Addiction...Recovery...Sobriety - The Pathway to Healing

By Stephen C. Schultz

Leaves fluttered to the ground as a crisp wind bit my cheeks. The tears welling up in my eyes were not based in emotion, but the chill in the air. The small creek to my left meandered down the canyon. The soft gurgling sound of running water as it crosses over ageless boulders is like music to my ears. A flock of Mallards bob their heads and glide effortlessly in the current as the water swirls into a back eddy just around the next curve. This is truly a "Place of Peace".

For many families and individuals alike, finding a place of peace seems to be a fleeting proposition. Whether it's a teenager, husband or wife, addiction is no respecter of person or societal status. Addiction doesn't discriminate. Addiction will bring emotional pain, family discord and misery to everyone it touches.

Addiction is a lier. It tells us there is no problem. It tells us we can handle it. It seduces us into thinking that any problems or personal issues are not our doing, but brought about by others. It convinces us that our narrow escapes from family and work failures are because of our exceptionally intuitive and skillful insight. All lies!

Below are some blog posts that discuss the principles surrounding Addiction, Recovery and Sobriety. There will be mountains to climb and some instability underfoot. However, it can get better. I hope these articles are helpful and lead down the pathway to a "Place of Peace".

Touching thank you from a grateful father

ACOA - The Problem

Teen and Alcohol: An International Snapshot

Teen party at the beach...a personal experience

Alcohol and teens...it's all about the cells

Teens and Alcohol - A Relationship on the Rocks

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Journalist explores teen sex addiction

Comments

Ryan K Biddulph said…

Inspiring Stephen. Ownership of addiction seems to be the turning point. If you own it, you can choose to live with it or be free of it.

November 20, 2018 at 2:59 PM

Stephen C. Schultz said…

Thank you Ryan for your comment. So true...ownership is the key!

November 20, 2018 at 3:19 PM

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

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

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

The Interpreted Rock

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