Understanding Teen Mental Health - Turning Winds Podcast Series

How a Tarantula was key to a teen breakthrough // Being flexible and individualized

Turning Winds Season 2 Episode 4

What does it really mean to meet a teen where they are?

In this powerful episode of the Turning Winds Podcast, host Kevin Zundl speaks with clinical leaders Enoch and Carl about a young man who nearly got discharged until a tarantula changed everything. Yes, a tarantula.

This isn’t just a quirky story. It’s a profound look at what can happen when clinicians, educators, and mentors set aside a one-size-fits-all model and lean into creativity, connection, and individualized care. Hear how a treatment team’s willingness to listen, adapt, and innovate sparked real change in a student who had shut down entirely.

If you’ve ever wondered what flexible, relationship-driven treatment looks like, or what separates meaningful intervention from just another program, this episode offers a compelling answer.

To learn more about Turning Winds, visit https://www.turningwinds.com
Or call: 800-845-1380

Keywords:
teen mental health, individualized treatment, residential treatment for teens, teen behavioral therapy, Turning Winds podcast, adolescent therapy, therapeutic boarding school, creative interventions, IEP alternatives, struggling teen stories, mental health podcast, trauma-informed care, flexible treatment approaches, tarantula therapy story, adolescent residential care, troubled teen help

To learn more about Turning Winds, visit turningwinds.com or call 800-845-1380.