The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz  With the holidays just around the corner, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations are finding their way into stores and on-line sites ready for the joyful holiday shopper! There is no shortage of creative commercial content/advertising being generated in the form of printed material, on-line company websites, landing pages and the ever present social media sites. Content is being created in the form of reviews, third party endorsements and advertising on podcasts. And, that historical medium called "TV" has morphed its formats over the years from film to video to digital recording, editing and playback. Streaming "Live" commercial as well as personal video and audio content is also very common in todays world.  Having been raised in the Pacific Northwest, I was very familiar with the term "Evergreen" due to the lush trees and foliage that grow in the temperate rain forest of western Oregon. In the world of blogging and social media, e...

 By Stephen C. Schultz Video Games, Anxiety and ADHD - Is there a common theme? Aloft Transitions Home for Young Adults This is simply a complimentary resource guide for parents of teens and young adults who struggle with ADHD, Anxiety and Gaming. ADHD:   • Russell Barkley,  Taking Charge of ADHD • Hallowell & Ratey,  Delivered from Distraction • Harvey Parker,  The ADD Hyperactivity Workbook for Parents, Teachers, & Kids • Bradley & Giedd,  Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy!: Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your  Mind  • Gurian, Michael,  The Minds of Boys Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and  Life, 2005. • Hanna, Mohab,  Making the Connection: A Parents’ Guide to Medication in AD/HD • www.CHADD.org  (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) • www.help4adhd.org • www.aap.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) • www.aacap.org (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) Young Adu...

 By Stephen C. Schultz Please allow me to share a brief conversation I had with my Brother Jared Schultz (PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling and Department Head at VCU) that I thought might be helpful.  Jared and I were having a general conversation about the transition from teens to young adults. This conversation obviously included helping young adults make the transition to self-supporting, responsible, productive members of society. Often this is a subtle struggle after receiving mental health services and various interventions over time.  While in the process of dealing with clinically complicated concerns, that often include depression, anxiety, ADHD, ASD and other co-occurring developmental issues, these young adults have had limited opportunities to focus on career, educational and independent living aspirations. When the treatment interventions are no longer the focus, they then feel behind in their social and career development and get discouraged, often reverting...

By Dr. Stephanie Mattson “Pop!” ...The sound of a cap gun going off was barely heard over the sound of the Frankie Lane album playing on the old record player in the corner. In addition to those two consistent sounds, a new sound was added. A hollow banging; the sound of somebody tumbling down the stairs. This medley of strange sounds was coming from two young boys. Stephen and Scott, brothers, age ten and six, were playing one of their favorite games. The game was called “Stunt Man” and was a regular after – school activity for the two troublemakers. “Stunt Man” was a game designed with a cleverness that took a unique kind of genius to appreciate. Many would say the game was reckless, stupid or just a big waste of time, but to Scott and Steve, the game they had invented was first on their unspoken list of childhood pleasures. The game “Stunt Man” was played on the stairs and worked best if the staircase was narrow. The object of the game: to see which boy could fall the most realistic...

By Stephen C. Schultz This is just a quick email to share with you that after 20 years with the Ascent Companies, I am making a transition. I want you to know that the last 20 years have been more than I could have ever wished for. What a great opportunity I have had to not only work with, serve with and be friends with all who are a part of the RCA , DRG , DRB , Oxbow , Discovery Day PHP , Connections and Oasis programs. I owe such a debt of gratitude to the four original owners, Dane Kay, Steve Peterson, Scott Peterson and Jim Salsbury for seeing my potential and taking a risk on me back in 2002. Steve Nadauld, Brent Hall, Andrea Burgess, Clint Dorny, Shawn Brooks, Steve DeMille and the program teams have been like family and an absolute joy to be around.  I feel honored to have played a small role in the success you as educational consultants, private clinicians and us as treatment providers (working together) have had over the years on literally thousands of families.  #...

 By Stephen C. Schultz In a previous post I listed some well known self-help books for families. Below are some more books that parents may find helpful as they raise their kids.  Books: Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Interventions  by Michael Langberg Learning Outside the Lines by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole Late, Lost, and Unprepared by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel Your Memory: How It Works and How To Improve It by Kenneth Higbee. The Work-Smart Academic Planner: Write It Down, Get It Done by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential   by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare Boosting Executive Skills in the Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators by Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Margaret Foster Websites: Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) http://www.chadd.org/ This website was originally created to support ch...

 By Stephen C. Schultz A thorough list of self help books! Most people recognize that the COVID-19 Pandemic seriously disrupted life as we knew it. From sheltering in place to academic shut downs to economic down turn and unemployment...it is obvious there was an emotional toll on everyone. Over 53% of adults in the United States report that their mental health and substance use has become worse since the start of the pandemic due to stress, anxiety and simply worrying about COVID-19. Many also report having problems with sleeping, eating and increased use of alcohol. This information and more can be found at this link that contains data concerning the impact on mental health. I have spoken with parents who are still struggling with the associated issues of working from home or no work at all...and, their kids out of school trying to be educated online.  So, I have assembled a list of books and resources for families. There are certainly many more out there, but these a...