The Contextual Nature of Virtue as an Interpersonal Trait

Guiding Greenbrier Academy for Girls in West Virginia, L. Jay Mitchell informs a therapeutic boarding school that provides a safe, supportive environment to young women for regaining a sense of balance and confidence. One of the core attributes emphasized at the school L. Jay Mitchell oversees is “virtue.”

Defined in general terms, virtue represents an act or quality that works to promote the “greater good” in a lasting way. Examples of this include behaviors that are helpful, honest, forgiving, compassionate, and dependable. In many cases, virtue is contextually defined, as behaviors that would not be tolerated in one situation are acceptable in another. For example, while skipping class is generally not virtuous, it is viewed as normal in when undertaken in response to the passing of a loved one.

Within the context of learning at Greenbrier Academy, when one girl passes in confidence information about her personal struggles to another, she assumes that it will not be shared with others. Respecting this request builds trust and serves as a virtue. On the other hand, when that girl confides that she is harming herself through cutting as a way of relieving internal pain, virtue shifts to placing safety as a core value over interpersonal relations. Thus, informing a trusted adult such as a nurse becomes the virtuous action.

Teen Depression and a Proliferation of Social Media Expectations

Based in West Virginia, L. Jay Mitchell owns Greenbrier Academy for Girls and provides direction, oversight, and training at the therapeutic boarding school that assists young women in overcoming trauma. One common question among parents considering placing their offspring in L. Jay Mitchell’s school is why their teen daughters experience depression.

Unfortunately, the prevalence of social media apps, accessible at any time, has made it increasingly challenging for teen girls to maintain a positive self-image. Unrealistic body expectations and a competitive online ecosystem have left many teens with an inner feeling of emptiness and being alone. These troubled teens are not receiving the support and knowledge they need to manage unrealistic messaging and pressures delivered via social media proactively. This trend is reflected in a Journal of Abnormal Psychology study that uncovered an increase by more than 50 percent of major depression symptoms among teens over the past decade.

The positive news is that boarding schools such as Greenbrier Academy offer an ideal environment for unplugging from the digital environment and working to regain self-esteem and a sense of self-worth. Peer support is combined with family, group, and individual therapy sessions featuring individually assigned staff therapists and can help achieve lasting healing.