Skip to main content

Prioritizing You: Essential Self-Care Tips for Parents with a Son at Oxbow Academy

 By Stephen C. Schultz


Supporting your teen at Oxbow Academy can be emotionally and mentally challenging for parents and family members. Here are five self-care tips to help navigate this time while staying healthy and grounded:

1. Prioritize Your Mental Health

Why it matters: Having a child at Oxbow Academy can stir feelings of guilt, sadness, anxiety, or even past trauma. Addressing your emotions is crucial for maintaining balance and providing stable support for your teen.
How to do it:

  • Consider individual or family therapy to process your emotions.
  • Join a support group for parents with children in treatment.
  • Practice mindfulness or meditation to stay present.

2. Educate Yourself About the Oxbow Academy Process

Why it matters: Understanding your teen’s treatment plan and Oxbow Academy’s structure reduces uncertainty and fosters a sense of control.
How to do it:

  • Stay in regular contact with the Oxbow therapist assigned to your family.
  • Request reading materials or resources to learn about treatment methods.
  • Attend scheduled parent workshops and family sessions.


3. Maintain Healthy Routines

Why it matters: Stress can disrupt normal habits, but routines help you stay grounded and capable.
How to do it:

  • Eat balanced meals, exercise, and ensure you get enough sleep.
  • Dedicate time to hobbies or activities you enjoy.
  • Keep a consistent schedule for work and family responsibilities.

4. Build a Strong Support Network

Why it matters: Leaning on others eases the emotional burden and offers valuable perspective.
How to do it:

  • Share updates with trusted friends or family who offer understanding and support.
  • Network with other parents at parent seminars.
  • Accept help when offered, whether emotional support or practical assistance.

5. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

Why it matters: Healing is a journey with ups and downs. Acknowledging small wins and practicing patience is key.
How to do it:

  • Celebrate progress, even if it feels slow.
  • Let go of self-blame for past decisions or circumstances.
  • Practice self-compassion by reminding yourself that you’re doing your best in a tough situation.

Remember, prioritizing your well-being benefits both you and your teen during this challenging time. You can click on the following link for additional Self-Help resources.

Labels:
Location: United States

Comments

Hadiya Sultan said…
The self care tips is very essential for perfect lifestyle, Also seeking for the best report writing helper Malaysia to maintain tasks properly for scoring the top grades and focus on personal well being.
April 9, 2025 at 7:36 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