The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz This week has brought some very poignant and sad discussions. A very dear and valued colleague of mine shared with a group of us that her son, who has had some developmental difficulties throughout his young life, was having problems with his sight. She spent time this last weekend at a local Children’s Hospital and they informed her he was going blind because his brain was beginning to atrophy, and that it was terminal. She sat, with tears in her eyes, asking for our emotional support. She said, “I just want to raise him and love him like I’ve done these few short years.” I received a message today from a long time friend. She stated she was going through a divorce and that the relationship with her husband had deteriorated over the last 20 years. My heart sank and I was saddened not by the fact that she was separating from her husband, because I know she is strong and will be OK,   but by the fact that she has to go through the pa...

By Stephen C. Schultz Over the last few years or so I have noticed a surge in media coverage about bullying. My 8 th grade daughter Amanda mentioned the other night at dinner how a boy in one of her classes called her the “B” word in a totally unprovoked interaction. The boy sat directly behind her in class and they had just returned from the library. When I asked her why he would do that, she simply said; “I don’t know…I think he has a rough time at home and I think he is adopted.” Those certainly aren’t excuses for that kind of behavior nor does that particular life situation "cause" kids to be that way. However, Amanda realized he had some struggles in his life that most likely contributed to his behavior and she did not take it personal. While the comment probably took my daughter by surprise, she had the insight and confidence to weather that brief eighth grade social storm. The dinner discussion reminded me of a childhood experience I had with bullying....

By Stephen C. Schultz As parents, we generally know if our kids are spending too much time with technology. Whether it is cell phones, computer, gaming or simply TV, kids will start to demonstrate attitudes and behaviors that parents may not agree with. Often there are concerns over grades, disrespectful attitude, seclusion or the need for constant attention from peers. This is a blog post by Chris Mulligan, LCSW . Chris is a clinician and faculty member at University of Southern California ( USC) . He specializes in teen Tech Addiction . Please check out: Teen Internet and Video Gaming Addiction: Your Cyber Addicted Child's Digital Diet : If your child is showing signs of compulsive behavior related to the i nternet or gaming, you will need to seek assistance through a trained professional.

By Stephen C. Schultz When it comes to parenting techniques and styles, there is no shortage of clinical experts as well as self proclaimed self-help guru’s. There are books, webinars, CD’s and videos. These parenting resources offer help for everything from bedwetting to autism to substance abuse. Every parent knows there are times for obedience and there are times for compliance. But this is certainly not most of the time. Parenting is about relationships and mutual understanding. It’s about teaching and learning and growing together. However, as parents, we have life experience that our children and teens do not; therefore they are not our peers. Yet, parenting can be fun! Time spent at ballgames, vacations, dance performances, piano recitals and simply sitting around the dining room table create memories and shared experiences. It’s through meaningful time together that loving relationships are fostered and trust and respect is developed. Sometimes, regardless of the hom...

By Stephen C. Schultz Over the last year I have received about one call per month from different allied health professionals trying to get a student admitted to Oxbow Academy that is 18 yrs old or about to turn 18 in a few weeks. This is a problem because once a student is 18 yrs old, Oxbow cannot admit them because they are technically an "Adult". This last weekend I was communicating with a family that has a boy turning 18 in two weeks. He has some cognitive functioning deficits and functions at the level of a 13 yr old. He has a history of previously attending a wilderness therapy program where they addressed some substance abuse and depression . There was knowledge and a history of sexual concerns , but they were not addressed in the wilderness program . This family was set to bring him to Oxbow next week…he ran away. Should he end up in the adult legal system it will not be a good outcome for this boy or his family. We recently had a student come to Oxbow A...

By Stephen C. Schultz When teenagers start to struggle, the first thing to suffer is their relationships with parents, teachers, church leaders, and other responsible adults in their lives. They often push away the very people who care about them the most. During this time, teens may gravitate toward "friends" who they believe truly "understand" them. They frequently seek comfort, attention, entertainment, and excitement from peers who validate their attitudes and behaviors, even when those behaviors are unhealthy. This can lead to "groupthink" and a false sense of emotional security, especially when they spend time exclusively with like-minded individuals. Regardless of country or culture, healthy relationships are essential for fulfillment and a strong sense of self-worth. At Oxbow Academy, we specialize in helping students and families rebuild these critical relationships, particularly when problematic sexual behavior (PSB) has disrupted trust and stab...

By Stephen C. Schultz re·sil·ience Spelled [ri-zil-yuh ns] noun 1. The power or ability to return to the original form, position, after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity. The day started out better than most. It was Saturday morning and a cool 64 degrees. I stepped out the back door and turned the sprinklers on. I glanced skyward to the sound of about 15 Canadian “honkers”, flying in the standard V formation. The sky was blue, not a cloud in sight. Fall time at 5000 feet is a beautiful time of year. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a reflection beyond the fence and noticed a pool of water that did not represent the amount of time that the sprinklers were on. It was under a hemlock and I had never seen the water pool up like that before. So, I stepped around the fence to get a better look. I couldn’t see very well from my current vantage point and decided that the only way to get a good look was to dash into the yard…yes, I would get wet!...