The Sweet Taste of Success

By Stephen C. Schultz

The stickiness was thrilling and annoying all at the same time. My fingers stuck to the side of the plastic cup as I lifted the fragrant elixir to my nose and smelled it one more time. Seeing the rusty color for the first time didn't scream "Drink Me!"...but, I did. So did about 12 other people who were standing there with me.

In fact, on a cool fall day in mid-October, at about 5000 feet above sea level, there isn't much that can beat the taste of fresh squeezed apple cider prepared tree to press in less than twelve hours time and less than fifty yards in distance.

This particular activity was set up to involve the students at Oxbow Academy. Each week they have an opportunity to participate in an Experiential Activity. An activity that is educational, fun, and relatable to the many emotional issues and concerns that these students have faced in their relatively young lives.

Earlier in the year, students went and picked raspberries and brought them back and made jam. Many of the students had no idea this is where jam came from.

One student asked, "Can we really eat this? It doesn't have a label of ingredients. How do we know it's ok to eat?"

That statement brought a chuckle from others and it lightened the moment with some humor. However, there was a hint of seriousness in the students tone. I had never contemplated the fact that today's teens are so innocent and naïve about where food comes from and how it's made. Yet, that innocence is lost at too early of an age with technology use, problematic sexual behavior (PSB), and other risky behavior.

Below are a few blog posts about Oxbow Academy. Oxbow is a place where students who find themselves embroiled in a world of risky behavior and declining grades can regain a solid footing. Be sure to take a look.

Teen Sexual Concerns - A Resource for Parent's

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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, ...

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...

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...

The Interpreted Rock

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