Treatment Objectives

At Oxbow Academy, your son can learn how personal thinking errors lead to behavior errors, and then learn how to control both. Students practice making positive choices through a variety of experiential therapeutic activities.

Oxbow Academy has six primary treatment objectives. Our goal is to help every student:

  • Disrupt negative behavior patterns
  • Be honest and accountable
  • Gain a healthy perception of self and thinking
  • Create loving and validating relationships
  • Learn skills for life, including social competency
  • Build personal integrity and learn relapse prevention

The Oxbow model is divided into four therapeutic phases. During each phase, students receive individual, group, and family therapy.  These therapeutic interventions are enhanced by our holistic emphasis on experiential treatment.

Phase I

During the first phase, the assessment phase, students take a therapeutic validation test administered by an independent expert in adolescent sexual issues. This helps students break through their denial and give an honest and open account of their sexual and non-sexual behavioral problems. Alongside this, students participate in daily group sessions, academic course work, and weekly therapy sessions with their family.

When students have successfully passed the validation test, an independent licensed psychologist conducts a psycho-sexual evaluation. From there, the psychologist can recommend a course of treatment. Students and their families then determine their commitment to the treatment process and students complete their mission statement.

Phase II

In the second phase, students gain skills to communicate openly and honestly. Students recognize that their struggles are bigger than they can handle on their own and learn how to seek help and use interventions to control urges.

Students are introduced to the sexual behavioral cycle, which helps them understand that their choice to engage in inappropriate behaviors did not “just happen.” Students begin to take accountability for their choices. They learn and demonstrate an understanding of their patterns of inappropriate behaviors. In doing so, they begin to recognize thinking errors, feelings, behaviors, and how these relate to their choices. Students create personal goals and determine a pathway to realize their goals in a pro-social manner.

Students begin to identify their personal risk factors. They identify interventions aimed at preventing inappropriate behaviors and work on individualized treatment goals. Families learn about their son’s risk situations and how to provide support, which helps them prepare for their son's return home.

Phase III

The goal of the third phase is to understand healthy relationships. This knowledge helps students gain personal insight. They see a stark contrast between the unhealthy sexual behaviors of their past and the types of positive relationships they want in the future. Students learn about healthy living, self-esteem, and having empathy for others. This is a phase of competency where students are allowed to leave the program for home-passes in order to practice what they have learned.

Families develop a safety plan to minimize their sons’ risk of relapse. They continue to work on communication skills, provide feedback about home visits to the treatment team, and continue to participate in weekly family therapy sessions. Feedback from family concerning behaviors during home-passes is crucial during this phase.

As students develop a positive perception of themselves, they are able to develop and maintain positive relationships. Therapists work with the students’ families to provide therapy and support to facilitate family growth and change.

Phase IV

The focus of the last phase is to gradually prepare students to return home. Students develop personal relapse prevention plans using a strength-based approach. Families continue to actively participate by working closely with their therapist to mutually plan aftercare that best meets their needs.

Students complete an exit test to validate their honesty, which lets them return home with a “clean slate.” Parents can be confident that their son has been completely honest with them and their therapist, which helps cement mutual trust.

If you would prefer to discuss your situation with a counselor, we invite you to call an admissions counselor at 855-676-4272.

Oxbow Academy – New Hope, New Help, No Secrets.™