Skip to main content

Are the Holidays a good time for a family intervention?

By Stephen C. Schultz


As we enter this Holiday Season, I hope the Holidays bring meaningful time spent with family and the joy associated with renewed relationships.

It is sad, but true…every year RedCliff Ascent has an increase in inquiries around the Holidays. Teens that tend to be struggling anyway seem to escalate their behavior around the Holidays for some reason. If you are a parent and find yourself in this situation, please know that you are not alone.



Adolescents who are struggling with depression, anxiety, peer relationships or trauma typically tend to view the world in a very narrow and rigid manner. This really is not a judgment as much as it is simply stating a fact. It is difficult for them to move beyond the very ego-centric orientation that they have adopted around their environment and their relationships. Some would say this is “normal” adolescence complicated with emotional concerns.

Some adolescents, those struggling in school or those who tend to act out with anger, maintain a very guarded view of their relationship with their parents.  It is not uncommon for an out-of-control teen to view his or her parents more as contemporaries rather than acknowledge the parents have achieved a higher level of experience and wisdom throughout their lives.  Some adolescents blatantly demand that they be the ones in control of the family dynamic and not their parents.  They conceitedly see themselves as peers to their parents.


We have found that adolescents tend to be much more receptive to information, instruction and feedback from adults when they are in a neutral environment and there is no immediate concern about dominating the interaction with their parents. They will however, try to maintain control of their situation, often through immature and impulsive means.



You can read more about how teens will try to exert influence over their surroundings when they really have limited life perception here.

An Open Letter to Parents Researching RedCliff Ascent


It is interesting to see how they use the same techniques and manipulative skills that got them in trouble in the first place.

The term “out-of-control” conjures up visions of disrespectful, substance abusing, belligerent, angry adolescents. However, it is equally applicable to depressed, anxiety ridden teens that may be suffering from ADHD, NLD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. When teenagers struggle with these clinically complicated issues, their life does feel out of control in a very real sense.

There is hope for treatment resistant teens!
The above link is a personal experience I had with RedCliff Ascent a few years ago. I hope you find it helpful. This article discusses the clinical efforts used to reinsert the adolescent into the appropriate developmental stage with the family. 
Labels:

Comments

Annie james said…
In my experience, the holidays can be a challenging time for a family intervention. While the season brings everyone together, it’s not always the best environment for serious conversations. People are often stressed or distracted by holiday festivities, which can make it harder to focus on the issue at hand. However, I’ve found that using services like Thesis Writing Service has helped me stay organized in such situations.
January 3, 2025 at 12:42 AM
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