The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

As a parent that was once in your shoes over a decade ago, I've seen a shift in the teen help industry. It's still a big business, however with the challenges of medical insurance limiting what they will cover, average parents are having to seek options that may not be exactly what they expected or in the best interest of their child. Marketing and SEO has really improved over the past several years. Now we are witnessing magnificent websites of programs that have had the worst reviews, some lack clinical credentials, accredited academics and other concerning issues climbing to the top of the searching engines. Sadly - there are even some unscrupulous sales (marketing) people that sell these types of programs. As I frequently share with parents, it's important to always speak with an owner or director of a program -- someone that is actually located at the facility. Someone that will have a vested interest in your child's recovery process -- since it reflects their...

Don't get scammed because you are desperate for help. You are searching for a program for your struggling teen.  You have reached your wit's end and bumped into websites that seem to promise to help you.  After being stunned by the sticker shock, you start surfing the web a bit and suddenly realize everything isn't want it seems. Yes, River View Academy (Utah), River River Academy, Youth Foundation, Cross Creek, and even those sales people. Sigh.... And who am I. Well, if you ask these teen help "sales reps" they will tell you that I am a disgruntled parent that attempted to manipulate their referral system.  Okay, funny a jury trial didn't find that.  There has been many lawsuits filed against this organization, though many have been settled quietly, mine was the only one to go to a jury trial - in Salt Lake City.  I was not taking this sitting down. The Internet is a very deceptive place.  You see, there is Internet fact and Interne...

As a parent, YOU can make the right choices. Do you really need to pay someone up to $5000.00 to tell you that you need to send your child to the woods for a glorified camping trip aka Wilderness program then to a residential program or are you capable of doing this yourself?  Let's look at this..... Maybe you can save yourself some money...... Educational Consultants were originally designed to help parents with their teens to find the right colleges and with the application process. As the shift in teen help increased, they seemed to branch out into the residential treatment field. Most have not experienced what you are going through.  Most do not know what you are dealing with at home.  Only an experienced parent that has been there really knows that feeling of helplessness. What is the EC Shuffle ? Find out more and try not to get into the mix.  Parent Consultants do not employ this type of assistance for your needs.  " The EC I spoke with only...

At first, "drunkorexia" may sound like kind of a funny word, jokingly made up to describe a situation in which college students and others forgo food in order to be able to afford more alcohol and feel higher effects of alcohol on an empty stomach. But what some may brush off as crazy college-kid behavior is actually a serious problem that can have highly damaging consequences both in long- and short-term health. Of course, that hasn't stopped college students from engaging in this unhealthy trend, and a study at the University of Missouri-Columbia indicated that one in six students had practiced drunkorexia within the last year. Typically, drunkorexia is done by women; the study showed that three out of four drunkorexia respondents were female. Students may not realize that drunkorexia is incredibly damaging to their health, but the fact remains that the practice puts them at risk for problems like sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition, and even s...

Going to therapy seems to be the first step parents take when they realize their tween or teen is starting to go down a negative path. It is important to find a therapist that specialize with adolescents - one that understands the "teen talk". But what happens when therapy isn't working?  What happens when your teens starts to manipulate the therapist?  What happens when the therapist believes it is time for the next step? It is time to look for a boarding school, one that offers the support your teen needs both emotionally and academically.  It is important to understand, although education is absolutely a necessity, you have to realize that the teens needs to be emotionally balanced in order to do well at anything.  This doesn't mean you look at programs that don't offer academics, such as many Wilderness programs, parents need to keep 3 major issues in their mind. Academic's/Education Clinical/Therapy Enrichment Programs/Extra-Curriculum Activiti...

With today's society, kids have access to many different substances that can be addictive and damaging. If you suspect your child is using drugs or drinking alcohol, please seek help for them as soon as possible. Drug testing is helpful, but not always accurate. Teen Drug use and Teen Drinking may escalate to addiction. We get calls constantly, that a child is only smoking pot. Unfortunately in most cases, marijuana can lead to more severe drugs, and marijuana is considered an illegal drug. Smoking marijuana is damaging to the child's body, brain and behavior. Even though marijuana is not considered a narcotic, most teens are very hooked on it. Many teens that are on prescribed medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera, Concerta, Zoloft, Prozac etc. are more at risk when mixing these medications with street drugs. It is critical you speak with your child about this and learn all the side effects.  Educating yo...

Parent's Universal Resource Experts , Inc. (P.U.R.E.™) is an organization that was founded in 2001 by Sue Scheff. For the past several years Parent's Universal Resource's has assisted families with valuable information and resources for their children and teens that are at risk. Teens that are struggling with today's peer pressure, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and simply good kids starting to make bad choices. We have many very satisfied families that have used our services. Please take a moment to read some of our testimonials . Whether you are seeking Boarding Schools, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Residential Treatment Centers, Wilderness Programs, Christian Schools, Summer Programs, Military Schools and more, Parent's Universal Resource's can offer you options to explore to help educate you in a very important decision for your child and family. We invite you to fill out a Free Consultation Form for more information. Parent's Universal Resource...

As a parent that had a son graduate a very prestigious Military School, I know the firsthand what an honor and privilege he was given. Many parents think of Military Schools as a punishment or where the “troubled” kids go - that is simply a myth. My son was accepted in accordance with his GPA as well as letters of references and interviewing with the school. It is almost as rigid as applying for some colleges. To further my opinion of Military Schools, when my son interviewed and applied to Universities, all the Admissions Directors were extremely impressed with his schooling at a Military School and was accepted to all the colleges he applied to. Has your child mentioned military academies to you? Have they expressed an interest in attending such a school? If so, you as a parent have an obligation to listen, and more importantly to help them make the right decision. Many ADD/ADHD students do very well in Military Schools. A military school teaches various ages (middle school, high sc...

Posted on Sun, Dec. 14, 2008 Weston mother helps other parents By JULIE LEVIN When Sue Scheff was at the end of her rope trying to deal with her own out-of-control teenager, she admits she never could have imagined a time when she would become a leading voice in the field of parent advocacy. Yet the Weston author is rapidly becoming a familiar face in the national spotlight speaking about just that. ''I never went into this to become a national voice or figure, but that is what I have become,'' said Scheff, author of Wit's End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen. Scheff appeared last month on the Lifetime Network's daily television series The Balancing Act during an episode entitled ``Plain Talk and Straight Answers for Parents with Troubled Teens.'' A taping with the Oprah Winfrey show also is planned. Wit's End, a 168-page book released earlier this year, is a tool for parents navigating the choices and methods available to he...

As a parent that had a son graduate a very prestigious Military School , I know the firsthand what an honor and privilege he was given. Many parents think of Military Schools as a punishment or where the “troubled” kids go - that is simply a myth. My son was accepted in accordance with his GPA as well as letters of references and interviewing with the school. It is almost as rigid as applying for some colleges. To further my opinion of Military Schools, when my son interviewed and applied to Universities, all the Admissions Directors were extremely impressed with his schooling at a Military School and was accepted to all the colleges he applied to. Has your child mentioned military academies to you? Have they expressed an interest in attending such a school? If so, you as a parent have an obligation to listen, and more importantly to help them make the right decision. A military school teaches various ages (middle school, high school, or both) in a manner that includes military traditi...

As a parent of a student that graduated Military School , I can speak from first hand experiences. My son started Military School in the 8th grade and graduated with Honors. He will tell you that there were some hard times, but in the end, he wouldn't have changed a thing. **************** There are many myths about Military Schools . Parents believe they are similar to “boot camps” and will straighten up a troubled teen. On the contrary - your child has to be accepted into a Military School. Acceptance can be in accordance with his grades (GPA), and/or letters of references from his previous school, and/or his desire to attend. Here is some valuable information from my website: Military Schools and Academies offer a student the opportunity to reach their highest academic potential as well as build up their self-esteem to make better choices in today's society. We encourage parents to let their children know that Military Schools are a privilege and honor to attend and not...