What’s the big deal about phones?
Why do we make a point of removing a smartphone from the first part of a young man’s therapy? I’ve already talked about different types of addiction, and why social media can be counterproductive in addiction therapy. But not all of our clients have addiction issues. Struggling young men come to us for many reasons. So why make every client relinquish his smartphone?
I would argue that in all intensive therapy, outside distractions must be removed. But particularly with the lifeskills approach offered by Northwoods Ranch and Retreat, outside distractions – especially habitual reliance on non-essential technology – are particularly intrusive. We need our young men to focus on personal independence, and a smartphone is a dependency that must be eliminated.