The school called…

If you are the parent of a struggling teen you may cringe when the phone rings and the caller ID shows the number of your child’s school.  This is the time of year that the promises your child made and the hopes that you had that this year would be different are falling apart.  It may be the time of year that you need to call an Educational Consultant to begin developing an alternative plan for success if your student continues to struggle.  At Bodin,  our Educational Consultants are skilled in working with families who have children, adolescents and young adults sruggling with issues ranging from learning differences to major mental health issues.

If you have a child who is struggling, please feel free to contact us aat 800-874-2124.

Recovery Takes Flight – Celebrating National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

Gen. Barry McCaffrey and Brenda Loringer-Bell of Bodin

I attended the “Recovery Takes Flight” celebration in Marin County last week to honor the many who have battled addiction, sought treatment and had the opportunity to thrive in recovery from addiction. Myself included.

Former US Drug Czar and Retired Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey was there and reminded the audience and media that ” Twenty on million Americans need but do not receive treatment for illicit drug or alcohol problems according to the numbers form HHS; less than three million receive treatment. In California, 3.1 million need but do not receive treatment; less than 200,000 are treated. We have a huge treatment gap.”

While I could not find data to show out those numbers, how many are adolescents and young adults, it is fair to assume that at Bodin, we have the opportunity and obligation to every family we see to be aware of the current trends in drug abuse and addiction. This includes keeping informed about the current drugs of abuse, recent studies, options for treatment and employing Educational Consultants who have extensive experience in addiction treatment.

I could go on and on, but the message is this…recovery happens and it feels really good to be a part of it.

Response to Sue Scheff – At Wit’s End

Douglas Bodin, CEO

www.thebodingroup.com

http://admittingmistakesasaparent.blogspot.com/

Dear Sue—

That’s a fantastic reminder to desperate parents of the risks associated with getting on the internet. Predatory practices by otherwise reputable organizations, let alone those by the disreputable ones, are outrageously commonplace. As an Educational Consultant I also agree almost entirely with your assessment of educational consultants! My firm is the largest in the country, employing almost exclusively Masters and Ph.D. – level, experienced professionals to act as the guides and planners for families in crisis. It’s the best of both worlds, in my opinion. As trained therapists, they understand the intricacies and nuances of often significantly clinical issues. But as a team of 15, constantly traveling around the country visiting and evaluating hundreds of programs, we bring a level of knowledge and on-the-ground experience that is unmatched. Furthermore, with a diversity of clinical experiences and backgrounds, our team approach allows each consultant to collaborate and derive support and guidance from other members of the team on a regular and routine basis. I further agree that consulting with your therapist is an important component of the process. We get most of our referrals from therapists who may recognize the possible need for a residential placement but rely on our travel, experience and expertise to help determine its necessity and location. Finally, with regard to the politics, I believe you are unfortunately correct that individual practitioners are limited in the number of programs with which they can remain conversant. They have their “favorites” that are often based on factors unrelated to the specific needs of a particular child. And while Wilderness programs are often an extraordinary first step as a preparatory and evaluative tool, they aren’t for everyone. Adhering rigidly to the best interests of the child, advocating for his or her needs and remaining involved throughout placement(s), guiding a family and problem-solving at every step is an essential recipe for successful outcomes. Being more than mere “matchmakers” is what has contributed to our success and growth for 30 years.

Help for your teen

If you are a parent of a struggling teen you may be searching for answers. At Bodin, we firmly believe that there are no general answers to the difficulties families and teens are struggling with. There is not one or even one hundred schools that can solve the problem. Every single family we see is different and every plan we develop is different, too.

The Educational Consultants at Bodin are available to assist families who need help. Our expertise is in creating unique and clinically appropriate plans for success. Our educational consultants travel throughout the U.S. and abroad to evaluate schools and programs. We work hard to stay connected to many local resources within each community we work in so that every plan is developed to support not just the student, but the entire family system.

If you have a struggling teen, please check out www.thebodingroup.com or call 800-874-2124

What is a Troubled Teen?

Most people would use that term to describe the kid down the street known to have troubles with the law or who has a history of using alcohol or pot. For the Educational Consultants at Bodin, we see troubled teens who do fit the typical idea of a troubled teen, but who are not thriving for many reasons other than substance use and troubles with the law. We work with adolescents, young adults and families who need guidance developing appropriate and individualized plans for academic and emotional growth. We have developed relationships with schools, programs and individual resources throughout the country in order to ensure that a plan we create will be successful. Much of our work is with the families in order to maintain the plan and not fall prey to the common parenting pitfalls that can interrupt or setback these plans.

If you think you have a troubled teen and would like to speak to a consultant, call 800-874-2124

Drug Testing, right or wrong?

Without going into the great detail that many recent articles have on whether or not to drug test your adolescent or young adult, let me just say; if this is an issue in your home, you may need to start thinking about outside intervention and assessment. Educate yourself about drugs of abuse and the options available should you decide to seek help for your family. There are so many options and so many underlying issues that need to be addressed when a young person begins using substances. An Educational Consultant can educate you and help you. Whether it’s early intervention through parent coaching or a crisis intervention through treatment planning, the Educational Consultants at Bodin have experience, knowledge and compassion and are ready to help today!

Check out www.thebodingroup.com or call 800-874-2124

Depression: Out of the Shadows

Watch PBS May 21, 2008 and learn more about depression. If you have a child who is suffering from depression, we can help. Click here to visit the PBS site for more information and local airing times.

Let’s talk about success!

The media has been paying much attention to the failures in “adolescent treatment“.  From Boot Camp to Residential; there are horror stories of abuse and death.  It’s unfortunate that they are not taking as much time to define what these programs are vs. what they aren’t.  Even more troubling is that no one is taking the time to seek out the the overwhelming number of success stories.  Well, we are…

Of course, we could tell success stories.  Our stories would also highlight the value of having an Educational Consultant on board in the process BEFORE placement, but we want to hear from those who have these positive experiences…anyone?  We know you are out there…lets start sharing the other side of the story!

What is an educational consultant?

Simply put, and believe me the services Educational Consultants provide are not simple; Educational Consultant’s provide services to families with young children to young adults who seek expertise about the educational and social emotional options for their children.  At one end of the spectrum is the traditional educational consultant who will assist families in looking at day schools, boarding schools and college. At the other end are those consultants working with the special needs child, students who have behavioral or learning issues, or both.  Everywhere along the spectrum, many families need assistance in understanding their options, facilitating the process, demystifying the chaos and creating a plan that gives the family and the student peace of mind that they are not alone.

Treatment without diagnosis is like archery without a target.

AN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING GROUP

Decisions about treatment and placement for children,  adolescents  and young adults require information.  Often such decisions are made too quickly and without sufficient data.  Psychological testing utilizes standardized assessment techniques to evaluate a person’s cognitive, academic and emotional functioning.

Our clinical psychologists have extensive experience in working with children and adolescents with a wide variety of clinical, educational and social/emotional problems.   There expertise in the psychological assessment of at-risk children and adolescents provides the foundation for appropriate educational and therapeutic treatment recommendations. In addition, many programs require testing as a part of their admissions process, and our testing meets these needs.  

 Our comprehensive evaluation focuses on all three critical domains:

Cognitive Functioning:  What are the student’s strengths and weaknesses in the areas of verbal comprehension, spatial and nonverbal reasoning skills, memory and concentration, problem solving, impulse control and judgment?

 Academic Functioning:  Is the student at grade level according to national norms?  Is there evidence of learning disabilities?  Why has school performance dropped off?  Are there specific reasons why this student is struggling?  What remedies are called for?  What are reasonable academic expectations? What types of school recommendations will help the child be more successful?  Does the child need an Individual Educational Plan?

 Emotional Functioning:  Is there an underlying emotional cause that explains this child’s behavior?  Clinical interviews and testing can help to uncover depression, anxiety, problems with substance use, eating and sleep disorders, identity and self-esteem functioning, emotional and interpersonal dynamics.  An assessment of risk for self-harm, suicide, and aggression as well as most appropriate treatment approaches is also a part of the assessment. 

An integrated report pulls together all the data in an informative and readable style.  Many times psychological reports are little more than lists of tests administered and obtained scores.  A report from Bodin Associates Testing Service is a comprehensive analysis of all the data written in a narrative style that is easy to read and understand.  This document provides a road map of where this particular journey started, where it is presently, and shows predicted routes that are dependent on treatment choices presently being reviewed.  The report informs the decision-making process by providing an analysis of the test data and a context for understanding this individual at this point in time.

In addition, SSAT testing can be administered for admission to private secondary schools.