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The tangled birds nest...a fisherman's tale

By Stephen C. Schultz The clouds were wispy and white…threadlike with the texture of a painter’s stroke. There was an almost imperceptible dull roar in the background of birds chirping and rustling leaves. When walking through the underbrush of the Western Oregon temperate rain forest, you become dependent upon your sense of hearing and pay close attention to every sound. The gold spotted Thomas Lure at the end of my pole six feet in front of me was bouncing up and down, spinning around and generally getting as tangled as physically possible. The barbed hooks on the lure managed to pierce every fern along the ground and grab every swooping cedar limb above my head. For a nine year old, taking ten minutes to go ten steps seemed like an eternity. Having to focus on each step directly in front of me as well as the end of the pole six feet out was a skill only those champions of “Wack-A-Mole” could appreciate…and I was not a champion! The goal of this adventure was a riv
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Video Games, Anxiety and ADHD - Free Family Resources

 By Stephen C. Schultz Video Games, Anxiety and ADHD - Is there a common theme? Aloft Transitions Home for Young Adults This is simply a complimentary resource guide for parents of teens and young adults who struggle with ADHD, Anxiety and Gaming. ADHD:   • Russell Barkley,  Taking Charge of ADHD • Hallowell & Ratey,  Delivered from Distraction • Harvey Parker,  The ADD Hyperactivity Workbook for Parents, Teachers, & Kids • Bradley & Giedd,  Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy!: Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your  Mind  • Gurian, Michael,  The Minds of Boys Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and  Life, 2005. • Hanna, Mohab,  Making the Connection: A Parents’ Guide to Medication in AD/HD • www.CHADD.org  (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) • www.help4adhd.org • www.aap.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) • www.aacap.org (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Young Adult caring for new baby calf Anxiety: The following websites
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Navigating the world of young adults

 By Stephen C. Schultz Please allow me to share a brief conversation I had with my Brother Jared Schultz (PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling and Department Head at VCU) that I thought might be helpful.  Jared and I were discussing my transition to Aloft (Integrated residential treatment for young adults) and we were simply having a general conversation. This conversation obviously included helping young adults make the transition to self-supporting, responsible, productive members of society. Often this is a subtle struggle after receiving mental health services and various interventions over time.  While in the process of dealing with clinically complicated concerns, that often include depression, anxiety, ADHD, ASD and other co-occurring developmental issues, these young adults have had limited opportunities to focus on career, educational and independent living aspirations. When the treatment interventions are no longer the focus, they then feel behind in their social and career devel
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One, Two, Three… FALL!

By Dr. Stephanie Mattson “Pop!” ...The sound of a cap gun going off was barely heard over the sound of the Frankie Lane album playing on the old record player in the corner. In addition to those two consistent sounds, a new sound was added. A hollow banging; the sound of somebody tumbling down the stairs. This medley of strange sounds was coming from two young boys. Stephen and Scott, brothers, age ten and six, were playing one of their favorite games. The game was called “Stunt Man” and was a regular after – school activity for the two troublemakers. “Stunt Man” was a game designed with a cleverness that took a unique kind of genius to appreciate. Many would say the game was reckless, stupid or just a big waste of time, but to Scott and Steve, the game they had invented was first on their unspoken list of childhood pleasures. The game “Stunt Man” was played on the stairs and worked best if the staircase was narrow. The object of the game: to see which boy could fall the most realistic
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Life transitions are inevitable! I'm no exception

By Stephen C. Schultz This is just a quick email to share with you that after 20 years with the Ascent Companies, I am making a transition. I want you to know that the last 20 years have been more than I could have ever wished for. What a great opportunity I have had to not only work with, serve with and be friends with all who are a part of the RCA , DRG , DRB , Oxbow , Discovery Day PHP , Connections and Oasis programs. I owe such a debt of gratitude to the four original owners, Dane Kay, Steve Peterson, Scott Peterson and Jim Salsbury for seeing my potential and taking a risk on me back in 2002. Steve Nadauld, Brent Hall, Andrea Burgess, Clint Dorny, Shawn Brooks, Steve DeMille and the program teams have been like family and an absolute joy to be around.  I feel honored to have played a small role in the success you as educational consultants, private clinicians and us as treatment providers (working together) have had over the years on literally thousands of families.  #GRATITUDE
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Easy Reference Guide for Families

 By Stephen C. Schultz In a previous post I listed some well known self-help books for families. Below are some more books that parents may find helpful as they raise their kids.  Books: Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Interventions  by Michael Langberg Learning Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole Late, Lost, and Unprepared by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel Your Memory: How It Works and How To Improve It by Kenneth Higbee. The Work-Smart Academic Planner: Write It Down, Get It Done by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential   by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare Boosting Executive Skills in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Margaret Foster Websites: Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) http://www.chadd.org/ This website was originally created to support children with traumatic br
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A great list of self help books

 By Stephen C. Schultz A thorough list of self help books! Most people recognize that the COVID-19 Pandemic seriously disrupted life as we knew it. From sheltering in place to academic shut downs to economic down turn and unemployment...it is obvious there was an emotional toll on everyone. Over 53% of adults in the United States report that their mental health and substance use has become worse since the start of the pandemic due to stress, anxiety and simply worrying about COVID-19. Many also report having problems with sleeping, eating and increased use of alcohol. This information and more can be found at this link that contains data concerning the impact on mental health. I have spoken with parents who are still struggling with the associated issues of working from home or no work at all...and, their kids out of school trying to be educated online.  So, I have assembled a list of books and resources for families. There are certainly many more out there, but these are some of the
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"Sugar and Spice" ~ A feel good story amongst COVID-19

By Stephen C. Schultz "Sugar and Spice" A feel good story in the midst of the COVID-19  The isles were crowded with people, carts of food and forlorn faces. Empty shelves made up most of the store. No eggs; no water; no milk; no paper products; no pasta; no canned soup; no canned vegetables...other than pickled beets; no meat.  There was sadness. It wasn't chaotic, it wasn't frenzied. No one was speaking and everyone was keeping their distance. A few people wore masks while others donned surgical gloves. This was my excursion to the grocery store In these times of uncertainty. As I looked for a five pound bag of sugar and walked beside the spice rack on the baking isle, I was reminded of this blog post I wrote many years ago. In times of trial and adversity, sometimes it is nice to read or be exposed to something heartwarming and uplifting. Please enjoy this short piece about an experience I had with my family in San Diego.
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