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

Is your teen smoking pot? You have about reached your wit's end , your teenager is driving you nuts over this holiday school break. The school grades have come in only to find out that your once honor roll student is now failing.  They have announced they are no longer interested in the sport they used to love or the instrument they used to play. Their group of friends are changing, their personality has gone from happy to withdrawn and secretive, not to mention the defiance. Typical teen?  Maybe, but what happens when it escalates to an extreme that parents feel like they are being held hostage in their own home? What happens when a parent discovers their teen is using drugs?  Just marijuana?  Just a few beers? Don't be a parent in denial.  Be proactive. There will come a time when the one hour once a week of therapy just isn't working.  Your teenager is manipulating the therapist - in some cases the therapist will just continue the game, aft...

With the tragedy of Newtown, CT we are faced with so many unanswered questions. The grief of the loss of life is unimaginable - when you look at the age of the children and their protectors that died doing what they were trained to do, it is simply unconscionable that anyone could do such a heinous act. We are hearing issues of gun control combined with mental health.  At the end of the day, like teenagers using illegal drugs (and adults for that matter) if someone is determined to find a gun and shoot people, they will. The fact is we need to get people the help they need before they get to the point of wanting to seek out guns for killing - or drugs for getting high. Though that is an extreme example, many parents are seeking help for their struggling teen.  They are at their wit's end .  They feel like they are hostage in their own home.  After exhausting all their local resources they realize that residential treatment is their last resort - but how can...

Parents call our organization on a daily basis.  I created my Parents' Universal Resource Experts, Inc since I was duped and my daughter was abused in a residential therapy program over 10 years ago. I have become a voice and some have called me a crusader. I honestly don't care what people call me, what I care about is what parents can learn from the mistakes I have made and gain from the knowledge I have acquired over the past decade. Carolina Springs Academy harmed my daughter - they also lied to me.  Duped me - and today they are closed, however they still have other programs operating.  Years ago - they had a long list of programs, thankfully today that list is only a fraction long. Today I just heard from a parent that it is believed they just opened another program - or possibly just re-named one of their Utah ones. Youth Foundation located in LaVerkin, Utah is believed to be owned and operated by the same parent organization that I sent my daughter to ...

Finding the right therapist. In light of the recent tragedy in Newtown, CT - some are screaming for more gun control.  I am certainly not an advocate for gun, however I don't believe that is the big issue here. Fact is, most drugs are illegal too - yet we see our kids and adults abusing them.  If someone is determined to find a gun and shoot someone - just like if someone is determined to shoot heroin, they will find a way to do it. We need to address the fact that mental illness is a major concern for people and parents.  I know I have parents call and need help with their teens.  Whether you have health insurance or not, you should be able to get mental health assistance.  In some cases, local Universities will have departments that offer free counseling and many parents are not aware that their local United Way may also have resources available at low cost or no cost.  There are options, you cannot let a child or teen continue if they are stru...

Though many parents don't want to believe their teen would self injure themselves, many more are realizing it is their teenager that is actually cutting.  Why? Peer pressure? Depression? Drug use? Anxiety? Stress? According to experts, one of the most common reasons teens self injure is because the injury is in some way a “release” from emotional anxiety. The pain of the injury provides a distraction from the emotional pain the teen is feeling, and acts almost as a drug to them. It can also help the injured feel ‘human’ again, by putting them in touch with a common human experience: pain.  If you discover that your teen is cutting, there are several important keys to remember. First and foremost, approach your teen with a level head. Address your teen calmly and supportively. Do not react angrily or upset your teen in any way. Experts warn that overreacting or reacting loudly or angrily can often push your teen further away and increase the cutting or ...