four is about Empowerment, about a young woman taking her new-found knowledge of self and applying it to her life in every way. This is the time for reaching toward the future with a clear vision and the determination to reach self-defined goals, empowered by success and fueled by motivation to succeed.

Ideally, each level is designed to take approximately three months to complete.  However, the completion of each level and the completion of the program depend on each child's personal investment and motivation for change.  Completion of all four levels should not only be encouraged, but also expected.  Finishing all levels of growth prepares a young woman to return home with the necessary tools to sustain the changes she has worked hard to achieve.  Professional staff has carefully structured the requirements for each level in order to provide maximum benefit and opportunity for growth to each child.  Bringing your daughter home prematurely jeopardizes her ability to make the transition successfully.

GOALS

• An emotional growth curriculum that is both challenging and life changing.
• A strong family presence and involvement.
• A living environment that both nurtures and supports a child and her family.
• A comprehensive, fully accredited academic curriculum.
• Ongoing treatment plans that target an individual's areas of strengths and needs, while incorporating program goals for each level.
• Exploration of substance abuse issues.
• Completion of a family workshop at the end of each level.
• Development and implementation of an aftercare plan that is individualized based on a family's transitional needs.
• A commitment to individual success by being the "best that we can be" for the families we work with.
• A relationship built on honesty and integrity between students and their families.