Residential Services at the merck center

Our residential component is the foundation of our treatment program. Our residential counselors create an environment with an abundance of nurturance and support.  With a 3 to 1 student to staff ratio, girls at the Merck Center are well supported and closely supervised. Programs are staffed 24 hours per day.

Our therapeutic milieu is a highly structured teaching environment where girls receive a great deal of individual attention.  We use PEM – the PyschoEducational Model – a research-proven model designed to help students make responsible choices.  Counselors praise students richly for practicing new skills. They provide support by listening empathically. They engage with them and make sure they are learning and having fun every day.

We teach the girls new, more constructive ways to deal with their feelings by engaging them in a variety of activities daily. Your daughter will be exposed to a wide range of expressive arts therapies, a challenging recreation program, and sensory integration and mindfulness activities. Our activity program includes:

• Horseback riding
• Art activities
• Music and drumming
• Skiing or snowboarding
• Dance lessons
• Drama, including Shakespeare performances
• Kayaking and canoeing
• Sports teams including basketball, softball, and volleyball
• Weekly yoga led by certified instructors.

Boston is known as a world hub for social innovation and culture, and we take advantage of the rich and varied array of community resources, including visits to museums, tours of Boston’s historic sites and trips to our mountains and beaches.