Skip to main content

Do We Actively Seek Teachable Moments?

By Stephen C. Schultz


I had an experience at Oxbow Academy a few weeks ago. It’s an experience that is transferable to just about any work environment. I hope you find this helpful as you interact with colleagues in your place of employment.

Thomas Holmes, our photographer, and I were at Oxbow taking pictures of the administration team. This included the Executive Director, Residential Director, Academic Director, and teachers. It also included the Clinical Director and therapists. All of these shots were for use on the website. We decided to take the pictures in the new horse arena so we could have a standard background, regardless of outside weather. In the future, because of the ever-changing weather, we will be glad to have a standard background.


I was standing next to the tack room with a group of teachers. I was making small talk and noticed a few of them standing there, watching Tony and Brita working with a student and a horse. There was no conversation happening with the teachers; they were 100% focused on the therapy session. Because of the distance and the activity, you could tell there was interaction and conversation going on between Tony, Brita, and the student, but you couldn’t hear much of what was being said. Yet, the teachers were still enthralled with the process.


I took a step closer to the teachers and asked if they knew much about equine therapy. They all shook their heads no. I started sharing some of the basics about equine therapy and why we use it. They would turn their heads to me and then turn back to Tony and Brita. I asked if they had met Tony and his wife, Brita. They said they had seen them around. I motioned for them to follow me, and we walked to the edge of the panels. I caught Tony’s eye, and he came over. We made introductions, and I asked Tony to explain a little about the process of equine therapy. Tony did what Tony does—he connected immediately with the teachers. He discussed what they were doing with this student (whom the teachers knew and cared for) and how equine therapy helps build competence, mastery, and resilience. Then, just like that, we were called to get pictures taken, and the experience was over.


I was thinking about this on the drive back to my office. I know one thing from that brief interaction: those teachers gained a deeper understanding of Oxbow Academy. They probably have a bit more pride in their association with the program and will likely interact with that particular student in a more informed way in the future.

So, in your particular workplace, do you have different departments that may not fully understand what you do? Are there aspects of other departments you don’t fully understand? Would it be helpful and contribute to an improved culture if you better understood the “big picture”? How can you make that happen?

In the world of therapy, we often hear the term “teachable moments.” Even the teachers themselves can have teachable moments!

If you would like more information about Oxbow Academy and the services we provide teens and their families, be sure to check out our website here: www.OxbowAcademy.net


Labels:
Location: United States

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. 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, ...
4 comments
Read more

When Emotional Pain Looks Like Manipulation: Oxbow Academy

By Stephen C. Schultz The teenage years are often full of complexity—especially for young people who struggle with impulse control, social understanding, or emotional regulation in relation to Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB). For some, this difficulty is compounded by co-occurring conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, or Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) . These teens may unintentionally find themselves caught in compulsive, confusing, or embarrassing situations—sometimes involving inappropriate behavior with siblings, neighbors and friends or accessing dark corners of the internet. As these patterns continue, parents are often left feeling overwhelmed, frightened, and unsure of what to do next. Some worry that law enforcement or government agencies might get involved. Others have already experienced the fear of having electronics confiscated or home environments scrutinized. In the midst of this chaos, many parents recognize that their child’s behavior isn’t just a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Measuring What Matters: Oxbow’s Edge in Predicting Progress

By Stephen C. Schultz Therapists are highly trained to guide, support, and assess progress. Yet, research continues to show that even experienced clinicians have mixed results at predicting which clients will improve, drop out, or struggle in therapy. This isn’t a critique of therapists—it’s a reality supported by data. And for those who place trust in residential treatment programs—families, school districts, educational consultants, and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)—this insight is critical. At Oxbow Academy , we take this seriously. That’s why we use validated, research-backed tools to supplement clinical intuition and track meaningful progress in real time. Research Shows: Intuition Isn’t Enough In a foundational study by Hannan et al. (2005), therapists failed to recognize which of their clients were likely to experience treatment failure—even when objective outcome data pointed to risks. Similarly, Hatfield et al. (2010) demonstrated that therapists tend to overestima...
1 comment
Read more