The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz There is something about August that always makes me reflective. Backpacks begin appearing in stores. Teachers begin preparing their classrooms. Parents start talking about bedtimes again. Kids wonder who will be in their class, whether they'll make new friends, and if they'll recognize anyone when they walk through the school doors that first morning. Before every school year begins, I find myself thinking about another kind of classroom. The early morning dew dripped from the branches of the Douglas fir trees all around me. Ferns and waist-high brush soaked my pants from the knees down with every step. My head bobbed up and down in a steady rhythm, not because of music, but because I was trying to survive. I looked down to make sure my footing was secure and then back up to keep my fishing pole from snagging in the branches overhead. It was quite the process for an eight-year-old making his way through the underbrush of the temperate rainforest we respec...

By Stephen C. Schultz Some stories never really grow old. They don’t depend on what’s trending or new—they speak to something lasting. These stories about fishing, fathers, and shared time outdoors are just that—evergreen pieces that remind us of what really matters. Fishing... It’s Really About Relationships In this 2019 post, I reflect on what begins as a simple day—tinkering with an old boat, clearing space in the garage, and trying to decide whether the weather justifies a few casts. As the day unfolds, it becomes clear that fishing isn’t really the point. Instead, it’s about the feeling of being outside, the memories that come with every step, and the connection built when you invite someone along for the ride. It’s a reminder that time spent together doesn’t need a big plan—it just needs to be shared. The One That Got Away – A Tribute to My Father Originally published in 2010, this story takes you back to a fishing trip on Collard Lake in 1973. As a young boy, my father and ...

By Stephen C. Schultz Spring is in the air, and that familiar urge to get out of the house and go fishing is surging through my veins. Just the other day, I found myself wandering through the fishing lure aisle at a sporting goods store. Later, as I stood in the yard after mowing the lawn, I noticed my small 12-foot fishing boat still covered from winter and waiting for action. Over the years, people have asked me, “What’s so fun about fishing?” They often follow it up with, “Isn’t it boring?” From my perspective, they couldn’t be more wrong. Fishing is so much more than just a pastime. It’s about immersing yourself in nature, breathing fresh air, and enjoying solitude. It’s an opportunity to think deeply, reflect on life’s challenges, and express gratitude for your blessings. There’s also the joy of observing the water, identifying a hatch, and skillfully placing a lure or fly in just the right spot. Then comes the thrill of the fish striking—followed by that exhilarating twinge in ...

By Stephen C. Schultz Research Link – A Comparison Group Study (Time limited link) Highlights This comparison group study looked at the impact of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare longitudinally on youth participants as reported by their parents. Findings showed that youth participant’s one-year post participation in OBH treatments were functioning significantly better than youth who remained in their communities. Regression analysis showed the only significant predictor of change was participation in the treatment group. Dr. Steven DeMille ~Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Model program offers long term positive results to teens and families~ In 2007, Dr. Steven DeMille found himself working as a field guide in the back country of extreme Southwestern Utah. He was in charge of the activities of daily living for a group of nine students who were enrolled at RedCliff Ascent . Steve, as well as two or three other staff members who were r...

By Stephen C. Schultz Please allow me to share an experience I had at Discovery Academy . It's simply a reminder of why we do what we do! A couple of months ago, I was over at Discovery Academy walking on campus headed to the academic center. Some of the students came up to me and asked who I was. We started talking and I asked them where they were from and we simply had some casual small talk. One of the girls said; “Hey, I remember you! You came out to RedCliff and had someone with you on a tour.” I replied; “Yes, you have a fantastic memory! I must say...a much better memory than I have. Please share your name with me again." She mentioned her name was Jordan and she started sharing with me what a great experience attending RedCliff Ascent was for her. She had that wilderness sparkle in her eye as she spoke and started to monopolize the conversation a little bit. She obviously still struggled with a few social deficits, but I’m sure things are muc...

Guest Blog Post by Moonstone Tiger 120 (Jordan) RedCliff Ascent Wilderness program is a place for troubled kids to work on themselves in a safe environment with an experienced group of people who want the best for each & every student as well as their families. My name is Jordan & I attended RedCliff Ascent , a wilderness treatment program. My first few weeks were rough & all I wanted was to refuse and get pulled. If you are a parent reading this... DON’T pull your child!!! It is really difficult & you really miss them at first, but it is beyond beneficial in the end. Once I was motivated & worked on myself the staff were always there to talk to me & work with me through rough times. In wilderness, everyday is a new day which is very helpful & every piece of progress you make is always recognized by those around you so you feel good about the change you’re making. Not only did RCA support me in my change, they also incorporat...

Guest Blog                                                                                                       Call 801-921-8488 By Steven DeMille, PhD, LCMHC  Executive Director RedCliff Ascent If you find yourself reading this article, there is a good chance that you are struggling with your son or daughter in some way. Please know you are not alone. Teens and young adults are facing more and more pressure to excel with the knowledge that mistakes are instantly known about through social media. Relationships with parents also suffer as adolescents and young adults struggle with attachment, trauma, anxiety and depression issues. Sometimes a structured and deliberate time away can be helpful.  RedCliff Ascent...

By Stephen C. Schultz Having been raised in Eugene, Oregon, I am very familiar with the term evergreen . I grew up exploring the temperate rainforests of Western Oregon. I have spent many nights camping in the rain under cedar, western hemlock, and Douglas fir trees, to name a few. The rhythmic sound of water droplets falling from a hundred-foot tree to the forest floor brings a sense of peace, comfort, and fond memories found nowhere else. Even though I don’t consider myself a professional blogger, over the years, I have become somewhat intrigued by blogging lingo. I regularly hear that “Content is King,” and every once in a while, I come across an article mentioning “Evergreen Content.” Evidently, evergreen content refers to written material that never becomes outdated. I was recently reading through some of my older blog posts and was amazed at how many of them contain timeless subject matter. I may have written an article three years ago—or even five—but the principles remain un...

 By Stephen C. Schultz As we enter the holiday season, my hope is that it brings meaningful time with family and moments of renewed connection. For many, this time of year is restorative. For others, it can quietly intensify what is already fragile. It is a difficult reality that inquiries often increase around the holidays. When teens are already struggling, the added expectations, social pressures, and family dynamics of the season can amplify underlying issues. If you are a parent finding yourself in that place, please know you are not alone. Adolescents who are navigating depression , anxiety , trauma , or complicated peer relationships often experience the world in ways that feel narrow and rigid. That isn’t a criticism, it is developmental reality, particularly when emotional concerns are layered onto typical adolescence. Perspective can become constricted. Reactions can become heightened. Some teens who struggle academically or act out with anger develop a guarded stance tow...

By Stephen C. Schultz As a field guide with RedCliff Ascent, you’ll get paid for being outside with a whole bunch of people who like the outdoors as much as you do. You’ll make your living working with struggling teens that are privately placed with us by their parents from across the globe. You will have the  opportunity  to work  closely  with therapist and other allied health professionals. RedCliff is un-like anything you’ve ever experienced. It’s work without walls. This job makes you better, stronger and surer of who you are and what you want in life. It’s an experience you will never forget! You can have it here at RedCliff Ascen t.  For well over 20 years, the staff at RedCliff have helped thousands of teenagers and their families find a new beginning. RedCliff is an extraordinary wilderness treatment program with research based outcome studies to back up its success. The effectiveness of the progra...

By Stephen C. Schultz The air was thin and cool. Stars speckled the sky as the faint, flashing strobe of a commercial airline silently glided across the cosmos. The leaves rustled in a slight breeze that carried the unmistakable hum of crickets through the canyon. I turned and noticed the feather of a bird of prey dangling from the limb of a pine. There was a nervous energy that seemed out of place in such calm surroundings. This was the beginning of an early morning Phase Review for three students enrolled at Oxbow Academy. They stood at the trailhead, a little disheveled and groggy. The boys circled up and had a brief conversation with the therapists about situations in their lives where they had made decisions that betrayed the trust of their parents and other loved ones. In fact, some of their behaviors had been downright painful for others to endure. The conversation then shifted to the various struggles of life. The therapists pointed out that the trail they would hike repr...

By Stephen C. Schultz The clouds were wispy and white…threadlike with the texture of a painter’s stroke. There was an almost imperceptible dull roar in the background of birds chirping and rustling leaves. When walking through the underbrush of the Western Oregon temperate rain forest, you become dependent upon your sense of hearing and pay close attention to every sound. The gold spotted Thomas Lure at the end of my pole six feet in front of me was bouncing up and down, spinning around and generally getting as tangled as physically possible. The barbed hooks on the lure managed to pierce every fern along the ground and grab every swooping cedar limb above my head. For a nine year old, taking ten minutes to go ten steps seemed like an eternity. Having to focus on each step directly in front of me as well as the end of the pole six feet out was a skill only those champions of “Wack-A-Mole” could appreciate…and I was not a champion! The goal of this adventure was a riv...

 By Emma Schultz, Age 12 Guest Blogger There once was a worm named Bob. He finally earned his job! After he ate... he was used as bait! He didn't have time to sob! Editor's Note: You can also read another post about my daughter here: The Pizza Caper: A Nine-Year-Old's Sneaky Adventure!

Guest Blogger: Steven DeMille, LCMHC, PhD Executive Director – RedCliff Ascent Wilderness therapy provides many opportunities for teens and young adults to have life-altering experiences. With an increase in international students attending school in the U.S., RedCliff Ascent has seen a rise in international enrollments over the years. These students come to RedCliff because they are struggling in their current academic settings or suffering from emotional concerns that are becoming unmanageable.   Below are some helpful points associated with international students and RedCliff Ascent : Wilderness therapy has a strong history as a character-building intervention, which supports academic success. Emotional distress is a major contributor to academic failure. Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH) originally emerged as an intervention for struggling university students. It assists in the development of students' emotional growth, resilience, and self-discipline. Wilderness ther...

By Stephen C. Schultz   Editors Note: This is an excerpt from some of the material that teens and young adults learn while at RedCliff Ascent . Much of the work that is done by students is to gain physical competency, develop emotional insight and demonstrate improved maturity.   Fire “In the time before this one, there was great excitement in the Sky Country . It was the Day of Giving . All of the spirit people were to receive a gift from the Creator—whatever they desired. There was much pushing and shoving (even some fighting) in the long line that led to the lodge of the Sky Father . As each spirit approached the Maker, they knelt and asked for a gift they believed would help them in the world below. Some wanted cunning; others asked for strength, keen eyes, or sharp ears. Some desired the ability to run fast, to fly high, or to dig deep. Some wished to live on the land, others under the water. To each one, a gift was given according to their need and the trut...