The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz As a field guide with RedCliff Ascent, you’ll get paid for being outside with a whole bunch of people who like the outdoors as much as you do. You’ll make your living working with struggling teens that are privately placed with us by their parents from across the globe. You will have the  opportunity  to work  closely  with therapist and other allied health professionals. RedCliff is un-like anything you’ve ever experienced. It’s work without walls. This job makes you better, stronger and surer of who you are and what you want in life. It’s an experience you will never forget! You can have it here at RedCliff Ascen t.  For well over 20 years, the staff at RedCliff have helped thousands of teenagers and their families find a new beginning. RedCliff is an extraordinary wilderness treatment program with research based outcome studies to back up its success. The effectiveness of the progra...

By Stephen C. Schultz It can be tempting to explain certain childhood behaviors as temporary or situational. High-stimulus environments, sugary foods, disrupted routines, and heightened excitement can all affect energy levels and emotional regulation . For some children, these factors may contribute to occasional restlessness or impulsivity. However, for families raising a child with ADHD , the experience is far more complex and persistent. Parents often describe embarrassing moments in public, frequent calls from school, and daily struggles with frustration, arguing, and exhaustion. Many find themselves deep in research, navigating medical appointments, and weighing decisions about treatment and medication—all while trying to support their child with patience and understanding. If you are new to the overwhelming world of parenting a child diagnosed with ADHD, I hope the information below feels helpful and encouraging. If you are a seasoned parent who has been walking this road for som...

 By Stephen C. Schultz An Attitude of Gratitude The wall approached quicker than expected! Lightly tapping the brakes did little to slow our momentum. Thankfully, the slight incline in the parking lot helped the car slide to a stop. Pushing the ignition button and pulling on the door handle, I bumped my left shoulder against the frame and slid out of the front seat, trying to find my balance on the icy pavement. My two colleagues stepped out as if nothing unusual had happened, seemingly unaware that we had just slid into our parking spot. Together we gingerly shuffled across the slick lot, stepped up onto the curb, and inched our way along the walkway to the door. Our purpose that morning was to visit RedCliff Ascent for a meeting with their clinical team about treatment plans and documentation. But first, we needed breakfast. We stopped at a small-town McDonald’s just off the interstate—about halfway through our four-hour drive. Inside, we ordered the usual breakfast fare. While ...

By Stephen C. Schultz When parents face struggles with their teen, they often turn to outpatient therapy as the first step toward healing. Many times, this is a positive experience and the family begins to make progress. However, just as often, teens may see the therapist as an extension of their parents—someone hired to “fix” them. This perception can lead to resistance, minimal engagement, and little progress. Over time, the therapist may become discouraged, and parents begin searching for other options. This search can be frustrating and costly. In some cases, the family’s situation may even worsen, leaving parents questioning whether therapy was the right choice in the first place. A Parent’s Perspective: “Ryan, my friend Lacy, spoke with you regarding her daughter, Sara. I just wanted to let you know I recommended RedCliff because of the great experience my daughter, Rae, and I had. She’s a mom now and is starting nursing school next week! I will always believe the lessons s...

By Stephen C. Schultz Top 5 Signs of Adolescent Technology Addiction I recently received some fascinating insights about gaming and technology use from a good friend of mine, Chris Mulligan, LCSW . Chris is the founder of the Cyber Addiction Recovery Center , located in Culver City, CA . He shared with me a list of the top five signs of technology addiction in teens. Chris and I had the opportunity to spend some time with students enrolled at Oxbow Academy in rural Utah. These students face a variety of challenges, but a recurring theme seems to be their relationship with technology. The Fine Line of Healthy Technology Use Can technology be used in a healthy way? Absolutely. When managed appropriately, technology offers countless opportunities for teens to excel, learn new skills, and even explore future career paths. However, it’s a delicate balance—one that requires parents to stay engaged and regularly check in with their teens about their technology habits. Here...

  By Stephen C. Schultz I walked in the door at home after a long day of work and made my way to the kitchen when my cell phone rang. It was my wife, calling from the doctor’s office. She mentioned that my 14-year-old daughter had an infection and needed antibiotics. She told me the doctor’s office had just called in the prescription to a Walgreens store down the street. I wasn’t excited to leave the house again, but I turned around, grabbed my keys, slipped my shoes back on, and headed out the door. I pulled into the parking lot and got out of my car. My short walk across the lot was met with a welcome blast of cool air as I stepped through the automatic doors. Even though the kids were back in school, it was still summer as far as the weather was concerned. Once inside, I made my way to the back corner of the store, where the pharmacy was, halfheartedly noticing the nondescript music playing overhead. As I rounded the corner of the aisle, I was met with a line of about ten p...

By Stephen C. Schultz The air was crisp with the feel of late summer. A dull glow was slowly appearing over the muted green horizon that was laced with the tops of large Douglas Fir trees. I stood next to the trunk of one of those very trees, gazing out upon the calm morning water that would bring with it a day of fishing. With my son, my father, my brother in-law and my nephew, we set out on the water. In fact, it was a day that began a week of travel that included three different lakes, fishing and family visits. The lakes were Odell Lake in Central Oregon, Collard Lake on the Oregon Coast and Bear Lake that splits the Utah and Idaho border. Activities included the before mentioned fishing but also much needed time with grandparents, uncles, aunts cousins and extended family. There was blood from the prick of a fish hook. There was sweat from time spent cleaning and sweeping the roof and rain gutters of grandparents too frail to keep up with the never-endin...

Posted by Stephen C. Schultz Submitted by Jason This is a message sent to RedCliff Ascent by a former student. I’ll simply let the pictures and the message speak for themselves. “I just wanted to write to you and let you know that looking back at the experience that I had gone through there, although challenging at times, in looking back at the whole experience I believe that it was beneficial to me.  To this day I enjoy the knowledge of being able to start a fire with the bow drill, and knowing how to survive in a challenging environment.  The most memorable staff member was a lady by the name of White Winds, an older lady with the longest and whitest hair I have ever seen.  I have a box of all of the clothes in my basement and every time that I open the box I am engulfed with the smell of 99 days of fire and wilderness.  While reading the first page of the website I noticed a quote from a former student, who said,  ‘I don't ...

By Stephen C. Schultz Vertical thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves a logical, step-by-step process to reach a solution. It is characterized by: Structured Reasoning : Following a sequential path, where each step builds on the previous one. Focus on Accuracy : Emphasizing correctness and adherence to established rules or patterns. Analytical Approach : Breaking down problems into smaller parts and analyzing them systematically. Exclusion of Alternatives : Narrowing down options rather than exploring diverse possibilities. Please allow me to introduce you to Oxbow Academy. The administration team has been working with teens who demonstrate Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB) since 2001. The very specialized and clinically sophisticated evaluation process of Oxbow was launched in 2007. Oxbow offers treatment for sex specific issues and provides evidence based and data informed care for each student. Oxbow Academy is on the cutting edge of research and ...

By Stephen C. Schultz The clouds were low and gray. A few drops tapped the bill of my hat as I pushed the mower along the edge of the sidewalk. The smell of damp, cut grass filled the air, and a slight breeze blowing from the west let me know a rain shower was on its way. It was the middle of the morning, and I felt a bit of pressure to get the lawn mowed before the storm rolled in. So, I was focused and moving at a little quicker pace than normal. I looked up and saw three of the neighbor kids climbing in one of my trees. I kept the mower going and moved closer to the tree. On my way towards them, they noticed that I saw them. They looked away and then glanced back at me with that childhood curiosity that screams: “Is he going to tell us to get down? Are we going to get in trouble? Will he tell our parents?” In the fifty feet it took me to get to the tree, I also had a flood of thoughts. I recalled many instances in my childhood climbing trees and having make-believe adventures ar...

By Stephen C. Schultz Many young adults today—typically between the ages of 18 and 26—find themselves contemplating mental health treatment of some kind. This realization often emerges as they struggle to maintain academic performance while balancing partying, gaming, or other high-stimulation activities. Some flunk out of college and return home. Others graduate high school, remain with their parents, and move from job to job without fully transitioning into adulthood. From a trauma-informed and neurodivergent perspective, these patterns are not simply about immaturity or defiance. They are often adaptive responses to overwhelm, executive functioning challenges , unmet support needs, or chronic stress. When coping strategies begin to fail, pressure from family increases, relationships become strained, and symptoms such as anxiety, depression, emotional shutdown, or irritability may intensify. Over time, this pattern is commonly labeled “ failure to launch .” When circumstances esca...

 By Stephen C. Schultz At Oxbow Academy, we’re redefining what education can look like. Our academic program is one of the most innovative systems anywhere, designed to meet students where they are and help them move forward with confidence. Spend just a couple of minutes with us and see how learning takes on new meaning at Oxbow Academy. When you think of school, what comes to mind? Probably classrooms, teachers, lectures, chalkboards, projectors, tests, semesters, class periods, and ringing bells. You might even picture hall monitors, food fights, tardy slips, and cramped lockers. In that traditional model, time is the constant — five days a week, sixteen weeks per semester, two semesters a year, with a summer vacation in between. Time moves forward no matter what, while learning becomes the variable . But what if we turned that idea upside down? What if we made learning the constant and time the variable ? That’s exactly what we do at Oxbow Academy. Each student begins at thei...

By Stephen C. Schultz Life experience is only as valuable as our interpretation of it! Do teens know how to work anymore? Do they know how to meet the needs of an employer? Are they always looking for the next exciting activity, trip, technology or game? What are they learning from a society of instant gratification? Has substance abuse and emotional concerns increased because our teens are constantly searching for the next thrill, but never able to find it? When teens and young adults find themselves battling the demons that are associated with emotional concerns and family turmoil, they miss out on some crucial life and work experiences. Throughout their young lives, the focus has been on their journey through the Adolescent Stages of Development. What has been missing are the very important Formative Stages of Career Development. I don't see the paperboy anymore or the bag boy/girl at the grocery store. We have online news and self check out at the s...

By Stephen C. Schultz For many parents, the first night their child spends at RedCliff Ascent is the first night they have slept peacefully in a long time. There is no more wondering where she is or if she will come home safely. RedCliff Ascent is the wilderness program parents choose when it’s time to intervene and stop the sleepless nights. Your child thinks and behaves as though the whole world is her personal playground. No responsibilities. No consequences. No problems. In other treatment settings, your teen may be labeled only by his diagnosis:  Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, ODD, bipolar mood disorder, or others.        At RedCliff, they know the teen and their illness are two distinctly separate matters. Their therapeutic model addresses each one specifically. “We are not a high adventure recreation camp or a boot camp or any other kind of camp” said Scott Schill, Executive Director. “If a camp or recreational activi...

  By Stephen C. Schultz As an executive in a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) that works with students who are demonstrating Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB), I regularly get calls and emails from the media. Some are legitimately interested in learning more about the issue… others are only looking for a few controversial or humorous sound bites. I recently had a conversation with a journalist from the UK by the name of Trisha R. It was obvious through her questioning that she had some preconceived notions and ideas about sexual issues in general. I would like to share with you some of her questions and some of my responses. My reason for this is that I’m sure many parents probably have some of the same questions, even if they are not discussed personally with allied health professionals. She asked some very general questions that leaned toward a simplistic view of sexual issues, so I tended to answer her questions with more refined questions. Most parents want to avoid having t...

By Stephen C. Schultz This information has been gathered to assist educational consultants, clinicians, and other allied health professionals. Please feel free to visit each of the sites to learn more! Discovery Ranch for Boys – Boys' RTC Discovery Ranch for Boys is a residential treatment center (RTC) designed for boys who are highly anxious and socially awkward. The program focuses on students who tend to "act in," rather than "act out." The treatment model is experiential and incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as well as therapeutic services such as Calf and Equine Therapy. The program also offers specialized therapeutic services for boys on the autism spectrum (ASD). Oxbow Academy – Boys RTC Oxbow Academy serves boys with anxiety, social awkwardness, and sexual concerns. It specializes in treating Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) and poor social boundaries. The academy provides comprehensive psycho-sexual evaluations and functional as...

By Stephen C. Schultz “Mom!... Mom!... Mom!” she exclaimed as she burst into the room. The rough, worn door—weathered by age—stuck for just a moment as she turned the knob and simultaneously shoved it with her shoulder. With a single, unrestrained motion, she was through. The glass pane rattled, and the faux wood blinds swayed back and forth as she caught the edge of the door with a left-handed backswing, sending it whistling shut behind her. Past the old wood stove and into the kitchen, she kept calling, “Mom!... Mom!” While I’m not her mom, but her dad, I finally responded, “What is it, hon? What’s the matter?” She turned toward me, breathing heavily, and said with excitement, “It was so cool! We sang Over the Rainbow and Puff the Magic Dragon with them!” Still catching her breath, her words came in short, rapid bursts. “We even painted their nails! It was so fun… but so sad. They were so happy to see us. One lady even played the ukulele—she was so talented!” Th...