Many teens experience trauma early in life that requires a lot of time and professional time to overcome. When a child is struggling, some parents feel hopeless and feel frustrated due to not knowing what to do. Sometimes we have to realize that these teens are trying their best. Yet, a lot of the time, they don’t have the right resources and help they need to heal. No matter how difficult your teen’s behavior may be, you never want to send them to a place where they feel like they are being punished. Troubled teens need a place where they can heal.

If you are feeling like your teen needs to participate in a program where they can receive proper treatment and support, we are here to help! Turn-About Ranch is a place for safety and real change, not punishment. We offer programs where your teen can grow and develop a variety of important skills. Through our program, we have seen so many families and teens grow and strengthen broken relationships. Learn more about how our program can improve lives and relationships. 

A Time for Change, Not Punishment

As our teen clients live and work on our cattle ranch, we strive to help them come to appreciate the outcome of their hard work and realize they are not at Turn-About Ranch for punishment but are there to participate in operating a ranch and learn new skills.

Before parents sign their teens up for our program, we work with them and talk extensively with them. After all, we want to make sure that their teen is receiving the right help for them. While most parents are seeking real change for their child, we make sure to emphasize that this isn’t a place for punishment. This is a place where teens will work on themselves while participating in activities like equine therapy and cattle drives. And while they are doing that, their parents are working with our team to learn parenting skills and to be fully prepared for when their teen comes home. Our ranch is a place for improvement, healing, and growth. Turn-About Ranch is a place where teens can learn to move forward, as our purpose is to support change by helping them to develop more positive relationships and skills.

Today, we live in a world that is strongly influenced by social media and a lot of the time it is probably difficult to really know what is going on with your teen and their daily communication. This impact overall can influence your teen’s mental health, anxiety, and behavior. There is a lot more peer influence than ever with the convenience of electronics. This growth in technology is impacting society more than you probably have experienced as a child. 

Teamwork and Leadership Skills 

Our philosophy is “Real Ranch. Real Values. Real Change.” The best way for your child to learn our philosophy is to practice values that will help them to become a powerful team player and leader. While your teen spends time with other teens just like them, they will learn that they are not alone in their struggles. Our activities, group therapy sessions, and opportunities are designed to help them learn how to work successfully in a team environment but also independently as our staff work with them to instill in them real values, like

• Integrity – Doing what is right, even when no one is looking. Striving to live a life of honesty, no matter what situation one may be in. 
• Passion – Our clients and employees can both develop passion to support one another, as we work together to achieve goals and develop skills. 
• Open Communication – We encourage a safe environment where teens can voice opinions, knowledge, ideas, and solve problems or disagreements.
• Respect – Valuing and understanding differences in clients and staff as we strive to understand each other’s personalities and backgrounds.  

Therapy and Supporting Teen Needs

Every teen is different and has had different experiences and challenges in their life, which could mean they are going to need treatment specific to their needs. Depending on your teen’s individual needs, we have different types of therapy and professional therapists to provide your teen with emotional support. For example, about 20 percent of those who come to our program are adopted teens, which can result in underlying trauma for some. Our trained professionals understand the unique needs of adopted children and how they may perform differently in academic settings, than those who weren’t adopted. Therapeutic treatments can help your child with behavioral or mental health challenges. A few of these challenges may be:

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Anxiety & Depression
• Low Self-esteem
• Lack of Motivation
• Substance Abuse
• Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
• General Rebellion
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

We have the resources and trained professionals to help your teen to navigate and cope through these challenges.

Family Therapy

After our program, we encourage our families to do everything they can to help ensure that their teen doesn’t return to the exact same environment that may have triggered their behavior before—whether that is the friends they hang out with or the boundaries that should be implemented in the home. It’s very important to us for our teens to succeed. After all, they become a part of our Turn-About family. So, that is why we require  parents to participate in family therapy and to meet with their teen’s therapist regularly. We believe that when families are involved in the teen’s treatment, they are more likely to succeed in developing stronger relationships. When families and teens work through this process together, we often see them change and develop empathy. Family therapy gives parents the opportunity to assess their own weaknesses and strengths, so they can give their teen the support they need and to develop the communication skills and parenting styles they need for successful family life. In our program, parents are invited to visit during their teen’s midterms where their teen can show them around the ranch as well as  the daily activities they get to experience here at the ranch.

Outdoor Activities

Our outdoor activities offer your teen the opportunity to explore the world around them and go on safe and fun adventures, such as horseback riding, hiking, and sports. Utah is a beautiful place and has so much to see! We are located near a few known National Parks and exciting wilderness locations, like Bryce Canyon and the Capitol Reef National Park. A few other natural wonders near us are:

• Peekaboo Canyon
• Phipps Wash
• Phipps Arch
• Spooky Gulch
• Dinosaur Tracks
• Covered Wagon Arch
• Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument 

Getting out in nature and exploring the world around them will help your teen create memories while conquering issues like anxiety and depression. 

Horsemanship Program

The best part about life on a ranch is the horses! Each teen is assigned a horse for them to take care of and learn from through horseback riding and equine therapy. Horses are naturally great support animals and can teach us a lot about how we approach and communicate with other people. 

The purpose of equine therapy here is to provide at-risk teens with emotional, sensory and cognitive stimulation. Equine therapy is not only beneficial to those with mental disorders, but can be very healing for those who have developed attachment disorders, like adopted youth or those who come from divorce situations. Your teen is able to create healthy bonds with their assigned horses throughout their program experience. Equine therapy and horsemanship can help your teens with:

• Boosting their confidence and self-esteem
• Process anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc.
• Self-awareness
• Self-control
• And so much more!

Academics & Vocational Training

We provide an onsite schoolhouse that offers some school credit. Your child will learn subjects like math, science, social studies, and more. Our teachers are trained professionals who will provide your teen with quality teaching and activities to better prepare them for college or future careers. 

We also give our teens the opportunity to participate in our vocational program which will help them to develop skills that prepare your child for the work field. A few of these skills include:

• Auto Mechanics
• Building Trades
• Culinary Arts

The more skills your teen is able to develop, the more confidence and motivation they will have after their graduation!

We Are Here to Help!

Our teachers, therapists, nurses, and entire team are dedicated and trained to assist your teen in principles based on family, teamwork, service, and growth. With 30 years of experience, Turn-About Ranch helps both families and teens in experiencing positive change. Throughout the years, we have had the privilege of impacting families and teens.

If you feel we are the right program and it is time for your child to experience a powerful change, then contact us for more information.