screen addiction

How Cherry Gulch Helps Boys Learn Social Skills After Falling Behind Due to Video Games

By October 8, 2024 February 14th, 2025 No Comments
A male teen at the Cherry Gulch Therapeutic boarding school learning about the RULER Approach.

Many adolescent boys are increasingly drawn to the immersive worlds of video games. For some, the appeal of these virtual environments can lead to social isolation, limiting their interactions in the real world. When gaming becomes an obsession, boys may struggle to develop or maintain essential social skills, leading to difficulties in forming meaningful connections and navigating real-world relationships. Cherry Gulch, a therapeutic boarding school for boys, provides a solution to this growing challenge by focusing on helping boys reconnect with the world around them and develop critical social skills.

The Social Consequences of Excessive Gaming

Video games, particularly online multiplayer ones, can provide a sense of accomplishment, adventure, and even community. However, when gaming takes precedence over face-to-face interactions, boys may miss out on opportunities to develop the social and emotional skills necessary for healthy relationships. Prolonged exposure to screens and game environments can impair their ability to:

  • Interpret social cues such as body language or tone of voice
  • Communicate effectively in person
  • Handle real-life conflicts and disagreements
  • Develop empathy through real-world interactions
  • Engage in collaborative problem-solving

These deficits can cause boys to fall behind socially, which impacts their self-esteem and ability to succeed in social environments like school, extracurricular activities, or even future workplaces.

Cherry Gulch’s Approach to Rebuilding Social Skills

Cherry Gulch understands the unique challenges boys face when their social skills lag due to excessive gaming. The program offers a comprehensive approach that integrates therapeutic, educational, and outdoor experiential learning to help boys rebuild these vital skills in a real-world context. Here are some of the ways Cherry Gulch helps boys recover and thrive socially:

1. Therapeutic Support

Licensed therapists at Cherry Gulch work with boys to uncover the reasons behind their excessive gaming habits, often linked to emotional regulation issues, anxiety, or a desire to escape real-life stress. Through individual and group therapy sessions, boys learn to identify and manage their emotions without turning to video games as a coping mechanism. Group therapy, in particular, encourages boys to practice listening, empathy, and communication in a safe, structured environment, helping them learn how to form and maintain healthy relationships.

2. Structured Social Environments

Cherry Gulch fosters a community where boys engage in structured, real-world social activities, ranging from collaborative projects to team sports and outdoor adventures. By participating in activities such as group hiking, team sports, or even cooking together, boys practice:

  • Cooperation and teamwork by working toward common goals with their peers
  • Leadership and followership by alternating roles in group dynamics
  • Problem-solving through hands-on, collaborative experiences

These activities not only teach boys how to interact with their peers but also how to handle conflicts and compromise—skills that are difficult to learn in virtual gaming environments.

3. Outdoor Experiential Learning

Cherry Gulch’s location in the stunning wilderness of Idaho provides boys with ample opportunities to connect with nature while engaging in activities that promote social bonding and self-confidence. The therapeutic use of the outdoors includes hiking, paddle boarding, and mountain biking—activities that require boys to work together, communicate, and encourage one another. These experiences help boys discover the value of real-life interactions, shifting their focus from screens to the world around them.

4. Developing Healthy Boundaries Around Technology

One of the critical challenges boys face when returning to the real world from the virtual one is setting healthy boundaries around technology use. At Cherry Gulch, boys learn how to manage their screen time through clear expectations, setting them up to make better choices once they leave the program. Therapists and mentors guide boys in understanding the balance between technology and real-life engagement, teaching them that while video games can be enjoyed in moderation, they should not replace face-to-face interactions and personal growth.

5. Rebuilding Confidence in Social Settings

As boys at Cherry Gulch practice their social skills and interact with others in a supportive environment, they begin to rebuild their confidence. This is a key component in overcoming social anxiety and stepping out of the isolation many boys experience after spending significant time in front of screens. Through consistent feedback and encouragement, boys gain the self-assurance to engage with their peers, express their thoughts, and resolve conflicts in constructive ways.

Long-Term Benefits

The social skills boys learn at Cherry Gulch extend far beyond their time at the school. Boys who struggle with social isolation due to excessive gaming are empowered to re-enter their home and school environments with new tools to thrive. They leave Cherry Gulch better equipped to:

  • Build meaningful friendships
  • Resolve conflicts with peers
  • Communicate effectively with family members
  • Participate in group activities
  • Balance their time between technology use and real-world interactions

In the long run, these skills translate into improved academic performance, healthier relationships, and a greater sense of personal fulfillment.  At Cherry Gulch, the journey to rebuilding social skills after falling behind due to video games is both transformative and empowering. By providing a nurturing, structured environment that blends therapeutic support, outdoor activities, and technology management, Cherry Gulch helps boys rediscover the joys of real-world interactions. With newfound confidence and social capabilities, boys are prepared to overcome their gaming dependencies and succeed in life’s many social arenas.

Cherry Gulch is a highly specialized therapeutic program designed for boys ages 10-14 who are struggling with behavioral, emotional, and social challenges. It provides a structured, nurturing environment that helps young boys develop self-confidence, emotional regulation, and resilience. The program combines evidence-based therapy, experiential learning, and outdoor adventure therapy to ensure each student receives a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan. With a strong focus on mental health, executive functioning, and personal growth, Cherry Gulch offers highly trained therapists and tailored interventions for boys facing issues such as ADD/ADHD, reactive attachment disorder (RAD), anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, processing disorders, learning differences, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and trauma-related challenges. Through animal-assisted therapy, equine therapy, and outdoor adventure therapy, students build life skills, teamwork, and confidence while healing in a safe and structured environment. By integrating therapeutic intervention with a boarding school education, Cherry Gulch empowers boys to overcome their struggles, rediscover their strengths, and build a brighter future. Let us know if you are in need of a recommendation of any boarding schools. We also have good information on Christian boarding schools if you're looking for it.