Skip to main content

The Subtle Process of Healing



By Stephen C. Schultz


The weather was wonderful…about 55 degrees Fahrenheit and blue skies. The warm sun was absorbed by my face as the sage and junipers swayed gently in a cool breeze blowing from the West. There is nothing quite like the smell of sage growing wild in the high mountain deserts of the Southwest.

I was sitting on a small boulder outside the kitchen at Discovery Ranch for Girls. DRG is a residential facility that provides personal and customized care to young teenage girls who struggle with emotional concerns. 

I walked up some stairs and into the lodge (Kitchen and eating area) and heard some discussions going on in the kitchen. I walked in and there were five girls all being instructed on how to make a cob Salad. There was one girl slicing tomato’s and another had cut up celery. There was one student chopping lettuce and a girl at the stove boiling eggs and cooking bacon. They were smiling and talking and laughing and learning and feeling and simply being “normal” teenage girls! 

Residential Treatment Center


I heard the dull roar of conversation as the rest of the girls entered the Lodge to eat lunch. I walked out of the kitchen to the dining area and one of the girls ran up to me and said,

“Hi Steve…I got to ride my horse today!”

“Good for you!” I responded. “It’s good to see you again”

Residential Treatment Center

She smiled and then walked off to get in line for lunch. What she didn’t know was that I noticed the scratches and raw pink colored sores on her arms. I started talking with a different girl and a therapist that walked in the room. We slowly made our way to the lunch line. I ended up standing next to the first girl who was able to ride her horse earlier in the day. I looked at her arm again and said,

“You do that with a pencil eraser?”

She responded, “Yeah, I got in a bad head space not too long ago.”

“You OK now?” I said with a raised eyebrow and a sincere tone.

“Yeah”, she said a little sheepishly.

I mentioned, “That’s good! The important thing is that you work through it and heal on the inside as well as the outside. I imagine riding your horse is really helpful.”

She simply looked up and smiled…a twinkle in her eye. Then she turned and grabbed a plate, dished herself some salad and taco’s, and sat down with the other girls at the table!

Below is a link to a short video that I hope you will find inspiring!

Discovery Ranch for Girls - Mission Statement



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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 for Young Adults . Many come to this program having struggled with substance abuse and interacting with unsavory friends.)   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 b
Post a Comment
Read more

An Open Letter to Parents Researching RedCliff Ascent

By Stephen C. Schultz "We will be known forever by the tracks we leave." Having been raised in Oregon, I spent the majority of my childhood and teenage year’s 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
9 comments
Read more

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
4 comments
Read more