Sky‘s the Limit Fund (STLF) Speaker Series

Mariah Loftin, MA, LPC -Clinical Director and Senior Therapist- Young Adults at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy

Our guest, Mariah Loftin, Clinical Director at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, discusses how wilderness therapy can support an individual on the autism spectrum. She explains how they are able to thrive with the support of evidence-based treatment, an environment of neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals, a consistent structure while supporting the students to be able to respond to life's unpredictabilities, and healthy living.

Ryan Price, MA, LPC, MAC | Primary Therapist, Young Adults at Deschutes Wilderness Therapy

In this episode, Ryan Price discusses an alternative approach to working with young adults and their families that focuses on relational repair and healing as a means of resourcing the young adult to step boldly into adult life. This is in contrast with some approaches that reduce focus on family therapy and parental involvement in the therapy process for young adults. Parent involvement in family therapy with their young adult child does not have to feel stifling to the young adult. When done well, the reinforced secure attachment with their parents creates a solid "home base" from which the young adult can embrace independent life with confidence.

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A captivating interview with Samira Madden, a wilderness therapy graduate. Samira is a young teen and is remarkably poised, honest, and courageous. She talks about her experience at wilderness, the life lessons it has taught her, and through this, she hopes to communicate her conviction to break the stigma. 

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Tony Issenmann, Ph.D., LMFT Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness

Parents are increasingly struggling with anxiety and fear about sending their struggling adolescents to treatment. Dr. Issenmann's conversation is to empower anxious and ambivalent parents about the developmental model and research that show out-of-home treatment is often necessary for the life-changing results.  Through this, he provides suggestions on what parents can do to navigate through the tough decision.

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Sarah James, MA, LCMHC, LCAS at Trails Carolina

What is neurodiversity? In this episode, Sarah gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how parenting can be different. She discusses how to recognize potential neurodiversity in your child and how and why neurodiversity often gets overlooked in females. Sarah also talks about the pros and cons of formal diagnosis, the unique needs of neurodiverse adolescents and strategies for addressing these needs.

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Casie Fariello, Co-Founder & CEO of Other Parents Like Me

In this episode, Casie Fariello, discusses the vulnerability of being a parent - uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure, guilt and acceptance and overcoming societal “norms”. Through her own experience as a wilderness therapy alumni parent and what she's learned as the Co-Founder & CEO of OPLM, she talks about managing expectations, how to be vulnerable with your children, and the importance of self-care especially during difficult times.

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STLF Coaches, Heather Menzie May, MA, LPC and Stephanie Smith, LCSW, LAC

This episode is Part 2 of a panel discussion featuring our Sky's the Limit Fund Coaches. Heather and Stephanie will talk about the transition home and take a deeper dive into what progression may look like, a discussion about falling back to an old pattern for the youth and parents, what happens when there's a crisis, and holding boundaries.

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STLF Coaches- Lauren Lollini, MA, LCPC, Mackenzie Keefe, MSW, MS and Robin Wolthausen

This episode features a panel discussion with the Sky's the Limit Fund Coaches. Take a deeper dive into their process as coaches to help parents and young adults with transition after wilderness therapy. They'll discuss the key strategies for setting up a path to success and how these strategies may be different for a young adult.

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Lindsay Myrick, LCPC, Assistant Clinical Director and Primary Therapist at blueFire Wilderness Therapy

You may have heard it before when someone says, "just calm down". It's not that easy when you're in the thick of things. Lindsay Myrick dives into what the "Window of Tolerance" means to help us understand our emotions and why it's okay if we're not calm all the time. She also discusses the importance of mindfulness practice and simple ownership to help us appropriately respond rather than react to our children.

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Amanda Mojave, LPC Primary Therapist at Trails Carolina

A deep conversation with Amanda Mojave, LPC about how the stigma of mental health affects parents who are seeking treatment for their child. She offers healthy advice to help parents navigate during this difficult time. 

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