Skip to main content

Struggling Teen? What options do parents have?

 By Stephen C. Schultz

"What can we do to intervene in the life of our struggling teen?"

I hear this comment regularly. The number of times I have had this conversation with a family just outside the emergency room of their local hospital is too high to count! Self-harm and suicide attempts are incredibly stressful for everyone involved. Often, these teens are struggling with drug use, running away, poor grades in school, or simply feeling disenfranchised with life in general. Deciding which therapeutic option is best for their child and family can be overwhelming.


With hundreds of therapeutic programs and services to choose from, parents often feel confused and uncertain about where to turn for help. Here is a good place to start.

Recognized as the foremost leader in Research-Informed Treatment, RedCliff Ascent is an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program that accepts students from across the globe. If sitting in a stuffy outpatient office hasn't worked well for your son or daughter, the fresh air, outdoor living, hiking, and therapy under a tree might just be the solution!

While it doesn't lessen the pain of dealing with a wayward son or daughter, it can be helpful to realize you are not alone. Be sure to check out the website here: www.redcliffascent.com 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Young Boy and the Rattlesnake

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors note: This is a story used in a Wilderness Treatment Program. Many come to this program having struggled with depression, anxiety and substance use.)   Many years ago there was a young Native American who lived in the very land you are residing in. He decided to seek wisdom by journeying to the top of Indian Peak. As he approached the base of the mountain he came across a rattlesnake that slithered beside him. The snake coiled as if to strike and the young boy moved back quickly in fear of being struck by the snake’s deadly venom. At that instant the snake spoke to the boy saying, “Don’t be afraid of me, I mean you no harm. I come to you to ask a favor. I see that you are about to traverse to the top of Indian Peak and was hoping that you may be willing to place me in your satchel so that I don’t have to make the long journey alone.” The young boy surprised by the snake’s request quickly responded by turning down the offer, stating, ...

Perfectly Wicked - A new take on an old fairy tale!

Guest Blogger Amanda Schultz Age 15 There she was…hair as black as night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow. Standing by the window, washing dishes, whistling while she worked. Snow White. I shudder with disgust every time I hear her name. What kind of a name is that anyway? “Snow White”. Gahhh, it’s a name that practically begs to be made fun of. Yet, there she goes, frolicking around like she owns the Enchanted Forest. No. I’m the Queen. I’m in charge. My magic mirror was mistaken. I’m the Fairest of them all, not that sorry excuse for a princess. One bite from my poison apple and that air-head will be so ugly not even her mother could love her. And I will be the Fairest once again! I suppose that I should rewind a little bit. It wasn’t always a competition between Snow White and me. In fact, back in the day, we had a nice little system going on. I would rule the kingdom and practice my magic, while Snow did the dishes and tended the garden. She stayed out of my w...

An Open Letter to Parents Researching RedCliff Ascent

  By Stephen C. Schultz "We will forever be known by the tracks we leave." Having been raised in Oregon, I spent the majority of my free time during my childhood and teenage years steelhead fishing the coastal waters, climbing the Middle Sister in the Cascade Mountain Range, drifting the McKenzie River, and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. I have mentioned to friends, family, and colleagues on many occasions: “From a therapeutic standpoint, there is no better place to have a student’s issues manifested quickly than in a wilderness setting.” The question then becomes, “Why do therapeutic issues rise to the surface in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program like RedCliff Ascent ?” Throughout the years of teenage development, most teens spend a lot of time with friends. These friends think the same, dress the same, act the same, listen to the same music, and sometimes get into the same types of trouble. Some teens also develop patterns of communication and manipulation whi...