In fact, there are dorm-like rooms where the hayloft used to be. Boys and girls have their own separate sleeping areas and bathrooms. There is also a kitchen and a common area used for dining, homework, and group activities. This is where students sleep, eat, and spend a lot of their spare time. On the ranch, "'The Barn' becomes a home away from home. The changes included painting some of the siding a light color to contrast the dark brown logs, sunrise detailing at the top, and red trim.
Young is happy to report that students have taken great pride in helping with the project. Not to say there are always bumps in the road, but this facility is one that works. I highly recommend TAR.
Their people and approach really do work. Trust the people and the process. My son had been to two quality programs consecutively before TAR. Before starting these programs, he was depressed, suicidal at times, and had oppositional defiant disorder. After 8 months of these programs, there was some progress but he was nowhere near ready to come home. At the other programs, he was resistant to buy in, resistant to change though 'wilderness' had more beneficial aspects than 'residential.
They addressed issues, such as non-productive or harmful interactions with peers or staff as they came up. The issues were real. The advice was consistent and persistent. The staff and therapists would prod my son to explore and explain his point of view and actions, while providing simple, basic guidance on better verbal, physical or thinking approaches. TAR provided time and reason for reflection and, over time, it had positive, beneficial impacts on my son.
My son has learned how to express his feelings more frequently. He listens more carefully and expects to be listened to. He has come to understand the benefits and value of hard work. He is respectful. He understands himself better and has become engaged in setting goals for himself. My son had been on a negative trajectory for years before beginning wilderness. Wilderness and residential therapy helped to stop the negative trajectory. TAR turned it into a positive trajectory. We have a long way to go.
But we have more positives and more potential to move forward on a positive trajectory than we have had in many years. I believe TAR is responsible for the change in trajectory and I am very thankful and grateful that we were finally able to get him to this program.
I did not think it was possible for him to come back home in days. I was researching boarding schools as the likely best next future step. Instead, he is back home and we are all moving forward, not stuck in a rut or on a negative trajectory.
He has a positive self-image, we are talking through issues and challenges, he is taking more initiative and responsibility than we have seen in years. He will re-start at our local high school in a few weeks. I firmly believe none of his would have happened without TAR. We sent our son to Turn-About and I can't say enough good things about this program.
The first time I spoke with them it took us over a year to pull the trigger they actually gave me some things that they thought I could do at home to possibly work through our issues and not have to use the program! I was immediately impressed that they were concerned with my son and not just selling an enrollment. My son learned so much there and loved all of the staff members.
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