The Real Life Transition Program™

At Diamond Ranch Academy, we have a philosophy that is unique in the troubled-teen industry. We believe that there are no bad youth. While it is clear that there are many youth who make bad decisions, we believe they are good people making bad choices. We know they can be helped. It is out of this philosophy that an incredibly simple - yet incredibly effective -- program was born. We call it the Real Life Transition Program.

Troubled teens often have difficulty connecting consequences to their actions. The unique Real Life Transition Program allows teens to live in an environment where they can fully reap all the rewards - or consequences - of their actions. In a gentle, yet still firm way, teens learn that in real life, there are always naturally-occurring rewards and consequence for their choices.

It is within this environment that teens learn real life lessons and skills, such as applying for a job, work and effort, money management, self-care, communication, consistency, anger management, and the ability to take responsibility and accountability for personal actions. This system is especially effective with ADD/ADHD teens lacking impulse control and the ability to stay on task. The focus is on creating real life situations in a structured setting to help teens realize how the decision-making process works.

It is this system that shapes behavior without anger, without violence and without coercion. Bad choices (and thus negative consequences) slowly and naturally give way to good choices (and thus the reward). Teens are quick to learn that when one makes good choices, good things happen. This behavior is encouraged and rewarded until it becomes an integral part of the individual. This pattern of life is internalized.

Traditionally teens are taught how to develop their self-esteem and emotional health in group and individual settings. At Diamond Ranch Academy not only are they taught how, but also with the Real Life Transition Program self-esteem and emotional health grow naturally through living a real-life skills program. The results are stunning and the changes are long-term.