Oxbow Academy
Springville, UT

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Oxbow Academy And The Holidays

We at Oxbow Academy get calls each year around the Holidays from parents in crisis. There tends to be a lot of unregulated emotions and triggers associated with this time of year. This is something that most treatment providers are very much aware of. My wish is that this email can provide some knowledge and perspective should you encounter some of these situations.

Over half of the boys we currently have enrolled at Oxbow have been in previous programs. Parents often aren't aware of sexual concerns when reaching out for help or they push back when specialized sexual treatment is recommended.

The students that come to us from other programs have usually disclosed previously unknown information or have sexually acted out in some way. This creates an awkward situation for the program, the educational consultant and the family. When this happens, programs usually separate the boy from the rest of the student population and increase the staffing supervision. This is the only immediate solution.

However, this only contributes to the shame and guilt associated with the behavior and complicates the process of future therapeutic disclosures. Transition to a program that deals with sexual issues in a very specific, specialized manner is the best treatment option.

The other trend I'm seeing that pertains to this particular population is the language that therapists, programs, parents and educational consultants are using. Research has demonstrated over and over that we should avoid any potential "labeling". Terms like "sex offender", "perpetrator" and "predator" should be avoided. These terms have their origin based in the adult corrections field and have been masquerading for years as clinical terminology.

Within the teen treatment industry, programs and therapist are also using the term "sexually reactive" when referring to a teens behavior. The origin of the term "sexually reactive" refers specifically to latency age children 12 and under. These are kids who have had early sexualization through abuse or exposure to sexual behavior or pornography. These specific behaviors are usually an imitation of what they have been exposed to. While this certainly describes what many teens appear to be dealing with, we must be cautious not to over generalize.

The teens we are seeing are dealing with sexual compulsivity and process addiction issues. They do recognize the inappropriate nature of their behaviors, yet lack the skills necessary to manage them in a healthy age appropriate manner. More times than not, they are also carrying many secrets and are struggling with co-morbid complicating factors such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, substance use/abuse or autism spectrum issues.

Below is a link to an article I wrote that can hopefully shed more light on this topic. This information may also be helpful to parents you are working with.

Oxbow Academy - Unintended Consequences

Please contact me with any questions.

Warmest regards,

Stephen C. Schultz