Continuing care

Preparing for their future

At The Wave, a continuation of care is extremely important to us. Our treatment planning extends beyond residential treatment to support our young people and their families throughout the transition period and beyond.

Moving on from residential treatment is a wonderful and positive step. It can also be daunting, both for our young people and their families. At The Wave, preparing for discharge and life after residential treatment starts at admission. From the moment that our young people walk through our doors, we begin preparing for their future.

Our discharge planning and leavers’ programs are filled with as much love and careful consideration as our welcome groups.

A bridge to achieving the life they deserve

Preparing for the Future

At The Wave, our trauma-focused programs are carefully designed to be a bridge to achieving the life that each young person dreams of. They provide hope for a full and lasting recovery. They connect families and repair the past, preparing our young people for a bright future.

Our young people stay with us for a considerable amount of time. The Wave team, the friends they make, and the skills they learn become central to the future they are creating for themselves and those around them.

Our young people leave with a book full of memories, photographs and inspiring messages from their peers and our teams. It helps them to stay connected and remember the valuable lessons that have been learned and shared. Course certificates, volunteer logs and educational courses are transferred home to keep the love of learning and volunteering alive.

In preparation for their onward journey, we put together a plan for sustained recovery in collaboration with each young person, their family and their preferred treatment professionals. Our teams are always available to support the family, or new treatment team, both during and after transition.

Saying goodbye is always hard

Returning Home

Returning home can be one of the most challenging moves for our young people after attending residential treatment. When treatment comes to an end, there is usually a great deal of excitement, along with a handful of reservations. We support families to have realistic plans and expectations of themselves and their young people as the next development phase begins.

Structure and clear home contracts are vital in the transition back to home and family life. Onward plans can include psychiatrists, recovery coaches and therapists together with experienced eating disorder registered dieticians, online and in-person therapy groups, activities, classes and movement sessions.

During our final family therapy sessions, we invite your home-based therapy team to join us, either in person or by video call. This helps with seamless care planning. Having the security of a team in place on your arrival home makes all the difference.

The Wave is very fortunate to work alongside some of the world’s most renowned specialists in adolescent mental health. Through our network of clinical partners, we can extend treatment seamlessly into the next phase of each young person’s recovery journey.

Our team will remain in close contact during the early weeks at home, and our family WhatsApp groups remain open for any questions and support that our young people and their families may need.

Saying goodbye is always hard, but we feel confident in placing your family’s care in the capable hands of our colleagues closer to home.

Our doors are always open

Staying Connected

It is crucial for our young people and their families to have an aftercare recovery plan and support system in place, so they can continue to receive the care and support they need as they transition back to daily life.

Aftercare typically consists of a personalised plan, based on the specific needs of each young person, to help them navigate life with a high level of support once they have completed residential treatment.

Each plan includes sessions with a psychiatrist local to home, together with therapy with one of our international partners. Introductions are made with home-based therapists through video calls before discharge.

Aftercare plans also contain our final medical report, which includes a summary of any medication that may be required, together with details of our prescription-writing services.

Recovery is not linear. Lapses or a return to old behaviours can and do happen in eating disorders, addiction and mental health recovery. ‘Wobbles’ need not become a crisis, and if a young person or family feels that the progress made is at risk, we will be here to support them and assist with a return to treatment where necessary.

‘Our doors are always open’ are the final words we share with our families when the time comes for them to leave us.

I’m about to start a new journey and I’m beyond excited, although scared and apprehensive as well. Thanks to The Wave I now have tools I didn’t have before. I have a strength I didn’t have before. And I have confidence I didn’t believe I’d ever have. I am proud of the woman I have become.

A Life-Long Love of Learning

Returning to Education

Our young people have the option to undertake educational activities and vocational pursuits during their stay with us. Some of the courses are designed to facilitate career options post-treatment and give our young people increased independence.

Education often forms part of the discharge plan and may also be included in the family’s core values or goals. We respect and value the input of international education consultants, schools’ counsellors and psychotherapists specialising in the private and international schools’ community.

If returning to education is a part of a young person’s continuing care plan, we can refer to international schools and education consultants in just about every corner of the world.

We remain in close contact with the chosen school to ensure a smooth and supported transition and arrange weekly or monthly calls with school pastoral care teams or school counsellors.

Some of our young people develop a passion and interest in social sciences and psychology. ‘Lived experience’ is an amazing quality to bring into learning opportunities.

The Wave Program alumni often return to shadow, intern or volunteer as part of their social science, medicine, psychology, recovery coach and psychotherapy degrees and training. Not only do we welcome our future superstars, we positively encourage it.

After all, we are making this future together.

Together, we will begin your recovery journey

We are here to help

Have any questions or want to get started with the admissions process? Contact our friendly care team – they’ll be happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have and will walk you through how to prepare for your child’s stay at The Wave.

The Wave has provided me with the ability to feel calm with the secure feeling that they are a team of professionals who know exact what my daughter needs. It has not been easy and continues to be a challenging journey. The consistent communication through WhatsApp, phone calls, in-person and virtual family therapy sessions and weekly report have made being halfway across the world feel as if I am as part of my daughter’s treatment as I possibly can.

I had a great experience when I was on The Wave. It was one of the best experiences in my life. I enjoy all the sessions conducted by the team. I never had a chance to speak in group, specially with friends from other countries before.

It opens my eyes and gives me a new knowledge and experience to be a better person.