200: The End of Wilderness Therapy?

In the celebratory 200th episode of Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors, guest host Jake Weld catches up with the podcast's creator, Dr. Will White, who reflects on the transformative changes witnessed in outdoor therapies in the last 200 episodes. Will sees the field in a transformative era, with more acceptance of outdoor therapy's impact on mental health. However, he also notes a contraction in segments due to controversies surrounding adolescent programs that enroll students via transport.

Will analyzes the popularity and reach of the podcast, noting that the most downloaded episodes focus on controversies, research, and change within wilderness therapy. He explains this led to the rebranding of the podcast from "Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy" to "Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors," aiming to better reflect the diverse stories and topics discussed.

In the discussion, Will shares insights about varying perspectives on wilderness therapy, adventure therapy, and outdoor behavioral healthcare, all underscored by recent Google search trends. He emphasizes the need for mental health practitioners to incorporate outdoor therapy into their treatment approaches, justifying the podcast's name evolution.

Looking to the future, Will reveals that the next season will focus on treating anxiety in different settings. Upcoming special episodes include celebrating the 20th Wilderness Therapy Symposium and announcing a new outdoor mental health treatment program. For his personal journey, Will is investing his time in advocating for outdoor therapy integration, supervising younger mental health practitioners, and working on a new podcast about anxiety titled "Fearless."