November 30, 2021
What Did This Graduate Learn from Turn-About Ranch?
Over the years, we have had many teens graduate from our program, helping them reconnect and build healthy lasting relationships with their loved ones. No matter what, we’ve always stayed committed to our mission: To help develop our students into effective individuals and positively impact their lives and the lives of their families. Below, you’ll hear Talie’s story and what she learned from Turn-About Ranch.
Talie’s Story: A Turn-About Ranch Graduate
What Was Life Like Before Coming to the Ranch?
“Life was really hard, it got complicated. I had a lot of family problems.”
Like most of the students that come to Turn-About Ranch, Talie had family conflicts due to the negative influences she had around her. Talie was hanging out with peers that influenced her actions negatively. She often found herself going down the wrong path and didn’t have her best interest in mind.
How Did Our Horsemanship Program Help You?
Our horsemanship program helped Talie, by having her learn responsibility and trust. In order to connect with our animals, she felt as if she had to gain their trust and find trust within herself as well. Since leaving Turn-About Ranch, she has taken those lessons she has learned from our horsemanship program and has related them to her at-home relationships with her loved ones.
“You have to basically look at it as starting from the ground up so you’re building trust with not only yourself but with another living thing, which could be anything. It could be your peers or your family.”
The goal of our horsemanship program is to help students learn the value of patience, focus, connections, and commitment. They’ll learn more about relationships through their partnership with their horse. Here, it is our hope that students will start to learn how actions can affect those around them. This program goes beyond equine therapy and uses practical application to teach students critical life skills.
How Did Working on the Ranch Help You?
As a working cattle ranch, there are projects that students complete weekly that contribute to the functioning ranch. Some of the projects Talie experienced during her time with us were:
- Water Irrigation
- Feeding Animals
- Pipelining
- Automotive
- And more
By participating in these projects, students learn valuable lessons—including teamwork, leadership, coping with frustration, and the value of hard work. For Talie, she felt that working on the ranch was a great experience. It taught her responsibility and she felt as if she was a part of the community.
What Are the Greatest Benefits You Received from Turn-About Ranch?
“I became a lifelong member of a family that I won’t forget.”
At Turn-About Ranch, we take traditional treatment models used to help troubled youth develop into effective individuals. During their time with us, it is our hope that students will learn concepts like leadership, teamwork, accountability, and responsibility—skills they’ll need to be successful in their roles back at home with their families
For Talie, she learned these concepts and more. Before Turn-About Ranch, Talie struggled with these concepts and that often caused problems. Now, she has learned how to better communicate and use these skills learned with us at home. She feels as if her home life and relationships are much better now than how they were.
How is Your Family Life Today?
“It’s great. I couldn’t be happier to be home with my family.”
Not only are we here to help struggling teens, but we are also here to help improve family relationships and home life. To help these relationships, we offer family therapy as a part of our program. Research shows that one of the biggest predictors of a teen’s success after completing a program is the extent to which their families are involved.
When Talie first went home, it was a struggle to get used to everything. Yet, when she looks back on it, she realizes that it was all worth it. Talie and her family are now doing great and they feel as if their relationship is now stronger after Turn-About Ranch.
What Advice Do You Have for Parents?
“Focus on what it’s going to do for them in the long run. Look at the bigger picture and ask yourself what you want for your kid because this program is what gives your kids all the tools they’ll need to succeed.”
It isn’t easy for parents to send their kids to Turn-About Ranch. Parents who send their teens to us often fear that their teens are going to hold it against them. However, this usually isn’t the case. Once teens start to utilize what they’re learning in our environment, their perspective changes, and they often end up thanking their parents for getting them the help they needed. This was the case for Talie, and she is grateful for her time here at Turn-About Ranch.
What Advice Do You Have for Students Coming to Turn-About Ranch?
“My advice to you is to always work as a team. Don’t take anybody for granted and don’t take your life for granted because you could have ended up in a different spot.”
When a student enrolls with us, they will work with a team of professionals whose skills are surpassed only by their compassion and dedication. The true heart and soul of Turn-About Ranch are the people who come to work here every day with the sole purpose of helping troubled youth work on a healthy productive future. We truly care about our students and want to instill real change into their lives.
Why Did You Want to Come Back and Visit Turn-About Ranch?
“They were a big aspect of my wellness. They played a big role in me getting home safely and me having a future to look forward to. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be graduating college.”
At Turn-About Ranch, our philosophy is: “Real Ranch. Real Values. Real Change.”
We put a great emphasis on providing authentic experiences through which our students can learn and grow. We want students to feel encouraged to develop real values that can lead them to a successful future. Real change happens after students experience the power of cooperating and develop senses of accountability, respect, and compassion.
How Turn-About Ranch Can Help
Here at Turn-About Ranch, we are committed to helping you and your teen. We have created a facility where our students can grow and work on their issues in a safe environment. If you believe that we are a good fit for your troubled teen, contact us and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.