A mental health gap year which is also known as a Therapeutic gap semester or year, or alternative schooling, or residential treatment programs are changing the lives of teens and adolescents who need to learn certain psychological, emotional, social and wellness skills to make sure they are well equipped to tackle the real world with enough tools in their tool bags. What we call them is not too important. What is important is knowing that if their are problems to fix we should fix them now, rather than hoping they will magically get better with time. Therapeutic colleges for young adults are becoming a preferred choice for many families and parents today. University or college and school without putting mental health and wellness first no longer makes any sense. A therapeutic gap semester or year may just be the future of serious self-education at the highest level.
Positive mental health benefits of a gap year include increases in sense of purpose, resiliency, perspective, and motivation. If a child is dealing with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or ADHD, a gap year could be particularly beneficial – NNDC
Some youths, teens and adolescents have issues to work on with their emotional or behavioural health. Others are working on getting past ADHD, trauma, personality disorders and a history of anxiety, burnout or depression. A mental health gap year of any time period or therapeutic gap semester is used when someone wants to prepare themselves for their lives, careers and relationships in the best possible way.
No one size fits all. No time limits. No limits period!
Today the way schools and universities work has changed and many parents found standard school styled options didn’t work for them or their troubled teen for example. This is precisely why we have developed Therapeutic gap semesters and gap years that help people with mental, emotional, physical and spiritual preparedness. The neuro-plasticity of our youth is a massive plus and we find that many youths today from about 16-30 have not had the emotional support that they needed. Yes, the world has changed and so is the way we need to prepare ourselves to confidently cope and then thrive in all the wellness segments of our lives.
The 8 Dimensions of Therapeutic gap semester focus
Therapeutic gap semesters look at focusing on at least eight dimensions of mental health. These are emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and financial dimensions of our lives that we need to prep for. If any one of these dimensions is neglected over time, it will adversely affect one’s health, well-being, and quality of life. All of the aspects of your wellness are connected and impact each other. When someone has suffered depression and anxiety or mood and personality issues through their teen years, then some work on these dimensions is probably necessary.
Understanding Adolescent Mental Health and Wellness
Wellness refers to your holistic health, rather than just your physical health for example. Physical wellness could be great while emotional wellness could be through the floorboards. Wellness is not only being free of disease, illness, or visible stresses and strains. Proper adolescent Mental Health and Wellness is all about having a purpose in life and a focus starting to emerge with some direction that we can follow.
Being emotionally healthy includes taking balanced and active involvement in your work, career and in your leisure time as well. It is about having a few good close relationships and being happy in general with a social element present in your daily life. Mental Health wellness involve all aspects of your life beyond your body, your heart and your mind. To enjoy fulfilled and purposeful lives adolescents much like everyone else need to invest in their occupational, environmental and financial health.
The paradox is that many people rush their start for fear of falling behind when a gap year or semester can often be the cheapest and fastest route to the top. There are no short-cuts worth taking when it comes to building self confidence and resilience.
When a teen is mentally healthy they are more likely to reach their developmental and emotional milestones, feel more comfortable in social situations, and learn how to cope when they encounter problems. They need to start doing for themselves what many parents need to stop doing. We need to give them gaps to gain confidence, work on themselves and develop tools and make sure a parent is not disempowering them through enabling.
What to expect at our Therapeutic gap semester or year retreats
- Completely individualised, world-class ‘Mastery University’ programs
- Evidence-based integration with our team
- Broad Range of Therapeutic Activities and wellness activities, sports (we have our own young sports and social coaches), etc that work on physiological, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects of youth development
- Individual counselling by psychotherapists and coaches, mindfulness sessions, nature activities
- Learn Golf, Padel and get a skippers license. Learn to drive, socialise and hike, gym, swim, canoe, sup, wakeboard, surf and kayak and everything in between.
- Same age social coaches, psychotherapists with decades of experience, a chilled homely environment, course work that builds skills and confidence and the list goes on. This is the best investment for anyone needing to embark on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual journey.
Our beachside mecca of entertainment and adventure is underpinned by Mark L Lockwood’s team of professionals who make significant mental health and emotional wellness gains for our clients who are suffering from their own, individual issues that we are dedicated to resolve which include:
Fear of failure and finding purpose are key to our young adults mental health retreats
Depression, Anxiety, burnout treatment
Isolation, confidence-loss and self development skill building and social anxiety
ADHD, Trauma, personality disorders and mood disorder treatment
Weigh loss, eating disorder and physical health management
Behavioural problems and addictions to finding purpose and meaning
Adolescent freedom from panic attacks and generalised anxiety
OCD, borderline, bipolar programs
A mental health or therapeutic gap semester or year is essential for any youth or adolescents that need tools for mental and emotional health. Call +27824424779 or email us and get an assessment, start with an assessment phase or just jump in and start a wonderful wellness journey of healing and life transformation.
