Alyson Orcena, LMFT, Melissa Vallas, MD, Shikha Verma, MD, Ellen Bloch, LCSW, Lianne Tendler, LMFT, Megan Johnston, LMFT
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If your teen struggles with a mental health or substance use disorder, you’ve probably considered residential treatment but hesitate because it never feels like the right time. We know these feelings become stronger when considering residential treatment for teens during the holidays.
Rachele Moskowitz, LMFT and Program Director at Evolve, says:
“Parents who are in the position of needing to seek out treatment options during the holidays face a lot of discomfort and even shame at the idea of sending their children away during a time that is supposed to feel special and filled with love.”
The holiday season, often seen as a time for family gatherings and traditions, might seem like an unconventional choice for starting treatment. However, there are many reasons why this time of the year could be the ideal opportunity to help your teen reset, heal, and build a brighter future.
Why Consider Holiday Treatment for Your Teen?
The holidays are a time for reflection, connection, and renewal. For teens dealing with challenges like depression, anxiety, self-harm, or substance use, this period can offer a unique chance to focus on recovery. Residential treatment offers intensive support that weekly therapy or community support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), cannot provide.
But why the holidays? This season offers a natural pause in routines, making it easier to prioritize treatment without disrupting school or daily life. Plus, the structured environment of a residential program can provide the stability your teen needs during a time that can sometimes amplify emotional or behavioral struggles.
Benefits of Holiday Residential Treatment
1. Maximize Insurance Benefits
Most insurance plans reset deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums at the start of the new year. If your family has already met these thresholds, initiating treatment during the holidays could mean lower costs, as your insurance may cover a larger portion—or even the full cost—of residential care. Starting now can reduce your financial burden compared to waiting until January when maximums reset.
2. Minimize Academic Disruption
With many schools offering online or hybrid learning options, keeping up with academics during residential treatment is more feasible than ever. Holiday breaks align perfectly with school calendars, meaning fewer missed instructional days compared to other times of the year. For teens who’ve faced academic setbacks due to mental health or substance use issues, this break offers a chance to reset and prepare for a stronger second semester.
3. Ensure Safety and Supervision
The holidays often bring unstructured time, which can be risky for teens prone to substance use or mental health challenges. Without the structure of school or parental supervision, some teens may experiment with alcohol or drugs or experience worsening of symptoms like depression or anxiety. Residential treatment provides a safe, supervised environment, eliminating the risks of unsupervised risky behaviors and fostering healthy coping mechanisms.
“Parents may want to wait until after the holidays to place their child in treatment, and this can be very risky for clients experiencing serious mental health struggles. The holidays can be a very challenging time specifically for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, and we typically recommend that parents place their child for safety and then we can work out a plan for visitation over the holidays.“
–Tamara Fleck-Myers, LMFT and Program Director at Evolve
4. Build New Coping Skills
Residential programs help teens identify their triggers which are situations, emotions, or environments that lead to substance use or mental health struggles. Through individual and group therapy, teens learn to recognize and manage these triggers while replacing harmful behaviors with productive ones. Starting treatment during the holidays allows your teen to develop these skills in a focused setting, setting them up for success when they return to school and daily life.
5. A Fresh Start for the New Year
If your teen begins treatment early in the holiday season, they may complete their program in time to return home for New Year’s Eve or even part of the holidays. Imagine the gift of having your teen back, equipped with new coping strategies and a renewed sense of hope, ready to face the coming year with confidence. This fresh start can make the new year truly memorable for the right reasons.
Why Holiday Treatment Feels Right (and Surprisingly Warm)
At Evolve, the holidays are still the holidays. Every location creates a genuine home-like atmosphere filled with laughter, decorations, and the smells of the season.
“We strive to make our residential homes feel cozy and have fun decorating for the season. We have special holiday activities built into the treatment schedules from Halloween through the New Year. Dressing in costumes, cookie decorating, tree decorating, Thanksgiving feasts, stockings hung by the fire, holiday movies, and neighborhood lights festivals are all woven into the normal daily therapeutic activities.”
–Rachele Moskowitz, LMFT and Program Director at Evolve
Structured treatment continues because consistency is part of healing, but the schedule is wrapped in celebration, gratitude activities, and extra joy. Most importantly, family connection stays strong: extra video calls, virtual gift-opening, and (when clinically appropriate) passes home for part of the break.
Tamara Fleck-Myers, LMFT and Program Director at Evolve, says:
“We work diligently with families and clients to ensure this time together is structured and fun with a plan to support each family and client where they are at. For some families this may be off-site passes home, and for other families this may be onsite visits or visits in the community.“
Your teen won’t just be “in treatment”, they’ll be in a warm, festive home surrounded by staff and peers who genuinely care, celebrating the holidays in a way that feels meaningful and fun.
A Loving Choice for Your Teen’s Future
Choosing residential treatment during the holidays is a bold, loving decision. If your teen has tried outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient programs, or partial hospitalization without lasting success, residential care could be the turning point. The intensive support and tailored interventions can address the root causes of their struggles, helping them overcome mental health or substance use challenges and live life on their terms.
This choice may feel unconventional, but it could be exactly what your teen needs to reclaim their potential. By acting now, you’re investing in their long-term recovery and giving them the gift of a healthier, happier future.
Take the Next Step
If you’ve been considering residential treatment for your teen, the holiday season could be the perfect time to act. Contact a trusted treatment provider, like Evolve, to discuss your teen’s needs and explore how residential treatment for teens during the holidays can set them on the path to recovery. For more information on insurance coverage, academic support, or program details, reach out today. Your teen’s brighter future starts now.
