The Interpreted Rock

By Stephen C. Schultz The breeze was warm as it swirled past me making the short sleeves of my tee shirt ripple in the wind. The sun was just starting to peak over the mountain top. Yet, it had been light for a couple of hours already. When you are at the base of a 10,000 foot mountain, it takes a while for any direct sun light to appear. Since it is Saturday, my ritual is usually edging the lawn and then mowing it. As I came around the side of the house to mow, I saw some roses that are in an over grown flower bed that is home to various ground cover plants and untamed varieties of flora that I have no idea what they are. Our home was built in the late 1800’s by the local County Sheriff . There are flowers and plants that sprout up in the spring time that I have never seen before. There are even some plants coming up every year that I thought were weeds…then this year I was too busy to keep up with the weeding and they blossomed into beautiful little blue colored...

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors note: This is a story used in a Wilderness Treatment Program for Young Adults . Many come to this program having struggled with substance abuse and interacting with unsavory friends.)   Many years ago there was a young Native American who lived in the very land you are residing in. He decided to seek wisdom by journeying to the top of Indian Peak. As he approached the base of the mountain he came across a rattlesnake that slithered beside him. The snake coiled as if to strike and the young boy moved back quickly in fear of being struck by the snake’s deadly venom. At that instant the snake spoke to the boy saying, “Don’t be afraid of me, I mean you no harm. I come to you to ask a favor. I see that you are about to traverse to the top of Indian Peak and was hoping that you may be willing to place me in your satchel so that I don’t have to make the long journey alone.” The young boy surprised by the snake’s request quickly re...

By Stephen C. Schultz Over the last few years, I have regularly received calls from clinicians, attorneys and educational consultants about clients and students of theirs that are struggling with sexual concerns. These concerns are often about the excessive use of technology to access pornography. There is the relatively new phenomenon of “sexting” that creates concerns. Some students may be struggling with ASD or other developmental issues that exacerbates some acting out. It’s not uncommon for me to get a call about a teen who is inappropriately exploring sexual behavior with siblings, cousins or friends. Often there has also been a history of trauma or abuse. Most actions are reactive or exploratory in nature. Most teens  aren't  “criminals” in any way, shape or form. They are simply trying to make sense of a society that does little to curb the promotion of early sexualization, yet has a heavy hand of condemnation when social boundaries are disturbed....