The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz I recently attended the Small Boarding School Association conference (SBSA) in Asheville, NC. It was held at a beautiful location, on the campus of Christ School . I was traveling with Brent Hall, the Executive Director of Discovery Academy ; a small clinical boarding school for bright under-achievers. When traveling, it’s often difficult to eat healthy. I’ve been traveling quite a bit… On this particular trip I noticed Brent was making an effort to eat healthy, and he had noticeably lost some weight over the last month or so. His commitment, self discipline and determination not only impressed me…but inspired me! We returned home late on a Friday evening and I got up the next morning, put on my shorts and went to the track over at our local High School. My goal; walk a lap to warm up. Then run a lap, then walk a lap, then run a lap, then walk a lap to cool down. This should be good for starters. The days of running a couple miles on a whim are long ...

Guest Blogger Jennifer C. Jones It was hidden in the rafters, the bedrooms, and throughout the house. Chad’s (not his real name) grandparents were finding pornography everywhere. Unusual behavior for a 16-year-old boy? Not really. But the couple had a bad feeling about the boy’s behavior. Those feelings were confirmed when they began to find stolen underwear he’d hidden away. When they confronted him, Chad admitted he had a problem. He told the couple he had sexually groped his younger brother on at least two occasions. His grandparents sought help from a therapist. But after 18 months of outpatient therapy they were still worried about Chad’s progress and behaviors.

By Stephen C. Schultz I was sitting in Atlanta, waiting for a flight to Bermuda. It was actually a work-related trip, and the conversation between my wife and me as I headed out the door went like this: “Yes, it’s Bermuda. But it’s a short stay, and we’ll be in a workshop the whole time.” “Oh... I’m crying crocodile tears!” she mocked. It was no use. There’s no way to gain anyone’s sympathy when you're headed to Bermuda. It is, without a doubt, a wonderful place. I’m fortunate to work with an organization that takes seriously the support and encouragement of families, no matter where they are located. While waiting for my flight, I received a message on my phone from a friend who said it had been a while since I posted something on my blog. She mentioned that she looked forward to seeing what was next. I mentioned this to my brother Jared, who was sitting next to me in the airport (why he was going to Bermuda with me is another story). I showed him the message from my friend ...

By Stephen C. Schultz “Bullet in my shoulder…blood…runnin’ down my vest. Twenty in the posse…and they’re never gonna let me rest! Till I became a wanted man I never even owned a gun. But now they hunt me like a mountain cat…and I’m always…Always…Always on the run! A wanted man…” With eyes constricted and focused, he ran to the cliff. It was the only way out. A narrow passage almost straight up. A six-shooter in his right hand and the holster strapped to his thigh, he new he might be meeting his maker soon. With one more step to freedom, it happened…the unmistakable sound of a pearl handled revolver. Blam…Blam…Blam. He arched his back, arms flailing to the side. The acrid smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the air, darkness closed in around him and he fell…tumbling head over heels until he slid to a stop at the base. With life still flickering, he sensed the hot breath of his nemesis. He felt the sharp blow of a kick in the side and the high-pitched voice yelled out…”Ok…good one, no...

By Stephen C. Schultz This is a link to some third party research on the effectiveness of RedCliff Ascent ; a wilderness treatment program for troubled teens. If you are a parent or a referring professional, it's important for you to know that the treatment being used is research informed. You would want to know that the gear being used is the safest and most reliable. You need to know that the therapists and staff are trained and what they are trained on. It's important to know that if there is an incident of illness, a sprained ankle or a cut that the incident is reviewed, discussed in a committee and documented for research purposes! Check out this link...I think you will find that wilderness therapy isn't what everyone thinks it is! http://www.redcliffascent.com/constantly-improving-wilderness-program-current-research/

By Stephen C. Schultz Leaves and twigs spun and tumbled through the rippling water of 21st street gutter. There was a steady rainfall that had tapered off with the sun now peeking out from behind the gray billowing clouds that so made their home the Willamette valley. I was lazily walking home from school, Jefferson Jr. High, where I attended the 7th grade. I had nothing particular on my mind, just the steady gait home. The water drops from the trees made a crackling sound as they hit the fallen leaves below. As I approached the driveway, I decided to bypass the steps that were made for a giant. I headed up the asphalt drive to the little winding walkway that led to the front door. As I walked through the door, I was met immediately by Dad, animated and excited with a serious look on his face. He said, “Steve, come here quick…to the patio. Scott is hurt!” I dropped my coat next to the stairs and ran around the table in the dinning room to the patio door. As I stepped throu...

By Stephen C. Schultz My business partner and I recently took a business trip to Bend Oregon. We decided to drive. We got into town just as a snowstorm came into town. It was literally a “Winter Wonderland” with cold, crisp air and fluffy snow. We spent the next day in meetings and the trip was very productive. Thursday, the day we were headed back home, turned out to be quite eventful. We headed out of town early on our way to Ontario, Oregon for a noontime appointment. It was about 6:55am and we were 10 miles out of town, headed east. The sky was beautiful. The pale morning light and wispy clouds glowed while the last shimmering stars started to fade. The pines were silhouetted against the horizon and the centerline in the road pulsed past with a rhythmic beat. We were doing about 60 mph when suddenly and without warning Brent and I were rocked out of our conversation and the car exploded upward and to the right. The car rocked right, then left then right again. I ...

By Stephen C. Schultz I receive calls and emails from media representatives as well as parents from across the globe. They are searching for answers...answers to help them relate to their teens. Technology has NOT brought the family closer together. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Anxiety in teens is up. Parental frustration is up. Families simply find themselves in situational battles more and more often. Teens tend to gravitate to friends who share this same experience in their own families. Together, they embrace teenage "group think" and inevitably end up in physically or emotionally compromising situations. At this moment, parents start searching for some type of intervention. Families in Europe have an opportunity to meet and learn from an experienced consultant who understands how wilderness therapy and other proven interventions can benefit troubled teens. I would like to introduce you to Graham Cook. You can learn more by clicking on the website .

By Stephen C. Schultz In a previous post I discussed some of the physical aspects of ingesting alcohol. In this post I would like to share some of the emotional aspects of using alcohol and the effect it can have on our relationships. This is particularly important for teens since adolescence is a rough time of life to navigate anyway. First, let’s create a foundation for this discussion by defining some terms. 1) Blackout – Simply stated, a blackout is a chemically induced “lack” of memory. It is not “passing out” and it is not “forgetting”. Experiences are not stored as memories due to alcohols effect on the neurons in the brain. Remember, alcohol permeates every cell membrane in the body. 2) Euphoric Recall – This is when you remember something that happened, after you ingested alcohol, in a way that makes it seem better than it was or worse than it was. The recollection is also based on what is “felt” and not on what “reality” was. There may also be short windows of t...