Addiction...Recovery...Sobriety - The Pathway to Healing

By Stephen C. Schultz

Leaves fluttered to the ground as a crisp wind bit my cheeks. The tears welling up in my eyes were not based in emotion, but the chill in the air. The small creek to my left meandered down the canyon. The soft gurgling sound of running water as it crosses over ageless boulders is like music to my ears. A flock of Mallards bob their heads and glide effortlessly in the current as the water swirls into a back eddy just around the next curve. This is truly a "Place of Peace".

For many families and individuals alike, finding a place of peace seems to be a fleeting proposition. Whether it's a teenager, husband or wife, addiction is no respecter of person or societal status. Addiction doesn't discriminate. Addiction will bring emotional pain, family discord and misery to everyone it touches.

Addiction is a lier. It tells us there is no problem. It tells us we can handle it. It seduces us into thinking that any problems or personal issues are not our doing, but brought about by others. It convinces us that our narrow escapes from family and work failures are because of our exceptionally intuitive and skillful insight. All lies!

Below are some blog posts that discuss the principles surrounding Addiction, Recovery and Sobriety. There will be mountains to climb and some instability underfoot. However, it can get better. I hope these articles are helpful and lead down the pathway to a "Place of Peace".

Touching thank you from a grateful father

ACOA - The Problem

Teen and Alcohol: An International Snapshot

Teen party at the beach...a personal experience

Alcohol and teens...it's all about the cells

Teens and Alcohol - A Relationship on the Rocks

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Journalist explores teen sex addiction

Comments

Ryan K Biddulph said…

Inspiring Stephen. Ownership of addiction seems to be the turning point. If you own it, you can choose to live with it or be free of it.

November 20, 2018 at 2:59 PM

Stephen C. Schultz said…

Thank you Ryan for your comment. So true...ownership is the key!

November 20, 2018 at 3:19 PM

The Young Boy and the Rattlesnake

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...

Video Games, Anxiety and ADHD - Free Family Resources

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...

Oxbow Academy – Unintended Consequences

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors Note: This post started as an email I sent to a couple of Educational Consultants . It was the culmination of several conversations. I think there is some genuinely good information here that the general public, clinicians and allied health professionals could benefit from.) As helping professionals, we often find ourselves in teaching opportunities. We consult with clients, students, families and even others in our profession. The phrase, “Strength in the Struggle” is prominent at Discovery Ranch (A sister treatment program to Oxbow Academy ). Clinton Dorny, the Executive Director, mentioned to me the other day that they often tell parents, “If your child isn't struggling here at Discovery Ranch, then we're not doing our job.” Much of what we do as treatment programs and the value you provide as a therapist, counselor, coach and educational consultant is to assist families in managing “Unintended Consequences”. There is...

The Interpreted Rock

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