Wealth, college preparation and misunderstood youth are just a few of the initial impressions commonly associated with residential treatment centers in the U.S. These perceptions typically become much more prevalent when a residential treatment center touts Christian healing and spiritual growth as part of its program, with images of kids reciting scripture and singing hymns often coming to mind.

The truth is that most residential treatment centers are much more than a place for rich families to send their over-privileged children before college. And Christian residential treatment centers offer much more than church service and Bible study.

Many therapeutic Christian residential treatment centers are a chance for youth with emotional or behavioral issues to learn life lessons while also experiencing the Word of God. They are also a place to help develop a teen’s character, which is necessary to face life’s challenges.

The residential treatment center within the Compass Rose Academy is an opportunity to provide youth in crisis with guidance, structure and a new, more purposeful direction. Compass Rose accepts students from all walks of life from all over the country. Students don’t need to come from an affluent family or have a religious preference in order to attend. Staff does not judge, and they do not force the Bible upon students. Although our faith sets the foundation for all that we do, Compass Rose does not create an “in-your-face” atmosphere where teens feel judged or condemned. Instead, our philosophy is to lead by example and help students to build relationships with both themselves and others.

In addition to spiritual life, we also love to have fun. Compass Rose understands that teens learn by doing and experiencing new things. Our staff doesn’t just tell students what to do; they experience new things with them. Activities include sports, community service projects, equine therapy and ropes courses, all of which are designed to redirect, rebuild and restore.

Perhaps one of the most important elements of the residential treatment center is the therapeutic component itself. Licensed as a residential child care facility by the Indiana Department of Child Services and accredited by the Council on Accreditation, the Compass Rose program is based on a clinical growth model that goes beyond symptom reduction. Students meet individually with their counselors to identify problems in their lives and develop structural and character changes that last a lifetime. In addition to these one-on-one counseling sessions, teens also regularly attend a number of other group and family counseling sessions.

We are now accepting applications for our first residential treatment center class. The nine- to 12-month program is ideally suited for teenagers struggling with problems such as abuse recovery, depression, identity or body image issues, drug abuse, conflicts with peers or authority, social isolation or rejection and mild self-harm. We invite you to learn more about our residential treatment center.