Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors

Steve 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 Wisconsin and Oregon.

From the New Visions Website: Steve Sawyer is a licensed psychotherapist filled with passion and knowledge surrounding the intervention and change process. His experience comes from over a decade of intervention with tough-to-reach client populations in therapy settings ranging from residential, community-based, outpatient and wilderness therapy. Steve is trained in several unique therapeutic models including somatic trigger release, traumatic memory reprocessing, and HeartMath. He is also recognized internationally as a Brainspotting trainer and consultant who trains outpatient therapist and treatment programs. Through his experience he has authored two books, co-founded Wisconsin's only wilderness therapy program, New Vision Wilderness, and works as a core therapeutic training development staff with the Institute of HeartMath. He was an author in the innovative and comprehensive HeartMath Interventions Establishing a New Baseline for Sustained Behavioral Change therapist training Module that revolutionizes modern therapy interventions through an emotional physiology approach. Steve's largest project has been the development of NVW's Trauma Informed Care model in the wilderness setting that has challenged the entire wilderness therapy industry on making healthier interventions with their clients. Steve's trainings are recognized nationwide for cutting-edge therapeutic techniques and inspiration.

Dr. 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 Evoke.

From Evoke's webpage: Dr. Reedy began his studies at Brigham Young University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Family Science. Next, he attended Loma Linda University where he received an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy and then returned to B.Y.U. and completed his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Brad's research and clinical experience includes parenting issues, family trauma, treatment with sexual abuse victims, domestically violent offenders, adults/adolescents with substance abuse issues, eating disordered patients, sexual perpetrators, attachment issues, developmental psychology and children suffering with grief and loss. Brad works with a variety of populations that often include students with dual diagnoses and gifted intelligence. He has served on the board of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs and the Utah Department of Child and Family Services.

After years as a parent educator having broadcast over 1000 webinars on parent and family issues, Brad released the book, The Journey of the Heroic Parent: Your Child's Struggle and the Road Home. Using his personal story and stories from thousands of clients, he shares wisdom on how to think about parenting. Parents are asked to shift from relying on experts for advice to learning how to think about parenting questions by truly understanding themselves and doing their own work. Miles Adcox, Onsite CEO, praises the work as a "must-read for any parent" and Harriet Lerner, author of The Dance of Anger, calls Brad a "gentle, authentic and wise guide."

Most recently, (with his partners Rick Heizer & Matt Hoag), Brad envisioned a company that focused on the whole health of the people it served as well as it's employees. In this spirit, they founded Evoke Therapy Programs where Brad now serves as Clinical Director. He travels the country lecturing, running parenting workshops, and hosting weekly webinars to support parents and families. These broadcasts are also available on your podcast app. His parenting book is used as a foundational principle in the Evoke Therapy Programs model and is also used industry-wide to educate and support families.

Born and raised in Orange County, California, the middle of three boys, Brad was raised by his mother. He grew up surfing, listening to Bob Dylan, and causing his mom a great deal of grief. Brad is married and has four children. He is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Angels and can be easily engaged in a debate on any sports-related topic.

Kirsten 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 adolescent girls.

Bio from Open Sky Website:

Kirsten is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1999, Summa Cum Laude, with a BS in Health and Exercise Science. Instead of following her projected course to study Biomechanics, she turned west, seeking something that felt missing. That trip landed her in Utah amid stunning red-rock canyons, wide sandy rivers, and abundant sunshine. Kirsten finds wilderness to be a uniquely powerful setting for young people to connect to themselves, to others, and to their means of contributing to the world.

Her wilderness therapy career began as a field guide in 2004. In that role, she felt drawn to the deeply intimate, interpersonal work that occurred with families, and in 2007 she enrolled at the University of Oregon to complete a graduate degree in Couple and Family Therapy. Her other clinical experiences enable her to understand complex intra- and interpersonal dynamics. Her clinical background includes working at the Center for Family Therapy in Eugene, Oregon, with couples, families, and individuals of all ages experiencing a wide variety of struggles. She facilitated bereavement support groups for elementary-aged children, served high school girls in an impoverished community, led mother-daughter support groups, and provided individual and family therapy services at a center for girls aged 10-18. Kirsten is particularly passionate about family therapy, and she believes family growth is vital in working with young people individually.

Following graduate school, she worked for two years as a wilderness therapist at Aspen Achievement Academy and then, in 2011, joined Open Sky to deepen her holistic approach to wellness. Since then she has worked with adolescent boys and girls, as well as young adult men and women. Kirsten's expertise and passion manifest most in working with adolescent girls. She works with a wide range of adolescent girls, from clinically complex, treatment-resistant girls with complicated family systems and externalizing behaviors to over-functioning girls who internalize their emotions and hurt themselves as a result. As a family therapist, Kirsten is skilled in clarifying complicated systemic issues and helping formulate a concrete diagnostic assessment. She is supportive of parents who might need extra coaching due to anxiety, grief, and other personal struggles. With her firm and directive approach, Kirsten confronts presenting issues and holds students and families accountable to their therapeutic work, while circumventing the shame that can interfere with progress.

Kirsten evokes peer confrontation and challenge as an additional means to elicit change. Common themes she emphasizes are emotional regulation, assertive communication, identity development, vulnerability, and healthy relationships. She incorporates humor and playfulness and quickly develops strong therapeutic relationships. She works collaboratively and uses the entire treatment team (the family system, Open Sky staff, previous home professionals, educational consultants, etc.) to help students stabilize, assess clinical issues and needs, and treat presenting issues while developing an appropriate longer-term treatment plan. Kirsten incorporates principles of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocesssing Therapy (EMDR) to support students with issues related to emotional dysregulation, trauma, and emerging personality disorders.

Most of Kirsten's childhood was spent in Maryland, but she also was privileged to spend five years overseas in England and Germany. Still living in Utah, Kirsten finds inspiration observing the landscape, running whitewater rivers, climbing sandstone cracks, mountain biking, trail running, skiing, playing guitar and piano, and spending quality time with her husband, children, dogs, and cats. Kirsten is humbled daily by her personal experiences as a mother, stepmother, and partner, and she believes her clinical work is significantly deeper as a result.

Daniel 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 2014.

From the SUWs Website:

Daniel Fishburn has been helping young people "find their way" in a variety of settings for 30 years, including close to 20 years as a licensed clinician. He received his BA in Psychology at The Catholic University of American in Washington DC., and his MSW from the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work. From the war zones of El Salvador to the streets of Dallas and Houston, Daniel has served families through numerous organizations such as Child Protective Services, public health agencies, community mental health, adolescent and adult substance abuse treatment, young adult transitional programs, and most recently at a therapeutic boarding school. From the frontline staff to leadership, Daniel is highly experienced in working at the organizational level to create powerful, positive change.

In Daniel's personal life, he is committed to mindfulness science and practice, nature adventure, and volunteer service in the Asheville community. He is involved nationally in the Recovery Dharma movement and engages in education/advocacy for LGBTIQ youth.

Madhurii 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 her hometown.

From the True North Website:

Madhurii Barefoot was born and raised in the Mad River Valley. She attended boarding school in Connecticut, and the Mountain School of Milton Academy, a Semester program in Vermont focused on experiential education, community building, and outdoor recreation. She received her Bachelor's degree from Smith College and went on to participate in several experiential and outdoor educational programs; including a NOLS semester in Patagonia, Chile.

Mod pursued her love of outdoor education and experiential learning by becoming a field instructor at a Wilderness Therapy Program in Idaho. She went on to earn her Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. She helped to establish and develop a non-profit organization supporting the health, welfare, and education of girls, as well as working with adolescent girls and their families in a variety of outpatient settings before returning to the program in Idaho as a wilderness therapist specializing in working with adolescent girls.

Mod continued to work exclusively with adolescent girls as a licensed Clinical Social Worker at True North and as Clinical Director until 2018. She currently works closely with the administrative team to maintain our very high program standards, provides additional support to the clinical team as well as the admissions and outreach team, and is available as a resource to referral sources. Mod continues to participate in program development and alumni programming.

Mod has traveled extensively, lived in Switzerland and Chile, and enjoys cooking, traveling, and skiing. She lives in North Fayston, Vermont with her husband (and True North co-owner and Executive Director Ty Maves) and their three children.

Thom 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 Street Podcast!

From his Eyes Open Productions Website:

Thom Pollard of EYES OPEN PRODUCTIONS is an award-winning Director of Photography and Filmmaker who has filmed from Easter Island to the summit of Mount Everest and everything in between. His films and camera work have won numerous television, film and production awards, including an Emmy for (Orphan Orca/PBS), finalist of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for best cinematography (Lost on Everest/BBC) as well as a Silver Telly in the Nature/Wildlife category for his camera work on a Mako shark documentary (Monster Fish). His photographs have appeared in dozens of books and languages worldwide, as well as in numerous publications, including National Geographic Magazine.

Thom is an experienced public speaker, thrilling audiences across North America with his tales of adventure, using his brilliant photographs and films. He is said to have the "It" factor. His presentations create powerful impressions for schools, businesses and annual events.

Thom has filmed four Everest documentaries spanning two decades, for PBS, the BBC, National Geographic and Sony.

Anson 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 of Summit.

From Summit Achievements Website: Anson McNulty earned his Bachelor's degree in Outdoor Recreation Administration from Unity College. He is also certified as Wilderness First Responder, CPR Instructor, and CPI (Crisis Prevention and Intervention) instructor. Anson has been working with troubled teens in wilderness and residential settings since 2000 and is dedicated to helping struggling teens find their way utilizing experiential learning. Anson has worked at Summit Achievement since 2002. Anson enjoys family time with his wife and son, and adventuring in the backcountry, whether it be paddling, rock climbing or skiing.

Tim 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 Brightstone.

Bios from Brightstone Transitions Website:

Tim McMahon is the Founder and Owner of Brightstone Transitions. Tim has been working in the field of therapeutic programming for over 20 years. He has helped design and implement residential, therapeutic, and academic programs across the country. Tim is married with two children. When not at work, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his two daughters.

While managing 10 intensive residential treatment programs located in 6 different states across the country, Tim began to realize that there was need for resources to help young adults who, despite therapeutic intervention, needed support to move forward. These young adults appeared stuck, and were often unable to make plans that allowed them to advance. These young adults needed guidance, but often did not respond to the traditional clinical interventions. It was out of Tim's passion for helping these untraditional young adults that Brightstone Transitions was born.

Tim has a hands-on approach to running Brightstone. Tim believes that the key to reaching these young adults is through personal relationships. With that in mind, Tim designed Brightstone to be a very small and very individualized program.

Tim brings a wealth of experience and personal knowledge to Brightstone which he uses to help his clients and families build a foundation for success. He helps clients to define clear goals and develop plans to work toward those goals. Tim believes in an action oriented approach that moves clients beyond the classroom and into real life experience.

Jason Cox is the Director of Business Development for Brightstone Transitions. He brings a wide variety of experiences and passions to the Brightstone team. Jason comes to Brightstone with years of management experience in both therapeutic programming and summer camp programs.

Jason has a great deal of experience in designing and implementing programming to help young people. Jason started his career working with inner city youth in the Atlanta area in a wilderness based programming for over seven years. Helping to develop programing for boarding schools on the East Coast became his main focus before moving on to other programing areas. Through the years, Jason has had the opportunity to work with several camps and schools across the country. Jason accepted a job as the Director of Conferences, Retreats and Summer Programming for the Greater Seattle YMCA. Jason then moved to San Francisco to work with the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco where he served as Assistant Camp Director of Programs and helped to connect Bay Area inner city youth with healthier lifestyles through the outdoors. After several years of work with the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, Jason took an opportunity to run a program near his family in North Carolina. During that work, Jason developed a passion for helping young adults that led him to Brightstone.

Jason takes an active approach to working with clients and their families, but his work does not stop at the admission process. He continues to be involved with clients and their families throughout their time at Brightstone. A major focus of his work with young adults is helping them find and pursue their individual passions. Jason understands that this often leads to young adults finding newways to be successful. Jason received a bachelor's degree in Political Science with a concentration in Southern Urban Minority Politics from East Carolina University. Jason enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family. Jason and his wife's enjoy taking their son on adventures across the country.

Sarah 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 2 years.

Samuel 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 "loves."

Listen to this fascinating story!