News + Resources
Guidance for Families at Every Step
Change Is in the Air at Summit—and It’s the Good Kind
Change has always been part of growth, and at Summit Achievement, growth is one of our core values. As a community of referral partners, colleagues, parents and supporters, you’ve been an integral part of our journey. With that in mind, we’re excited to share an...
More Than a Mosaic: Redefining Diversity at Summit Achievement
When people think of Maine, "diversity" isn’t always the first word that comes to mind. We’re known for our rugged coastlines, dense pine forests, and—if we’re being honest—a fairly homogenous demographic. At Summit Achievement, diversity is not a buzzword—it’s a lived...
The Power of Family Rituals: Creating Connection That Lasts
In a world that often feels rushed, noisy, and fragmented, connection doesn’t usually happen by accident. It is built—slowly, intentionally, and often through the smallest, most consistent moments. One of the most powerful ways families create and sustain connection...
Why Summit Achievement Is an All-Gender Program
At Summit Achievement, we are intentional about every aspect of our program design—from how we spend time outdoors to how we build relationships, structure community life, and support each young person’s growth. One of the most common questions we receive is: Why is...
Supporting Siblings When There Is a Child in Treatment: How to Explain Treatment to Other Children and Help Them Cope
When a child enters treatment—whether for emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges—it impacts the entire family system. Parents often feel stretched thin, juggling worry, logistics, hope, and tough conversations. In the midst of it all, siblings may quietly...
Finding Light in the Dark: The Value of Getting Outside During the Winter Months
When the clocks turn back, and daylight becomes scarce, something shifts—not just in the sky, but inside us. The world feels quieter, slower, darker. And while it’s tempting to retreat to warm corners indoors, winter offers something uniquely powerful—especially if...
Winter at Summit Achievement: Safety, Growth, and Adventure—All Year Long
As the air turns crisp and snow blankets the White Mountains, Summit Achievement shifts into one of our favorite seasons: winter. For many, adventure therapy might seem best suited for sunny skies and warm days—but at Summit, we believe that meaningful growth happens...
Navigating the Holidays When Your Teen Is in Treatment
As the holiday season approaches, many of us envision joyful gatherings, festive meals, and time spent with loved ones. But for families whose teen is in treatment or struggling with mental health challenges, this season can feel very different. The contrast between...
Finding Meaning in “Welcome to Holland”
When you become a parent, you naturally begin to imagine the life your child will lead—the milestones, achievements, and memories that will shape their story. You picture a path that feels familiar: school successes, close friendships, college visits, and a bright,...
What If Your Teen Is Experimenting With Substances?
For many parents, discovering that their teen is experimenting with alcohol, cannabis, or other substances can feel like the ground has shifted. It’s natural to worry about where this might lead—Is my child addicted? Did I miss something? How do I respond? For many...
Understanding Safe vs. Unsafe Struggle in Parenting Teens
Parenting teenagers often feels like a tug-of-war: one moment, your child is declaring their independence with a slammed bedroom door, and the next, they’re asking for a ride, money, or help with homework. The paradox is summed up perfectly in Anthony E. Wolf’s book...
Better Care, Not No Care: Why Residential Treatment Remains Essential
Christina Buttons, Speaking Out to Help Change the Narrative about Teen Residential Treatment Christina Buttons is an investigative reporter at the Manhattan Institute. Her work focuses on a range of social issues, including youth mental health treatment. Her data...
When Trust Feels Broken
Trust: The Hardest and Most Important Work When Your Child Is in Residential Treatment When your child is in residential treatment for mental health challenges, the concept of trust can feel complicated, fragile, and sometimes, painfully out of reach. You may trust...
Understanding School Refusal: What’s Really Going On?
For many parents, school refusal can feel like a baffling and frustrating challenge. One morning, your teen simply can’t—or won’t—get out the door. What starts as a day or two of missed classes can quickly snowball into weeks of missed learning, mounting anxiety, and...
Motivation Comes from Within: Helping Teens Discover Their “Why”
As a professional or fellow parent with a struggling teenager, the question comes up often - “how do I help my teen find their motivation?” Parenting a teenager—especially one who’s struggling—often feels like walking a tightrope. You want to guide them,...
Finding Strength in Connection: Why Peer Support Matters for Parents of Teens in Treatment
Let’s face it, parenting has never been easy—but in today’s world, it can feel more overwhelming than ever. The pressures of social media, academic demands, shifting cultural expectations, and rising mental health concerns have created a parenting landscape that is...
Connect Before Correct: A Guiding Principle for Parents of Teens in Residential Treatment and Beyond
When your teen is in residential treatment, it's natural to feel a sense of urgency—urgency to see progress, to right past wrongs, to get everything “back on track.” As a parent, you may find yourself focusing on what needs to change: the behaviors, the attitudes, the...
Understanding Regression in Teens with Mental Health Challenges
When your teen is making progress in their mental health journey, every step forward can feel like a victory. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, they slip back into old patterns—maybe isolating themselves again, struggling with school, or lashing out emotionally. As...
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Impact on Adolescent Mental Health
Adolescence is a time of rapid growth, identity exploration, and emotional development. For teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this period can be particularly complex. While ASD itself is not a mental illness, it profoundly affects how individuals perceive the...
Your Teen Can Do Hard Things – And Why It Matters
If you’re a parent staring down the incredibly difficult decision of sending your teen to a residential treatment program, you’re not alone. The thought can feel unbearable: Will it be too hard for them? Will they think I’m abandoning them? What if they fall apart?...
Why Outcome Data Matters
When faced with mental health challenges, parents, guardians, and referring professionals often turn to residential treatment programs for help. Summit Achievement, a licensed residential treatment center and an accredited school, offers intensive support in a...
Understanding the Drama Triangle and Empowerment Triangle in Family Systems: A Focus on Adolescents
Adolescence is a time of significant change, marked by emotional, psychological, and social development. For many adolescents, navigating this phase of life within the context of family dynamics can be complicated. The family, as a primary support system, can either...
The Impacts of ADHD and Executive Functioning Deficits on Mental Health in Adolescents
What follows in this blog is meant to be an overview of ADHD and its impact on mental health. We want to be clear that ADHD is very complex and difficult to summarize in this short format. Our clinical team can “geek out” on this for hours with extensive pages of...
The Parallel Process and the Summit Parenting Program
Here at Summit Achievement, we believe that a strong family component is an integral part of the treatment process and plays a significant role in the success of the child after leaving Summit Achievement. We partnered with renowned author and parent coach Krissy...
The Importance of Direct Care Staff— Guides—In Residential Treatment for Adolescents
When providing effective care and support for adolescents in residential treatment settings, one of the most vital roles is that of the direct care staff, who we refer to as "guides." These folks are often the unsung heroes in adolescent treatment programs, and their...
Whether you’re exploring treatment options or looking for guidance along the way, you’ll find updates from Summit and resources designed to help families move forward with confidence and understanding.