Skip to main content

The Polygraph: Lie Detector or Therapeutic Tool?

 By Stephen C. Schultz

“The polygraph is not what you think it is. It is not a lie detector machine... there is no such thing as a lie detector machine... and the polygraph is not one.” ~ John Pickup, Polygraph Examiner

Over the years, Oxbow Academy has consistently had to answer one question:

“Why do you use the polygraph?”




To provide an effective answer, it is important to understand the student population at Oxbow Academy. Oxbow works with students who have engaged in Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB). This behavior can take many forms and affect students in different ways. The one common factor is that it has impacted the student’s life—or the lives of their family members—in a chronically dysfunctional and unhealthy way. The students at Oxbow have often lived a life of secrets and manipulation. Their parents don’t trust them, and they frequently feel trapped in an unhealthy family dynamic.

Prior to enrolment at Oxbow, parents and mental health professionals regularly mention that they “feel in their gut” something more is going on. However, the students insist there is nothing else and continue their manipulative and avoidant behavior. Family relationships spiral out of control. Often, the student is quietly battling the demons of abuse, trauma, and addiction. Some students demonstrate anxiety, depression, and even self-harm behaviors.


So... why the polygraph?

Oxbow is not an adjudicated program and has no ties to the legal system whatsoever. In fact, each student is independently placed by their family. While funding sources may vary, it is ultimately the families who intervene on their son’s behalf.

One of the key factors in any positive therapeutic outcome is honesty. Healing cannot take place if the student is constantly lying or sharing half-truths with the clinician. The entire premise of the therapeutic alliance between the therapist and the student is built on trust. And the foundation of trust is honesty—honesty with their therapist, honesty with their family, and honesty with themselves.


The polygraph is simply a therapeutic tool. It allows the therapist to assume the role of an advocate for the student, helping them succeed in truthfulness. This process enables the therapist to guide the student in developing a genuine relationship with honesty. Over time, with therapeutic expertise, true healing takes place. Families are reunited, and students can repair relationships.

Be sure to review the evaluation process at Oxbow Academy!

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, ...
5 comments
Read more

Perfectly Wicked - A new take on an old fairy tale!

Guest Blogger Amanda Schultz Age 15 There she was…hair as black as night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow. Standing by the window, washing dishes, whistling while she worked. Snow White. I shudder with disgust every time I hear her name. What kind of a name is that anyway? “Snow White”. Gahhh, it’s a name that practically begs to be made fun of. Yet, there she goes, frolicking around like she owns the Enchanted Forest. No. I’m the Queen. I’m in charge. My magic mirror was mistaken. I’m the Fairest of them all, not that sorry excuse for a princess. One bite from my poison apple and that air-head will be so ugly not even her mother could love her. And I will be the Fairest once again! I suppose that I should rewind a little bit. It wasn’t always a competition between Snow White and me. In fact, back in the day, we had a nice little system going on. I would rule the kingdom and practice my magic, while Snow did the dishes and tended the garden. She stayed out of my w...
10 comments
Read more

An Open Letter to Parents Researching RedCliff Ascent

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