The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz As I watched the crowds pushing and shoving on "Black Friday" this year, I was a bit saddened at what I saw. There were people knocked over, stepped on and pepper sprayed. There was grabbing and reaching and yelling. There were gang fights and people run over in parking lots. It seemed all semblance of human decorum had vanished and decency, consideration, patience and basic manners had crashed to a new low. I was reminded of a little boy in a remote village in Africa who knows nothing of the latest X-Box Game, cell phone, "tablet" or designer clothing. He was thrilled to get some clothes and a small portion of food. Take a look at this heartwarming Christmas experience for a young boy in Africa. During this Holiday Season, may we pause for a moment and find Joy in the simple things of life. May we also recognize the more subtle needs of others such as being wrapped in the "blanket" of belonging or "nourished" at t...

 Guest Blogger:  Linda Kavelin Popov In the last week of his life, my father gave me a gift I had yearned for since childhood. Like most parents of his generation, he thought that pointing out flaws and mistakes would shape my character and give me “backbone.” He believed that praise was unnecessary, even harmful. His criticisms, though well-intentioned, left a deep scar, still tender whenever I receive a hint of criticism, especially from my intimates. Looking frail, my father gathered the family around him and spoke words of praise we had never heard before. I was stunned by the strength he saw in me, his appreciation for my compassion and my service. The childhood chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” is a lie. Words can break our hearts. When our words are weighty, we need to weigh our words. We are mirrors to our children of who they are. The words we use about them have a profound effect on how they see themselves. Like so many o...

By Stephen C. Schultz I had the opportunity to speak with a mom (Kathy) whose son was 21 years old. He currently has some cognitive learning concerns and a history of being involved in residential as well as day treatment programs. He has struggled in various educational settings, is working part time with his father, but is becoming more and more discouraged. He sees himself as eventually being an independent and responsible member of society but is burdened by his deficits and the impact they have on his path to independence. My brothers ( Scott &  Jared ) and I work with families whose sons and daughters are young adults, struggling to transition into the adult world. The reasons for their “ Failure to Launch ” are as varied as the families that come to us for assistance. Since my brothers and I each have “Day Jobs”, we only consult with families “upon request” from Educational Consultants and allied professionals. One of the main aspects of what we do is ...

By Stephen C. Schultz The sun peeked through the pines providing a concert show with beams of light flickering across the forest floor as the wind whistled through the limbs. It was a cool spring day on the Oregon coast and at 10 years old, I was ready for whatever adventure would come my way. With my Fenwick spinning rod in hand, I was standing at the edge of a fresh water lake about 10 miles south of Florence. My Dad , Mom, Me, Susan and Scott were surrounded by underbrush which consisted of rhododendrons, sallow berries, ferns and sapling cedars. Alder, hemlock and wild huckleberries rounded out the coastal flora. I gazed out to see a floating platform in the middle of the lake. This was to be our fishing destination for the day. Dad thought it would be nice to take the family fishing, but it needed to be somewhere that the smaller kids could enjoy catching some fish. This particular lake was full of yellow perch, which are pretty easy to catch with a worm and a...

By Stephen C. Schultz As helping professionals, we often find ourselves in teaching opportunities. We consult with clients, students, families, and even others in our profession. The phrase “Strength in the Struggle” is prominent at Discovery Ranch (a sister treatment program to Oxbow Academy ). Clinton Dorny, the Executive Director, mentioned to me that they often tell parents, “If your child isn't struggling here at Discovery Ranch, then we're not doing our job.” Much of what we do as treatment programs—and the value you provide as a therapist, counselor, coach, or educational consultant—is to assist families in managing “unintended consequences.” There isn't a parent out there who has held their newborn and thought to themselves: "You know, I can hardly wait until you are 14 years old, staying out all night and creating chaos in our family so we can spend thousands of dollars for you to attend a residential treatment program." Please allow me to share som...

By Jennifer C. Jones     “Service is the rent we pay for living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.” ~ Marian Wright Edelman, Founder, Children’s Defense Fund Discovery Ranch students are learning that service has benefits beyond what they may have ever before experienced. Terri Miller, Girls Program Coordinator, says, “When they come here the focus is all on them.” But that focus soon shifts as students participate in a variety of volunteer projects such as planting trees, Sub for Santa, buddy soccer and baseball leagues for children with disabilities, and other service projects.     Miller says working, with no thought of “what’s in it for me” has been good for Discovery Ranch students.   The buddy sports league pairs a child with a mental or physical disability with a Discovery student.   They play side by side throughout the game, Discovery students teaching basic sports skills and cheer...

Guest Blogger Amanda Schultz Age 14 I was involved in a Peer Tutoring class at my Jr. High last year, and had the opportunity to work with several of the Special Needs students. It was in the afternoon right after lunch, and I was working with one of the students, Beth, on her math. While she was figuring out one of the problems, I glanced over at William, a little boy who was diagnosed with autism. He was working with the special education teacher. William has restricted movement/control over his fingers, so the teacher was helping him with some finger activities and exercises. Usually, his task is to pick up pennies, put them into a piggy bank, and then retrieve them again. On that day, however, the teacher gave him a more challenging task. She placed a can of soda on the table, and told him to try and open it. He had different tools like coins and Popsicle sticks to try and pull up the tab. William tried and tried, but he couldn’t get the can to open. He was...