Young adult transition programs are gaining notoriety as effective ways for struggling students to bridge the gap between high school graduation and their next goal. Students attending these programs are better prepared to transition into a four-year program or career. However, not all programs can offer the level of customization needed for many students' success.
Northwest College Support is a system of structures and supervision for college-capable young adults with mental health challenges and learning differences that made education difficult in the past. We understand how important it is for students to have the appropriate level of support and adapt to their unique needs over time.
Offering a highly individualized transition program, Northwest College Support is growth-based, person-centered, and focused on your student's future success.
What Happens in Young Adult Transition Programs?
Traditional transition programs are often one-size-fits-all, providing structure and support, but failing to address more individualized needs. The structures and coaching provided by the professionals at Northwest College Support are as unique as each student.
We structure our approach around long-term, realistic goals with smaller goals to keep the momentum going. Each small win is a building block of self-confidence as students realize how much potential they contain.
Northwest College Support works with roughly 40 young adults who have previously struggled in educational settings due to mental health challenges or learning differences. Students typically stay for 9-12 months, regularly engaging with a three-person team of specialists to monitor and guide their progress.
Our coaches have experience working with young adults who may struggle with the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Mood, thought, personality, and adjustment disorders
Eating disorders
Attachment related disorders
With endless customizations, every student's path will look a little different. Northwest College Support helps these motivated young adults build skills and habits to allow them to function at their highest level of independence.
What Is Therapy in the Moment?
Therapy in the Moment is a powerful therapy, allowing students to practice various types of coping skills learned in therapy. Managing difficult situations and emotions is essential, and Therapy in the Moment provides opportunities to apply those strategies in the moment of difficulty. Practicing these new skills with a coach helps the team fine-tune which therapies are most effective for each student.
Coaches can asses treatment strategies and coping skills from various types of therapies. The students at Northwest College Support have access to a wide range of therapy options, no matter which challenges they're working to overcome.
Life Skills: Empowering Independence
Transition programs offer a variety of effective therapies to help reduce stress and build coping skills for self-regulation. Northwest College Support creates individualized plans using the most effective methodologies to strengthen students' knowledge and skill sets.
Some of the life skills taught at Northwest College Support include:
Financial literacy
Personal hygiene
Roommate etiquette
Scheduling and time management
Resume and cover letter creation
Interview skills
Social Structure: Building Bonds
Northwest College Support offers unique social and health-focused opportunities for students to experience college life with peers who can relate to their experiences.
Social interactions don't come easily to everyone, and young adult transition programs don't always provide coaching for appropriate social interactions. Experiencing an academic atmosphere where students feel safe to discuss challenges with their peers offers opportunities to give and receive confidence-building peer support.
Northwest College Support organizes weekly activities to build relationships and encourage exercise in a group setting. Some of the socially focused activities include:
Relationship development
Exercise and fitness plans
Group therapy sessions
Game nights
Outdoor activities like hiking and paddleboarding
Group cooking activities
Volunteering
Students with learning differences benefit significantly from learning interpersonal and social skills. Northwest College Support encourages students to stay active within their peer groups and the broader community to continue to build their social confidence.
Transition Program Housing Options
One of the most significant variables between young adult transition programs is their method of housing. Not all students will be able to utilize available dormitory housing options, requiring more supervision or support than the program can handle. Northwest College Support has unique housing solutions for the various needs of our students.
Operational costs are kept low by offering fully furnished two-bedroom apartments owned by Northwest College Support. Each student receives an appropriate level of supervision for their needs, ranging from 24-hour staff support to more independent living apartments situated off-campus.
Therapies Offered at Northwest College Support
Every person benefits from therapy, but not every treatment will benefit everyone. Whether students have never attended therapy or have well-established strategies in place, the licensed professionals at Northwest College Support utilize many therapy modalities, including:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Client-centered therapy
Behavioral therapy
Family systems therapy
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)
Living in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho also provides a unique backdrop for outdoor exploration. Many students feel calm and peaceful in the wilderness, and northern Idaho's majestic forests and rivers certainly feel therapeutic. Studies show that being outside reduces the feeling of stress and ultimately improves health.
Therapy in the Moment meets students where they are, applying integrated, prescribed therapies in the student's actual moments of distress. Students learn ways to cope with unique challenges, helping to ease the transition into young adulthood. Our coaches and counselors help build your student's confidence each time they overcome an obstacle together. Offering precision customization for every student, they receive the coaching needed to help them thrive at college, in a new job, or career. To hear more about how Northwest College Support prepares students for a successful transition into independence, call (877) 485-2776 to talk to our coaches about how your student can return to a productive path.
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