Episode 17: Lynn Smith, Co-founder of Elements Wilderness Program
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Release Date: 01/24/2019
140: Harpa Erlendsdottir: Manager of the Icelandic Adventure Therapy Association.
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Harpa Erlendsdottir is a clinical occupational therapist and the General Manager of the Icelandic Adventure Therapy Association. Growing up in the majestic beauty of Iceland inspired Harpa to become involved in the field. She shares her story of being involved in Scouting and learning about Experiential Education. She would travel to the U.S. to take a course at Project Adventure to learn more. She shares stories about her experiences in the field and the Gathering of Adventure Therapists in Europe.
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139: Andy Hardie: Clinical Manager at Venture Trust in the United Kingdom
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Andy Hardie is the Clinical Manager of Venture Trust in the United Kingdom. Andy shares his journey into the field, which began when heading to the only university that accepted him to study Outdoor Leadership. He would go onto work at the original Outward Bound school. Andy shares how Venture Trust began as a 21-day “boot camp” style wilderness therapy program and has evolved to be a social change agent, including providing Outdoor Therapy for free to young people age 16-25 and ex-service members.
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138: Cindy Ross, author of "Walking Toward Peace-Veterans Healing on America's Trails"
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Cindy Ross is the author of the new book, "Walking Toward Peace- Veterans Healing on America's Trails," which profiles combat veterans who found healing through the outdoors as well as long-distance expeditions. She shares her journey of writing the book and what she learned from veterans.
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137: Jorge Venceslau, Co-founder of Age of Discoveries in Portugal.
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Jorge Venceslau is the program director and co-founder of Age of Discoveries, located in Portugal. Jorge's journey into the field began in his early 20's when he struggled with several issues and found wilderness to be a place of healing. He would become a recovery coach and worked in programs worldwide, including The Crossroads Center in Antigua. He always dreamed of starting his own program, and in this episode, he shares the joys and challenges of creating the first adventure therapy program in Portugal
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136: Dr. Virginie Gargano, Founder of Dehors and Professor of Social Work
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Dr. Virginie Gargano is the founder of Dehors an adventure therapy training program located in Quebec, Canada. She is also a professor of Social Work at Université Laval and is a researcher, teacher, and practitioner of adventure therapy. Virginie shares her journey from being a guide at a program that worked with adjudicated youth in the outdoors to going on to get her Masters and Doctorate in Social Work. Virginie also shares her involvement in the International Adventure Therapy Conference and much more
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135: Graham Pringle, Program Director of Youth Flourish Outdoors in Australia
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Graham Pringle is the program director at Youth Flourish Outdoors (YFO) in Australia. Graham shares his story of how he became involved in outdoor therapy after a stint in the military and why it is referred to as Bush Adventure Therapy. Graham compares the similarities and differences in how outdoor therapies are practiced in his country versus the US. He shares how YFO works with traumatized youth in outdoor adventure settings as well as how the organization functions with little government support.
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134: Ray Burke: Founder and CEO of Active Connections in Ireland
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Ray Burke is the founder of Active Connections in Ireland. Ray shares his story of growing up in Dublin and finding solace in the woods from the challenges of the city. He would venture to the US to work at summer camps and Outward Bound in Oregon. He learned about wilderness therapy at Catherine Freer Wilderness and returned to Ireland for more education so he could bring adventure therapy home. Ray tells the story of starting Active Connections over a decade ago to help transform lives through adventure.
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133: Natalia Ruiz de Cortázar Gracia : Psychologist and General Director of Experientia in Spain
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
Natalia Ruiz de Cortázar Gracia is a psychologist and general director of Experientia located in Spain. Natalia shares how she first heard about wilderness therapy when she was a graduate student in the U.S. and describes how she worked at Wingate and Anasazi. After two years she returned to Spain to work at Experientia. Natalia describes how Experientia is helping young people with mental health challenges with outdoor treatment as well as differences and similarities between the U.S. and Spanish models.
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132: Research:Transporting Young People to Wilderness: Part 2
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
This second research episode examines a recently published qualitative study regarding transporting teens to wilderness therapy programs with the researcher Dr. Will Dobud, an affiliated research scientist at the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center at the UNH. The study is titled "Experiences of secure transport in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare- A Narrative Inquiry." Dr. Dobud talks about this study through a social work and a trauma-informed lens and shares its implications for the field.
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131: Research:Transporting Young People to Wilderness: Part 1
Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy
This episode examines research studies regarding transporting teens to wilderness therapy programs with Dr. Christine Norton, a research scientist at the OBH Center at UNH. Transporting unwilling participants to wilderness therapy programs has been referred to as "escorting," "gooning," as well as "legal kidnapping" and is one of the more controversial aspects of the field. Dr. Norton reviews transport research studies, how the research can help inform practice, and changes she is seeing in the field.
info_outlineWill talks with Lynn Smith, Co-Founder and Director of Family Services of Elements Wilderness Program. Lynn shares his journey from growing up in California to joining Aspen Achievement Academy in 1994 to co-founding Elements Wilderness in 2008.