Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
233 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 days ago - ★★★★★ - 70 ratingsStories from the Field: Mental Health in the Outdoors is an authoritative and enlightening podcast that explores the vast landscape of mental health therapies in outdoor settings. Hosted by seasoned mental health professional Dr. Will White, the podcast offers deep insights into outdoor therapies like Adventure Therapy, Eco-Therapy, Wilderness Therapy, and Experiential Therapy, among others.
Dr. White engages with a diverse range of guests, including leading researchers, practitioners, authors, executive directors, guide staff, mental health clinicians, and critics, helping to shed light on the nuances of these unique therapy practices. In addition to exploring the modern implications of these evolving therapeutic modalities, he delves into their rich history, providing a holistic perspective for listeners.
With over 30 years of experience at the juncture of mental health and outdoor environments, Dr. White's expertise is unparalleled. As a co-founder of the pioneering Summit Achievement, an adventure therapy program based in Maine, he has been a guiding force in the field since the 1990s. His scholarly contributions include the book "Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy" and a chapter in "Adventure Therapy: Theories, Research, and Practice." His doctorate work, "Stories from the Elders: Chronicles and Narratives from the Early Years of Wilderness Therapy," traced the origins and evolution of this specialized field.
To connect with Dr. White, visit storiesfromthefield.com. Listen to this immersive podcast to understand the power and potential of outdoor therapies in addressing mental health concerns.
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Episodes
Episode 81: Alex White, Adventure Therapy Outpatient Clinician
June 09, 2020 14:32 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBAlex White is an adventure therapy outpatient clinician. His journey into the field began as a child as his parents were mental health professionals. In college, he led outdoor orientation trips for incoming students and fell in love with the work. He went onto be a field guide at Red Top Meadows a state-funded wilderness therapy program in Wyoming. He shares his journey from field staff to clinician to outpatient adventure therapist. He shares why he believes that the future of the field is...
Episode 81: Katie Asmus, Founder of the Somatic Wilderness Therapy Institute
May 31, 2020 23:34 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBKatie Asmus is the founder of the Somatic Wilderness Therapy Institute in Boulder, Colorado. Katie shares her journey into the field which began when she learned about outdoor education and committed to pursuing a path of growth. Katie is an inspiring therapist, coach, guide, teacher, mentor, and workshop facilitator. Her story includes being Assitant Director of Naropa University's wilderness therapy degree program and a field guide at Outward Bound. Her passion is for people and growth thr...
Episode 80: Nick Magle-Haberek, Clinical Director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy
May 26, 2020 13:45 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBNick Magle-Haberek is the clinical director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy and co-founder of Adventure-Therapist.com. Nick shares his story of experiences from working as a field guide at Second Nature to being the first student in the dual master's program in Social Work and Outdoor Education at the University of New Hampshire. He has served as a clinician at Wendigo Lakes in Canada, Soltreks in Minnesota, and several others. He shares what inspired him to start Adventure-Therapist.com and ...
Episode 79: Lorri Hanna, Co-founder of Soltreks
May 19, 2020 13:27 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBLorri Hanna is co-founder of Soltreks. Lorri has had a long career in the field from being a field guide, program director, clinician and owner of a program. Her passion for wilderness therapy began in 1980 when she hitchhiked across the country and fell in love with the outdoors. She shares her stories of working at Outward Bound, Wilderness Education Association, Ascent, and others before starting Soltreks in 1997. Lorri's inspiring story includes being a cancer survivor and a wellness war...
Episode 78: Dr. Scott Bandoroff, Peak Experience Training
May 05, 2020 18:49 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MBDr. Scott Bandoroff is the founder of Peak Experience Training, which provides the Clinical First Responder Certification for those working in the field. Scott has worked in the field since the 1980s. Scott was a field guide at SUWS, where he researched family dynamics while working on his doctoral dissertation. Scott shares his thirty-year journey from being a field guide to a clinician and developing the Clinical First Responder. He shares his concerns about the future and the challenges...
Episode 77: COVID-19 and Wilderness Therapy Programs April 2020
April 24, 2020 21:13 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBWhat is going on in the field, and where is it going? Wilderness therapy is an essential service in every state in the nation, and most programs are operating during this early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Will White shares a summary of research as to how wilderness therapy is adapting and changing to meet the challenge COVID 19. He focuses on Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council Programs, which are accredited by the Association of Experiential Education and licensed by their state to o...
Episode 76: David Wieder, Therapist at Legacy Outdoor Adventures
April 14, 2020 16:15 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBDavid Wieder is a therapist at Legacy Outdoor Adventures. He grew up in New Mexico and ended up, after traveling through Asia, going to Prescott College. He got his first job in wilderness in 2003 as a guide at Second Nature. David shares why he was drawn to high-risk adventures like paragliding. David tells his long history of working in the field, including at Wilderness Quest, Open Sky, and Aspiro, his love of being a field guide and why he choose to become a wilderness therapist at Lega...
Episode 75: Jacob Thomason, Parent and Family Specialist at Trails Carolina
April 07, 2020 13:21 - 42 minutes - 58.8 MBJacob Thomason is a Parent and Family Specialist at Trails Carolina. Jacob's journey into wilderness therapy began in his last semester in graduate school when he saw a help wanted flyer at an outdoor store. He went home and applied to every wilderness therapy job he could find as he was just about to complete his degree in clinical psychology. He shares his stories of working as a clinician at Passages to Recovery in Utah, Foundation House in Maine, New Visions in Wisconsin and now at Tra...
Episode 74: Dr. Steven DeMille, Executive Director, RedCliff Ascent
March 30, 2020 15:42 - 43 minutes - 59.3 MBDr. Steve DeMille, Executive Director, RedCliff Ascent. He grew up outside of Las Vegas and was encouraged to work at a wilderness program by his sister after he was laid off from a job. He was hired by RedCliff and then had an experience with a student, which inspired him to make wilderness therapy his career. Steve shares his inspiring story as to how he worked his way through college while working part-time in wilderness, then on getting his master's degree in counseling and later his doc...
Episode 73: Anne Wilzbacher, Primary Therapist at Blue Ridge Wilderness Therapy's Emerald Arrow
March 17, 2020 11:02 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBAnne Wilzbacher is a therapist at Blue Ridge Wilderness Therapy's Emerald Arrow. Her journey into the field began as a child growing up in a state park as her father was a park manager. She worked at Eckerd Youth Alternatives as field staff for three years and then onto Naropa University for her Master's degree. Her vast experiences include working at AIM House and Open Sky. She also shares her inspiring story of being given the opportunity to develop the Emerald Arrow young adult program at...
Episode 72: Josh White, Co-founder and Executive Director of Red Mountain Sedona
March 10, 2020 10:42 - 46 minutes - 63.4 MBJosh White is the Executive Director/Co-founder of Red Mountain Sedona. Josh's journey into the wilderness therapy field began while he was at Naropa University, where he first heard about the field. Josh would meet his future wife, Maureen, at Naropa, and they would both, later on, co-found Red Mountain. Josh, who is a "teacher at heart," worked at Wingate as a therapist for young adults. Josh shares the magic of the field, how his dog, Lulu, found him and the mindfulness focus of Red Mount...
Episode 71: Steve Sawyer, Co-Founder/Chief Clinical Consultant of New Visions Wilderness
February 29, 2020 23:02 - 48 minutes - 66 MBSteve Swayer is Co-Founder/Chief Clinical Consultant of New Visions Wilderness. Steve's journey into the wilderness field began after he had spent many years practicing as a licensed psychotherapist and was a director of a large outpatient mental practice in Wisconsin. His focus was on trauma-informed care, and when a tragedy happened in his own life, he went to Alaska to spend time in the wilderness to heal. He was so inspired that he would go onto co-found New Visions Wilderness in Wiscons...
Episode 70: Dr. Brad Reedy, Clinical Director and Co-Owner of Evoke Therapy Programs
February 25, 2020 01:02 - 48 minutes - 67 MBDr. Brad Reedy is the Clinical Director/Co-Owner of Evoke Therapy Programs. Brad discusses his long career as a wilderness clinician as well as his newest book, "The Audacity to be You." He shares his remarkable journey from being a high school drop out in California to earning his Ph.D. at Brigham Young University to getting hired as a clinician at Aspen Achievement without any wilderness experience. Brad went on to join Second Nature Wilderness as a clinician and then to be a co-founder of...
Episode 69: Kirsten Bolt, Clinical Therapist at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy
February 18, 2020 12:11 - 42 minutes - 58.5 MBKirsten Bolt is a clinical therapist at Open Sky. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and began her journey into the field in 2004 as a field guide at Aspen Achievement Academy (AAA). She shares her story of being a field guide to being a clinician in a wilderness program. Kirsten shares her heartbreaking experience of being a clinician at AAA as it closed. After AAA closed Kirsten immediately called Open Sky Wilderness and was hired. Kirsten shares her amazing work with adole...
Episode 68: Daniel Fishburn, Executive Director of SUWS of the Carolina's
February 11, 2020 00:12 - 47 minutes - 65.8 MBDaniel Fishburn is the Executive Director of SUWS of the Carolina's. Daniel shares his journey into wilderness therapy, which first began in 1987 when he worked as staff at Wediko, a therapeutic summer camp. After college, he did human rights work in El Salvador and went on to get his M.S.W. Daniel shares his remarkable story of service to others in a variety of public and private settings throughout the country. He returned to the wilderness therapy field as Clinical Director at SUWS in 201...
Episode 67: Madhurii Barefoot, Co-founder and Co-owner of True North Wilderness Therapy
February 03, 2020 11:21 - 50 minutes - 69.3 MBMadhurii Barefoot, Co-founder, and Co-owner of True North Wilderness in Vermont. Mod was born and raised in Vermont and went to boarding school, where she was first exposed to wilderness expeditions. Mod would pursue the path of wilderness via a gap year at NOLS. She shares her story of meeting her future husband, Ty Maves, at a SUWS of Idaho field staff orientation. They both left SUWS to pursue Masters's degrees. Mod and Ty helped start SUWS of the Carolinas and then began True North in he...
Episode 66: Thom Pollard, Award Winning Documentary Filmmaker, Adventurer and Podcast Host
January 28, 2020 01:15 - 54 minutes - 75 MBThom Pollard is an Emmy award-winning Director of Photography and Filmmaker who has filmed from Easter Island to the summit of Mount Everest and everything in between. His adventure photographs have appeared in numerous books and publications, including National Geographic. Thom shares his fascinating story of why spending time on high-risk wilderness expeditions is a therapeutic process for him and what drives him to continue to return to Mount Everest year after year. Listen to his Baker ...
Episode 65: Anson McNulty, Operations Director and Co-Owner of Summit Achievement
January 20, 2020 19:12 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBAnson McNulty is the Operations Director and Co-Owner of Summit Achievement. Anson grew up in New York City, and at a young age, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and sent to boarding school for teens with learning disabilities, where he first experienced the outdoors. Anson shares his unique journey into the wilderness field which includes traveling the world as a teen, working at The Wilderness School (a state-funded wilderness program), to being a field guide, team leader, and now co-owner o...
Episode 64: Tim McMahon and Jason Cox, Co-Owners of Brightstone Transitions
January 13, 2020 15:24 - 50 minutes - 68.7 MBTim McMahon and Jason Cox are co-owners of Brightstone Transitions, a Young Adult Transitional Program. They met over a decade ago in Georgia when Tim was directing a state-funded wilderness therapy program, and Jason showed up late for a job interview dressed in a suit and tie. Eventually, they connected as they both believed in the value of the connection between field guides and students. They share why state-funded wilderness therapy camps closed in the South and how they went onto start...
Episode 63: Sarah Gallimore, Field Guide at Elements Wilderness Therapy
January 07, 2020 17:08 - 31 minutes - 43.2 MBSarah Gallimore is a field guide at Elements Wilderness Therapy. Sarah grew up in New Hampshire and went to the UNH for college, which is where she learned about wilderness therapy. Sarah shares how helping out with an AEE Accreditation review in Utah was when she realized that she wanted to be a field guide in a wilderness therapy program in Utah. She shares her story of graduating from UNH and leaving the east coast to pursue a job in wilderness therapy in Utah. Sarah has guided for over...
Episode 62: Samuel Adams, Lead Field Guide at Aspiro Adventures
December 31, 2019 12:18 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MBSamuel Adams, Lead Field Guide at Aspiro Adventures. Sam grew up in the Adirondacks region of New York with a family who embraced the outdoors. In high school, he became a father and struggled to handle it. He grew through the struggle and became connected with wilderness therapy in college. His dream in college was to be a wilderness therapy guide. He shares his story of getting a job at Aspiro through a website and went to the orientation process, where he earned a position which he "lov...
Episode 61: Norman Elizondo, Family Wellness Counselor at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy
December 23, 2019 14:56 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBNorman Elizondo is the Family Wellness Counselor at Open Sky. Norman's journey into the wilderness field began when his dying mother encouraged him to leave his finance career and "do something that would really help people." Norman shares his extraordinary journey from being an immigrant from the Philippines to growing up in the Chicago area to working in finance to leaving that to be a field guide at Aspen Achievement Academy. He would leave Aspen and become part of the founding team of Op...
Episode 60: Doug Dobkowski, Team Leader at Summit Achievement
December 16, 2019 15:52 - 33 minutes - 45.7 MBDoug Dobkowski is a Team Leader at Summit Achievement. Doug grew up in New Jersey and went on to get a teaching degree in college. Doug worked as a middle school teacher for eight years in Newark. He shares his story of how he began an Outing Club at the middle school, which inspired him to become an outdoor leader. He landed his first job as a wilderness therapy field guide in his mid 30's. He shares how he hopes to start a program that "helps every teenager in the U.S. have an outdoor adv...
Episode 59: Zhenda Glover, Field Guide at Evoke Cascades
December 10, 2019 11:39 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBZhenda Glover is a field guide at Evoke Cascades located in Oregon. She was born and raised in Bulgaria and had never heard the two words "wilderness' and "therapy" put together until she moved to Oregon. Zhenda became enamored with wilderness therapy after attending a field guide orientation at Evoke and has been committed to the field ever since. Zhenda was recognized for her outstanding field guide service at Evoke at the 2019 Wilderness Therapy Symposium, where she was a Jumping Mouse...
Episode 58: Rachel Rollins, Therapist at Juniper Canyon
November 30, 2019 22:13 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBRachel Rollins is a therapist at Juniper Canyon Recovery Center in Utah. She first learned about wilderness therapy when she was enrolled in a program as a teen which is where she first learned to "love self and wilderness." After graduating from the University of Vermont, Rachel traveled the world but felt unsatisfied until she returned to the wilderness field. She shares her fascinating journey from being a student to a field guide to a clinician. Rachel shares why she loves the wilderness...
Episode 57: L. Jay Mitchell, Co-founder of SUWS, Founder of Alldredge Academy and Greenbrier Academy
November 25, 2019 16:14 - 58 minutes - 79.7 MBL. Jay Mitchell is one of the elders in the field of wilderness therapy as he co-founded the School of Urban and Wilderness Survival (SUWS) in Idaho and Alldredge Academy in West Virginia. SUWS was the first for-profit, private pay primitive skills wilderness therapy program in the U.S. and helped spawn the movement of wilderness therapy in the west. L. Jay shares his stunning story of leaving a troubled home as a teen to working his way through college and the many influences and people who...
Episode 56: John Conway, Director of Business Development- Edge Learning and Wellness Community
November 18, 2019 23:36 - 54 minutes - 74.2 MBJohn Conway was the chair of the Outdoor Behavioral Council during a time of rapid growth. He grew up in Illinois and wanted to work in wilderness therapy but thought he would have to move away from Chicago to get a job in the field. John tells the story of how his first job offer after getting his MSW was at a state-funded wilderness therapy program in Illinois. John shares the story about being the Chair of the OBH Council when the organization took over the wilderness therapy symposium, ...
Episode 55: Emily (Jonesie) Jones, Senior Field Guide at Open Sky Wilderness
November 11, 2019 19:14 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBEmily (Jonesie) Jones spent every summer of her childhood living at a summer camp that her parents worked at. After college, she worked at a farm and traveled all over, including South America. Jonesie shares the fascinating story of being in Peru and participating in a ceremony that changed the course of her life. She followed her path of service to Open Sky, where she has been a field guide for 2 1/2 years. Jonsie how she takes care of herself as a guide and why she "loves" being in the f...
Episode 54: Meaghan Farrell, Field Guide at Elements Traverse
October 29, 2019 03:47 - 28 minutes - 39.2 MBMeaghan Farrell is a field guide at Elements Traverse in Utah. Meaghan shares her journey into the wilderness therapy field and how she worked all over the country in different outdoor education programs until she found Elements Traverse. Meaghan has been a field guide for two years and talks about the pros and cons of being a field guide and the challenges of a week on week off schedule. Meaghan shares how this is the longest job she has ever held and why it is, “the best job” she ever had....
Episode 53: Phil Bryan, Clinical Assistant at Evoke Entrada
October 24, 2019 17:10 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBPhil Bryan is a clinical assistant at Evoke Entrada. Phil shares his story of working as a field guide for almost 20 years in various programs, including Aspen Achievement Academy, Summit Achievement, Outward Bound Voyager, Elements Wilderness Therapy, and Outback. Phil shares his experiences of being on the "Brat Camp" television series and why he decided to get a dual master's degree at the University of New Hampshire in Social Work and Adventure Therapy after working in the field for ove...
Episode 52: Jory Hanselman, Director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy
October 21, 2019 13:57 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBJory Hanselman is the director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy, located in Colorado. BaMidbar is the first Jewish wilderness therapy program in the United States. Jory shares her inspiring journey from her teenage years when she asked her parents to send her to a wilderness therapy program to being a camp counselor at a Jewish summer camp to being a field guide at wilderness programs. She shares how BadMidbar evolved and how the program helps young Jewish people with its unique wilderness th...
Episode 51: Chris Luchesi, Field Guide at Legacy Outdoor Adventures
October 15, 2019 00:09 - 35 minutes - 48.2 MBChris Luchesi is a field guide at Legacy Outdoor Adventures. Chris grew up outside of Boston but had not even heard of wilderness therapy until he was in his 30's. Chris was on a career track working for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston when he "heard the call" of working in wilderness therapy after learning about Outward Bound and Legacy. He shares his remarkable story of leaving everything he was familiar with to move to Utah and work as a field guide at Legacy at...
Episode 50: Guy Dumas, Founder of Guy Dumas Coaching
October 07, 2019 22:32 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBGuy Dumas is a coach of graduates of wilderness programs (guydumas.com). Guy joined the wilderness therapy field in 1996 direct from the Army where he was a graduate of West Point and the Army’s Ranger School. He began working at Aspen Achievement Academy and found a new mission. Over 1000 days in the field. Over 500 days carrying a survival pack. Over 10,000 hours of practice. He shares stories from his early days in wilderness and how being a field guide "helped train me to be a good pa...
Episode 49: Dr. Christine Norton, Associate Professor of Social Work at Texas State University
October 01, 2019 13:23 - 49 minutes - 67.7 MBDr. Christine Norton is a leading researcher, practitioner, and teacher in the field of wilderness therapy. She is an associate professor of social work at Texas State University, a researcher at the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center, and was field staff at Outward Bound and the Dallas Salesmanship Club Camp. Christine shares her journey into wilderness therapy from being raised as an evangelical minister's daughter to becoming a leading researcher/practitioner of wilderness therapy. Chr...
Episode 48: Shannon Palentchar, Director of Admissions at Summit Achievement
September 23, 2019 14:07 - 44 minutes - 61.2 MBShannon Palentchar is the Director of Admission of Summit Achievement in Maine. Shannon grew up in North Carolina and went on an Outward Bound course right after high school and it changed the direction of her life. She became a river guide which helped her to pay her way through college. Shannon was a field guide at SUWS of the Carolina's in the early 2000's. She would then go onto work at Stone Mountain School as a residential staff and then admissions director. Shannon joined Summit ...
Episode 47: Emily Fernandes, Co-founder and Executive Director at Open Sky Wilderness
September 17, 2019 21:02 - 55 minutes - 76 MBEmily Fernandes is co-founder and executive director at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. Emily grew up in Vermont and went to college in Maine. Emily started working in the field in 1995 at The Wilderness School in Connecticut and went onto work at Aspen Achievement Academy in Utah. She co-founded Open Sky Wilderness in 2005 with Aaron Fernandes who would later become her husband. She shares her stories of being a field guide, clinician, clinical director and co-founder of a wilderness therapy p...
Episode 46: Hilary Moses, Co-owner of Solutions Parenting Support
September 10, 2019 00:24 - 54 minutes - 75.3 MBHilary Moses, Co-Owner of Solutions Parenting Support, has worked in the wilderness field since 2001. She has been a field guide and a therapist at SUWS of Idaho as well as therapist and clinical director at Pacific Quest. Hilary journey into the field began as a young person when traveling to wilderness programs with her mother who is an educational consultant. Hilary's story includes being on the first rolling admissions team at SUWS and joining Pacific Quest a year after it opened. Sh...
Episode 45: Joanna Lilley, Founder of Lilley Consulting
September 04, 2019 13:48 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBJoanna Lilley is the founder of Lilley Consulting, which is a therapeutic consulting practice that specializes in helping young adults (ages 17 plus) and their families. Joanna's journey into the field started as a young person when she would accompany her father to his work at a group home for adolescent boys. Her father would take the boys camping, which inspired Joanna. After college Joanna interned at SOAR and then was a field guide at True North Wilderness and then at the Wilderness Sch...
Episode 44: Karen Scrafford, Co-founder of Elements Wilderness Therapy
August 30, 2019 11:51 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MBKaren Scrafford is co-founder and program director of Elements Wilderness Therapy located in Utah. Her journey into the field began when she went to school at Indiana University. After graduation, she headed to Utah and began to work first as a field guide, assistant field guide, then admissions at Second Nature. Karen shares how she was approached by the other co-founders of Elements to start the program because of her amazing work ethic. Karen was just elected to be the vice-chair of th...
Episode 43: Dr. Justine O'Donnell, O'Donnell Psychological Testing
August 27, 2019 00:40 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBDr. Justine O'Donnell is a psychologist who specializes in performing neuropsychological evaluations for young people while they are enrolled in wilderness therapy programs. Justine started her journey into the wilderness therapy field as a field guide at SUWS of Idaho. When she started at SUWS field guides would go out into the field for three weeks at a time. She shares her story of being a field guide, then becoming a licensed psychologist and returning to the field. She was a clinici...
Episode 42: Anngela Wells Starnes, Director of Admissions for Q and A Associates
August 13, 2019 13:31 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBAnngela Wells Starnes is the Director of Admissions and Marketing for Q and A Associates in West Virginia. Anngela's entry into the wilderness therapy field started as a child for her father, Larry Wells, was one of the pioneers in the primitive skills model of wilderness therapy. Angela worked at Expedition Outreach as a teen and Wilderness Quest as an adult after taking several years away from the field while struggling with addiction and recovery. She was the admissions director at Wil...
Episode 41: Tracey Bachrach, Director of Business Development at Point School Puerto Rico
August 04, 2019 17:11 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBTracey Bachrach is the Director of Business Development at Point School, Puerto Rico. Tracey entry into the wilderness field started when she as a field guide at SUWS of the Carolina's. She worked at SUWS for over four years, which translates into two years living in the outdoors. She encourages young people interested in the wilderness field to find a program in an area where they want to live and jump right in. Tracey is now living in Puerto Rico and working at the Point School. She sta...
Episode 40: Margie Lannon, Co-founder of Onward Transitions
July 23, 2019 11:10 - 1 hour - 87.8 MBMargie Lannon is Co-Founder of Onward Transitions a young adult transition program located in Portland, Maine. Margie had worked for 26 years in the wilderness field. She started as field staff on wagon trains that crossed the country and transitioned to being a program director on tall-ships that crossed the ocean with inner-city youth when she worked at VisionQuest. She would transition to Summit Achievement in 1999 where she was program director for over a decade. Margie's encourages peo...
Episode 39: Lily Wilkinson, Outreach Director at Aim House
July 15, 2019 14:44 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBLily Wilkinson is the Outreach Director of Aim House in Boulder, CO. Lily's entry into the wilderness field occurred when she was eighteen years old and enrolled in a wilderness therapy program which she says, "saved my life." Lily describes her journey of growing up in a supportive family yet struggling with crippling anxiety. She developed several maladaptive coping skills, which resulted in numerous challenges throughout her teen years. Lily shares her story and how wilderness therapy ...
Episode 38: Audrey Peavey, Outreach Director at Potomac Pathways.
July 04, 2019 15:40 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBAudrey Peavey is Outreach Director at Potomac Program. Audrey's entry into the field occurred in 2001 when a friend of hers asked her to be the admissions director of New Horizons for Young Women. New Horizons for Young Women was a wilderness program located in Maine that worked exclusively with girls ages 13-18. Audrey worked at the program from the day it opened in 2000 to the day it closed in 2008. Audrey recounts the unique history of the program and what she learned in the process. Audr...
Episode 37: Angie Shockley, Founder Q & A Associates
June 30, 2019 19:37 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBAngie Shockley is the founder of Q & A Associates, located in Davis, West Virginia. Q & A Associates has three different programs that help young adults who have struggled to sustain a productive and positive transition into adulthood. Angie began working in the field in the mid-1990s at an adjudicated boys program in West Virginia. She became disenchanted in the state-run program and joined Alldredge Academy in 2001 as the educational director. She eventually became the Executive Directo...
Episode 36: Mary Hickey, Parent Coach at Parent Coaching Professionals
June 24, 2019 14:42 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBMary Hickey is a parent coach at Parent Coaching Professionals and Second Nature Wilderness. Her journey into the field started as a child at summer camp and progressed at Prescott College in the 1990s, where she first learned about wilderness therapy. Mary began working in the field in 1997 at WildernessQuest. She recounts the primitive skills orientation of WildernessQuest and how she became a lead instructor shortly after starting. She encourages those interested in the field to "be ope...
Episode 35: Sarah Mack, Director of Parent Coaching at Second Nature
June 18, 2019 14:14 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBSarah Mack is Director of Parent Coaching at Second Nature Wilderness Therapy. She has been a leader in the field for over 25 years. For the majority of her career in wilderness therapy, she worked at Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy, which she joined in 1994. Sarah recounts the history of Catherine Freer Wilderness, including its unique model, her role in the executive team, its contributions to the field, and how the program closed in 2012. She encourages women entering the field to be...
Episode 34: Heidi Strand, Executive Director at Lake House Academy
June 10, 2019 14:26 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBHeidi Strand is Executive Director at Lake House Academy in North Carolina. Heidi worked for more than 20 years as a professional in organized camping including Girl Scout camps as well as being the director of several summer camps. She found her first job in the field as the Executive Director at New Visions Wilderness field via Facebook. Heidi believes strongly in cultivating mentors in the field. Her advice to anyone (men or women) interested in the field is to "find your voice" and "you ...
Episode 33: Patricia Ruggles, Therapeutic Consultant, Mason and Associates
June 04, 2019 18:45 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBPatricia Ruggles, LCPC, is a Therapeutic Consultant at Mason and Associates. Trish has been working in the wilderness therapy field for over 15 years in a variety of positions including field staff, team leader, and therapist. She has worked all over the country, including Oregon, New York, and Maine. Her advice to women interested in the field is to "be curious, be open, and be brave." Trish shares her story of being raised in Maine and going to college to study quantitative research. A...