The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz For many parents, the first night their child spends at RedCliff Ascent is the first night they have slept peacefully in a long time. There is no more wondering where she is or if she will come home safely. RedCliff Ascent is the wilderness program parents choose when it’s time to intervene and stop the sleepless nights. Your child thinks and behaves as though the whole world is her personal playground. No responsibilities. No consequences. No problems. In other treatment settings, your teen may be labeled only by his diagnosis:  Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, ODD, bipolar mood disorder, or others.        At RedCliff, they know the teen and their illness are two distinctly separate matters. Their therapeutic model addresses each one specifically. “We are not a high adventure recreation camp or a boot camp or any other kind of camp” said Scott Schill, Executive Director. “If a camp or recreational activi...

  By Stephen C. Schultz As an executive in a Residential Treatment Center (RTC) that works with students who are demonstrating Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB), I regularly get calls and emails from the media. Some are legitimately interested in learning more about the issue… others are only looking for a few controversial or humorous sound bites. I recently had a conversation with a journalist from the UK by the name of Trisha R. It was obvious through her questioning that she had some preconceived notions and ideas about sexual issues in general. I would like to share with you some of her questions and some of my responses. My reason for this is that I’m sure many parents probably have some of the same questions, even if they are not discussed personally with allied health professionals. She asked some very general questions that leaned toward a simplistic view of sexual issues, so I tended to answer her questions with more refined questions. Most parents want to avoid having t...

By Stephen C. Schultz This information has been gathered to assist educational consultants, clinicians, and other allied health professionals. Please feel free to visit each of the sites to learn more! Discovery Ranch for Boys – Boys' RTC Discovery Ranch for Boys is a residential treatment center (RTC) designed for boys who are highly anxious and socially awkward. The program focuses on students who tend to "act in," rather than "act out." The treatment model is experiential and incorporates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as well as therapeutic services such as Calf and Equine Therapy. The program also offers specialized therapeutic services for boys on the autism spectrum (ASD). Oxbow Academy – Boys RTC Oxbow Academy serves boys with anxiety, social awkwardness, and sexual concerns. It specializes in treating Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) and poor social boundaries. The academy provides comprehensive psycho-sexual evaluations and functional as...

By Stephen C. Schultz “Mom!... Mom!... Mom!” she exclaimed as she burst into the room. The rough, worn door—weathered by age—stuck for just a moment as she turned the knob and simultaneously shoved it with her shoulder. With a single, unrestrained motion, she was through. The glass pane rattled, and the faux wood blinds swayed back and forth as she caught the edge of the door with a left-handed backswing, sending it whistling shut behind her. Past the old wood stove and into the kitchen, she kept calling, “Mom!... Mom!” While I’m not her mom, but her dad, I finally responded, “What is it, hon? What’s the matter?” She turned toward me, breathing heavily, and said with excitement, “It was so cool! We sang Over the Rainbow and Puff the Magic Dragon with them!” Still catching her breath, her words came in short, rapid bursts. “We even painted their nails! It was so fun… but so sad. They were so happy to see us. One lady even played the ukulele—she was so talented!” Th...

By Stephen C. Schultz The day was overcast and chilly. There was a brisk wind blowing from the North and scattered rain drops splashed off windshields of parked cars. I pulled my collar up around my neck, dipped my head into the wind, and started walking toward the local department store as cigarette butts and bumps of old chewing gum seemed to glide past me on the sidewalk below. As I approached the east side of the building, I noticed a father and mother, each with a young child in their arms, rushing through the wind towards the door. They had coats wrapped around their young children and were doing their best to shelter them from the ensuing storm. I sped up my pace just a bit and reached the door before them. I swung the door open and stepped back, just as they approached. The mom looked up, turned and caught my eye, and with a sincere look of gratitude simply said, “Thank You.” They then moved on to the shopping cart area where they did that proverbial parent/child dan...

By Stephen C. Schultz The arctic blast had settled in...17 degrees Fahrenheit and I was walking down the street yesterday to get my hair cut. At the time, it didn't seem like such a good idea. I've heard that the quickest way to lose body heat is through your head. That’s why a beanie or stocking cap is a good thing in cold weather. Here I was, consciously cutting off what “insulation” I still had! I leaned forward into the brisk wind and continued on my way down the street. I had some errands to run and it was a tight schedule. I had called ahead of time and the young lady who usually cuts my hair was unavailable, so I took the next person on the list to be assigned a “Walk In”. It’s the front end of the Holiday Season and I was going to be out of town this week. I would be back home in time for Thanksgiving, but it was a tight schedule. So, this was truly the only time I had to get this done over the next week and a half. I steppe...

By Stephen C. Schultz The whistles are blowing constantly and the sound of shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor is relentless. Cheers from the spectators are mingled with the stomping of feet every time a point is scored. There is a level of anticipation and excitement that can only be felt at a sporting event of some kind. For me, watching volleyball has become a weekly event. All of my kids have shown an interest in sports. My oldest daughter as well as her two younger sisters had years of soccer, softball and volleyball . My son gravitated to basketball and baseball . He did have a few years of chasing a soccer ball when he was barely beyond being a toddler. Athletics and team sports provide exercise and the development of essential character traits that are so important when navigating the child and adolescent stages of development. Kids learn about hard work, focus, determination, courage, collaboration, problem solving, assertiveness and empathy to name a few. H...