201: Celebrating 20 Years of Wilderness Therapy Symposium

In this episode, we celebrate the 20th Wilderness Therapy Symposium by speaking with two key figures in the field. Our guests are Rob Meltzer, educational consultant and founder of the Wilderness Therapy Symposium, and Cristina Picozzi, executive director of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council.

We start by delving into Rob's journey and inspiration for creating the Wilderness Therapy Symposium, highlighting the inspiration for starting the symposium and how it almost ended in its early years. Rob shares the symposium's history, including a conversation with one of the early keynote speakers, Bessel van der Kolk, author of "The Body Keeps the Score." He also reflects on the significant evolution of the Symposium over the past two decades and hopes for the future of the Symposium. He also reflects on the significant evolution of the Symposium over the past two decades and hopes for the future of the symposium.

We then shift our focus to Cristina Picozzi, discussing her role in running the Symposium and leading the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council. Cristina delves into this year’s Symposium including the keynote speaker and pre-conference topics. She also provides this year’s Symposium's efforts to enhance best practices, research, and collaborations.

The episode is both a celebration of the Wilderness Therapy Symposium's milestone and discusses the ongoing evolution of outdoor behavioral health. It provides valuable insights for mental health professionals, educators, and anyone interested in the potent intersection of the outdoors and mental health. Tune in to explore the transformative power of the outdoors and the vital work in this innovative therapeutic field.

Check out more about the Wilderness Therapy Symposium check out the OBH Council webpage.