LARGO, Fla. — Imagine being the parent of a teenage boy and watching him sink deeper into anger, depression and maybe even thoughts of suicide!
That's the reality for many families who feel like they've tried everything, but it all failed.
WATCH: Largo program offers new hope for teen boys facing mental health challenges
Tampa Bay 28 anchor Wendy Ryan covers mental health stories, and recently, while looking for new resources, found an all-boys’ mental health program that seems to be a game changer for many adolescents.
“He is autistic and he also has a mood disorder. So, they unfortunately intertwine quite aggressively at times,” said Janet Mynttinen.
Mynttinen is a mom to two boys with autism. Her oldest, Gabriel, also suffers with serious mental health issues.
“Gabriel has had, unfortunately, a history of trying to commit suicide. He, thankfully, has not been successful,” explained Mynttinen.
“Unfortunately, his ability to understand emotion and handle it, just became too much for him,” said Mynttinen.
At just 14, mental health facilities near her home in New England would not accept adolescents. Then she found Braveminds Academy in Largo. It’s a therapeutic residential program focused on boys ages11–to-17 facing emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges.
“I'd say about 80% of our census has substance use concerns, if not a mild or moderate substance use disorder,” explained Dr. Travis Atchison.
Dr. Travis Atchison is the Braveminds’ clinical director and said many teen boys can’t handle stress or frustration leading to angry outbursts.
“Screaming, cursing, sometimes throwing things, just real dysregulated. Lots of verbal altercations, tantrums, things of that nature,” explained Dr. Atchison.
So, he teaches them how to work through those emotions.
“So, one thing I like to focus on in our programming is kind of creating this foundation of efficient emotional processing. Learning how to recognize and identify these emotions, verbalize them, learn to be an investigator of our own emotional processes. And learn how to sit in that discomfort essentially,” said Dr. Atchison.
And if an angry outburst happens, it’s never met with punishment.
“We meet them where they are. This is how they know to express. We validate that form of expression as a form of expression and then we try to in that moment support again regulation. Let's get back to baseline and let's try different strategies,” said Dr. Atchison.
“I'd say the primary that we see is depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder is a very common one and some behavioral issues as well,” said Tianna Audet.
Audet Bravemind's lead licensed clinical social worker said they also teach essential life skills.
“We work on boundaries. Boundaries are a very important skill that we teach them. Both with peers and with family members,” explained Audet.
And the therapy involves the entire family with weekly zoom sessions to re-build communication.
“The communication skills, for instance, that they were doing amongst each other before they came here wasn't working. And so how do we help learn new communication skills,” said Audet.
“The family sessions have been amazing. They really do a deep dive into a lot of the trauma. The issues that the child's having,” said Kyle Kale.
Kyle and Kayli Kale’s son, Logan, is now at Braveminds, and they’re already seeing change.
“The one thing I’ve noticed with Logan, he feels very comfortable with them. He opens up to them, which is tremendous in his treatment plan. That he actually trusts people, and logan has an issue with trusting people because of past traumas,” said Kyle.
Kyle said Logan had been hibernating and hiding from his feelings.
“So logan has always struggled, and I think this is a lot of kids nowadays, they struggle to find their clique, their people, so he's constantly feeling like he has to impress other kids. So, he'll do this risky behavior just to gain attention, to feel like he fits in,” said Kyle.
Now, he’s learning to communicate in a healthy and honest way.
“Logan has had many therapists, psychiatrists. This is probably the first place where i feel very confident in logan, you know, coming home in the near future and being able to apply those things,” explained Kyle.
So, if your teen boy is struggling, Kyle believes Braveminds can help.
“Braveminds Academy is absolutely amazing. I trust them with my kid. They're doing everything that we expect, as far as like group and therapy. They're very straightforward with the kids. They don't really beat around the bush. And the best thing is they worked with us,” explained Kyle.
And Janet has seen Gabriel grow too. Learning to identify his emotions and calm himself down.
“He was actively applying and using what they were teaching him, and it was really great to see,” explained Mynttinen
Braveminds Academy runs 30–to-90 days depending on what the child needs and it’s often covered by insurance. If finances are an issue Braveminds offers scholarships based on need.
You can learn more about Braveminds by clicking here.
Share Your Story with Wendy
Tampa Bay 28 Anchor Wendy Ryan is dedicated to helping our neighbors navigate the important topic of mental health. For years, she’s been connecting people to resources, listening to their challenges, and sharing their stories to decrease the stigma. You can connect with Wendy by using the form below.
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