Listen to Leslie and Jerry

There are many therapeutic programs but not all of them address a child’s social and sexual issues. In this podcast, Leslie and Jerry describe their search and how they eventually found Oxbow Academy. Due to the confidential nature of therapy at Oxbow, family names have been changed.

Oxbow families have another tool to stay connected. If they wish, they can join our Facebook group. This is a closed group which requires administrative approval to join. We invite parents, alumni, and family counselors interested in helping teens with sexual dependencies to visit our Oxbow Academy Facebook site.

Paint the Pony

A cold breeze and a skiff of snow on the ground couldn’t keep Oxbow students from their First Annual Paint the Ponies activity.

What started as a Halloween event in 2008 continued this year as an opportunity for students to express their history and their hopes for the future.

Equine directors Brita and Tony North provided each student with a variety of poster paints and instructions to paint their story on one side of a horse.

“Native Americans used to paint their ponies before important battles or hunts,” Brita explained. “Their ponies became a sort of resume and each symbol had special meaning.”

Using that model, the boys developed their own symbols of important events in their lives during class time earlier in the week. Then it was off to the corral to paint the horses with the symbols they created.

Brita explains, “The therapeutic quality is the fact they get to experience it and get to do it and get to live it. And if you live something you’re more likely to engrain it in yourself rather than just talk about it.”

To the casual observer, the piece of poster board decorated with magazine cutouts might be just another art project.

But to Oxbow students, these are “vision boards,” tangible reminders of their personal mission statements. It is a picture of what they hope to achieve in the future.

“The vision board serves two purposes,” says Executive Director Shawn Brooks. “It helps the student who is struggling to have a visual representation of his mission statement and it helps him believe in what he is saying.”

These vision boards are also helping therapists and staff tune in to what a boy is really feeling.

“In his mission statement we might have a boy who talks about being a loving family member but there are no pictures of his family on his vision board,” Shawn explains.

“There’s a conflict there. He stands up and says it but he’s not visualizing himself as part of that family.  You start to get quite a bit more insight on how a boy is thinking.”

He says students who have internalized their mission statements and are sincere about them have been excited about creating their vision boards.

Boys who are just “going through the motions” with their mission statements are finding the vision boards a much tougher assignment.

That, too, has a therapeutic benefit, Shawn says. Some boys begin to re-examine their mission statements, changing them to reflect ideas they truly believe.

Each boy hangs his vision board near his bed and is required to spend about 30 seconds looking at it right after waking each morning.

In addition, the boys must bring their vision boards to their phase review. They must explain their board and the meaning of the pictures they selected.

“No one completes the next phase until the vision board is completed,” Shawn says.

He adds, “Therapeutically, we’re always looking for a multi-dimensional approach. We’re hoping if the boys can visualize it they can believe it.”

They’re hanging up the cleats and lacing up the basketball shoes. It’s early in the season but Oxbow students are ready to take on teams from seven other residential treatment centers in the San Pete Valley.

Tony North does most of the coaching for Monday night games but Bill Pollock and Amy Brown help out with practice sessions. “We’ve got a bunch of tall kids that have a lot of energy,” Bill says with a laugh.

He says the team’s a little short on skills right now but it’s not just basketball skills he’s hoping to build. Besides improving student health and fitness, Oxbow’s Residential Director says the sports league also helps the boys develop leadership, team building, and an understanding of roles.

He also thinks it’s good for the boys to “step outside of the program” for an hour or two. “It helps them understand there’s a lot more to life than just the things that led them to Oxbow.”

Besides basketball, the boys also participate in volleyball, football and softball. Participation is optional but Bill says so far virtually all of the boys have participated.

Each boy receives a list of rules at the beginning of the season that outlines conduct policies. “We haven’t had any fighting or any grooming issues,” Bill says. “We’ve never had to kick a student out of the game.” Staff and visiting family enjoy watching the games and cheering the team on.

Any chance the Oxbow boys will see some play off action? Bill just laughs. “I wouldn’t look for us to be in the Final Four,” he says, “but we’re having a good time.”

“It took a lot of work but it’s a trip they’ll never forget,” says Bill Pollock. He’s talking about trips on horseback and on mountain bikes to Utah’s spectacular San Rafael Swell and Moab.

More than just jumping in the van and hitting the highway, Oxbow students had to be meeting their goals in residential, clinical, and academic areas. They also had to be independent level. And of course, there was that little matter of parental permission.

The mountain bikers toured Utah’s spectacular red rock country for some slick rock riding. They put in more than 20 miles their first day out and 12 miles the second day. It’s an adventure travelers from all over the world come to experience.

The San Rafael trip was a horseback adventure. Not only did students participating have to be level appropriate, they also had to demonstrate their ability to navigate a horse through an obstacle course as part of their horsemanship requirement.

The riders saw coral canyons and Native American pictographs that are thousands of years old.

Both groups combined their day activities with camping out for two nights on the Thursday through Sunday adventures.

Besides seeing the spectacular scenery and having a great time, Bill says, “It’s all teaching moments – how to deal with all kinds of situations and be proactive. It’s about finding the positive every day.”

Colder weather means camping trips are over for this year but that doesn’t mean the fun has ended. Next up: skiing!

Oxbow Academy announces the resignation of Heather Green, Clinical Director. Heather has chosen to pursue a career opportunity outside of the adolescent therapy industry in another state. Therapist Gregg Lott, LCSW, will serve as interim director.

            We will miss the caring and compassionate insight Heather brought to our team. She served students, staff, parents and consultants with a rare mixture of professionalism and fun.

            “I love these kids! They are so amazing and so treatable,” Heather said. “They and their families are so courageous.”

            She added, “The Oxbow team is passionate about the therapy they provide. This is the best group I could have ever hoped to work with. They made it possible for me to move on because they are so committed to creating a legacy of outstanding care.”

            In an environment where therapy can be emotionally draining, Heather has provided leadership, compassion, and a sense of humor.

            We extend our heartfelt thanks and wish Heather the very best in her new career.

Play Lessons from Doug

“Doug” an Oxbow graduate, talks about the behaviors that led him to seek help from Oxbow. Due to te confidential nature of Oxbow therapy, Doug’s name has been changed.

Play A Mother’s Voice 

Oxbow is happy to present a conversation with “Barbara.” She talks about what led her family to Oxbow and what her life is like since her son’s graduation. This podcast is part of our Families Helping Families resource program. We welcome your comments.

Oxbow Academy will soon be offering podcasts as part of our new Families Helping Families outreach. Excerpts from our recent Parent Seminar will be included in our new audio library, as well as interviews with parents and graduates. Watch for more information!