Sexual Abuse and the Story of DJ
When Brita led the horse out of the trailer I was astounded. I had never seen such a weak, mangy looking animal in my life. I couldn’t believe the horse was able to stand on his own. His ribs stuck out and his coat was in patches. There were scars all over his body. “He…
Read MoreThe Next Chapter
The mother of one of our wonderful graduates sent this message today: Hello, I just finished looking over some blogs on the website..It brings tears to my eyes to see the stories becasue they hit me so close in the heart. I felt some things on my heart that I just wanted to share. It…
Read MoreAccountability and Healing
In a recent session I worked with a young man who was in denial about the sexual abuse of his sister. We talked about the language of accountability. He was heavily in denial and struggled to accept himself and give an honest account of his behavior to his parents. The following week, during a tour…
Read More“We Want Hope for Our Son”
You could hear the anguish in her voice. “We want hope for our son,” the woman said. “We just feel so frustrated with everything we have tried before.” Her son is acting out sexually in a way that has ostracized him from his community and made his parents his jailers. Other programs, ones that promised…
Read MoreStretching Adolescent Treatment Dollars
“As clinicians, we work to provide our patients with the best possible therapy,” notes Dr. Triston Morgan. “But we also need to be sensitive to the most cost efficient delivery.” Dr. Morgan serves as Admissions Director at Discovery Academy, Oxbow Academy’s sister program. He and co-author D. Russell Crane of Brigham Young University were recently…
Read MoreParent Seminars
Well it is that time of the year again. Time for Oxbow parents to join together for two days with the staff and admin team at Oxbow Academy. We only do this two to three times a year and there is a reason! It isn’t the preparation. It isn’t that the kids get all amped…
Read MoreI Know You – Sort Of
Yesterday I was working on a video shoot at another program that is part of the RedCliff Ascent Family. I turned from Bill, the photographer, to see a student crossing the room towards me with a look of friendly surprise on his face. “JJ!” he called. “*Jack?” I asked. (I changed the student’s name to…
Read MoreA Mom’s Tears
I have many experiences with mothers and fathers dropping off their boys to our facility to get help. I have seen many tears and many stressful moments from the boys and their parents. Bringing your child to a treatment facility can’t be an easy thing, ever; period. Few experiences have moved me to the point…
Read MoreStep by Step
It’s a beautiful day and at the college across the street grounds crews are getting ready for the back to class crunch. I am waiting for Tom (not his real name). Standing outside his apartment I’m thinking it seems almost surreal how far he has come. I wonder if he ever envisioned this day. I…
Read MoreIt’s Not Too Late
I went to Oxbow Academy today to shoot *equine imprinting. It’s a fancy term for the simple process of handling a new baby horse while it is only days old in order to help the horse feel comfortable with human touch. The theory goes that if the little one is used to having his ears…
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