2021 WTS_NC Workshop descriptions (Asheville, NC April 8th-9th, 2021)

2021 WTS_NC Workshop descriptions
(Asheville, NC April 8th-9th, 2021)

6hr Workshops
Therapeutic Use of Canoeing in the Front-country
Joe Early, Joey Werner
ADVANCED RSVP ON ONLINE WTS REG SITE REQUIRED TO ATTEND (8 spots available)

In this 6-hour off-site workshop, Joe Early, LCSW and Joey Werner, LMFT of Blue Ridge Treks, will lead 8
participants on a 3-mile canoe trip down the French Broad River. The workshop will begin and end at the
WTS site, with Blue Ridge Treks providing all transportation, gear and logistics. We will offer our
knowledge of how to safely and effectively lead clients on similar outings. We will identify and explore
therapeutic benefits of canoeing in the front country for individuals & families, empowering participants
to take these skills back to their own communities and clientele.

Joe Early is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience providing mental health services,
mentoring, and creating positive relationships with youth and adults in a variety of settings. He believes
in the power of the therapeutic relationship, the ability for nature to provide opportunities for personal
and communal growth, and most importantly the ability for positive change to occur with an individual
who is dedicated to this pursuit. With this in mind, Joe co-founded Blue Ridge Treks in 2011 with his
business partner Alex Hersey. They have provided unique nature-based therapeutic opportunities for
non-residential clients including children, adolescents and adults. They also utilize nature in Outdoor
Leadership Programs for adolescents and Retreats and Staff Development for local agencies.

Joey Werner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with an extensive background in outdoor
recreation. Joey provides individual and family therapy and also collaborates with local schools to
provide mental health support to students in a classroom setting. Joey believes in an experiential
approach to personal growth and has found being outside in nature tends to be a wonderful way to
developing personal clarity. Joey is excited about helping individuals and families succeed using existing
strengths and resources on their journey toward reaching goals or finding greater meaning. Joey grew

up in Columbus, Ohio and earned the rank of Eagle with the Boy Scouts of America before attending
Unity College in Maine to learn about adventure education. Upon graduation, Joey guided teenagers
and youth-at-risk through outdoor/therapeutic programs in Maine, New Mexico, Utah and Ohio before
pursuing additional education in family therapy. This decision was made based on the idea that
individuals create lasting healing through both self-improvement and through mending and growing
relationships with significant others. Joey attended graduate school at Antioch University New England
and earned a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Joey and his family moved to
Western North Carolina in 2009 and Joey continued guiding teenagers through adventure programs
based in the mountains surrounding Asheville. Joey most recently served as an Intensive In-Home
therapist with Family Preservation Services in Asheville before transitioning to his current role with the
Blue Ridge Treks team.

Amazing River Cane
Sheri Gallagher, Shayne Gallagher
ADVANCED RSVP ON ONLINE WTS REG SITE REQUIRED TO ATTEND (15 spots available)

In and around the operational areas of eastern wilderness therapy programs grows an amazingly useful
plant. Students of wilderness therapy programs have an opportunity to explore the ‘gifts’ this plant has
to offer. Many a mentoring moment can occur between field staff and students as staff help students
understand River Cane. River Cane is endemic to the southern part of the United States and for
centuries has been utilized by several Native American tribes for all kinds of purposes. Among other
items, river cane can be made into baskets, blowguns, fishing poles, knives, spears, bows and arrows,
atlatl darts, blowgun darts, sleeping pads, drying racks, walls for homes, flutes, whistles, spoons, pan
pipes, and a variety of simple containers. In this workshop we will demonstrate a variety of river cane
uses, and participants will actually make one or more items including a spoon, containers of various
sizes, and/or a simple 4 to 5-hole cane flute.

Sheri is a pioneer in our field. Sheri began working in the wilderness therapy arena in 1988. She has
helped develop four wilderness therapy programs. She has worked several hundred days as a field
instructor and has occupied nearly every position that exists in wilderness therapy (multiple times).

Shayne has been working in wilderness therapy programs for over 30 years. He has helped develop
several wilderness therapy programs including the oldest existing program in our field. He has made
countless numbers of primitive living items with students in the field.

3hr Workshops
Collaborations with the natural world: Healing trauma and fostering resilience
Sandy Newes, Katie Asmus
Whether working with trauma or related struggles such as addiction, behavioral issues, anxiety or
depression, it is imperative for practitioners to recognize the central role of the nervous system in both

hurt and healing. Understanding our own nervous systems and developing awareness of the felt-sense
difference of being “in or out of our resilient zone,” is key to teaching clients to do the same. Nature-
based and mindfulness practices offer powerful tools to teach associated body awareness and self-
regulation skills, critical aspects of healing trauma. Using the frame of the resilient zone, in this
workshop we will offer simple ways to teach the neurobiology of trauma. From this framework,
participants will be guided through a series of nature-connection and mindfulness-based experiential
exercises that can be done both in and out of doors to support the healing of trauma and nervous
system regulation. Theoretical underpinnings of activities will be explored to support effective use. The
goal of these activities is not only healing trauma, but also to strengthen the capacity for present-
moment experience and develop a deeper connection to self, world and others. Participants will leave
with practical tools they can immediately apply in their work with clients and for self-care.

Dr. Sandy Newes is a Licensed Psychologist in Asheville, NC. In her private practice, she specializes in
trauma, chronic stress, anxiety and resilience, and the integration of clinical and brain-based models into
therapeutic settings. Sandy also provides psychological evaluation, neurofeedback, and consultation,
locally and with programs nationwide. Sandy is a co-developer of the Clinical First Responder (CFR) staff
training, a skills trainer in the Community Resilience Model (CRM) and Reconnect for Resilience (RFR)
and offers other trainings upon request. Sandy is keenly interested in how neuroscience informs our
day-to-day experience, and how brain-based practices can shift deeply entrenched patterns of emotion
and behavior. She takes pride in walking her talk, and in her teaching draws from her experiences with
learning to thrive as a single parent to help teach tools that can be directly applied to foster resilience
and develop increased joy and belonging.

Katie Asmus, MA, LPC, BMP, describes her work as “bringing forth the innate wisdom within every-
BODY, and opening people’s minds and hearts to greater possibilities. Founder of Somatic Wilderness
Therapy Institute, Katie practices as a somatic and wilderness psychotherapist, life coach, educator,
mentor, workshop facilitator and Rites of Passage guide. Katie incorporates present-moment awareness,
creative arts, relationship to the natural world, and body-mind connection to support people in more
deeply and compassionately connecting to themselves, others, and the earth.

Pyramid of success: Combining research, advocacy, and legal perspectives
Mike Gass
This workshop will discuss the legal, research, politics, and advocacy for advancing the field outdoor
behavioral healthcare. Particular attention will be centered on the Parity Act and ERISA. Also discussed
will be the importance of submitting 1006 revenue code claims, review of the important elements of a
plan/policy, checking plans for medical/surgical analogues, arguments to make during appeals for
various denial types (e.g., not covered, not medically necessary, no out of network benefits).

Michael Gass: Michael Gass is a Professor in the College of Health and Human Services at the University
of New Hampshire. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and completed
postdoctoral studies in marriage and family therapy. After various careers as a landscape architect,
dance instructor, group home weekend supervisor, maître d', therapist, and mountain guide, Mike
settled into his career at the Outdoor Education Program at the University of New Hampshire. He is one

of the creators of the Browne Center, a program development and research center on adventure
learning that serves over 10,000 clients a year with educational, therapeutic, and corporate clients. He
currently directs two critical research initiatives in the field of adventure therapy–one as Director of the
Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Center (OBHRC) and another as Director of the NATSAP
Research Database. Work completed by the Center has resulted in the return of over $6.5 million to
families for wilderness therapy over the past four years. He has made over 300 professional
presentations and written over 200 professional publications. His book, Effective Programming in
Adventure Programming written with Dr. Simon Priest, is the largest selling textbook in the field. His
latest book, written with Dr. Lee Gillis and Dr. Keith Russell, Adventure therapy: Theory, research, and
practice, is published by Routledge Press in 2020. In 1998 Mike received the Association for Experiential
Education’s Outstanding Experiential Teacher of the Year Award, in 2002 he delivered the Kurt Hahn
Address for AEE, and in 2011 received AEE’s Distinguished Researcher Award. In 2005 he received the
UNH School of Health and Human Service’s Distinguished Career Research Award as well the University’s
Award for Excellence in International Engagement in 2011. In 2016, Gass was awarded the NATSAP
Leadership Award, the OBH Eagle Award, and the TAPG Heart of Adventure Therapy Award.

Cross—Cultural Co-Creation (ONLINE ONLY – via Zoom)
Tony Naidoo, Rob Meltzer, Danny Recio, Andy Meyers, Zach Lager
Small gatherings will take place simultaneously in different corners of the world (South Africa, Costa
Rica, US, etc.) to experience connectedness, community, commonality and open communication
inspired by the power of culture, nature and healing. All the groups will connect at the end of this
experiential session to cross-pollinate and co-create. Recommended that you also participate in this
group’s 1.5hr workshop “The Com-Effect” on Friday morning.

Rob Meltzer, MA - Rob is a Consultant, Wilderness Guide, Therapist, and Educator. He’s been a program
director, school principal, and university professor. He facilitates experiential workshops for families that
include outdoor adventure, music, art, and horses. He is the founder of the Wilderness Therapy
Symposium.

Danny Recio, PhD - Danny is a Costa Rican psychologist and ecologist. For the past 15 years, he has been
dedicated to guiding coming of age experiences for youth using nature and cross-cultural immersions.
Danny is the Founder and Director of The Bridge in Costa Rica, a Supportive Immersion Gap Year
program for Young Adults that uses Adventure-Based Practices.

Tony Naidoo, PhD - Tony Naidoo is a South African of mixed heritage. Raised in the challenging context
of the apartheid era, he sought to combine formal training and teaching in Psychology with his passion
to introduce disaffected youth and their communities to the restorative powers of rites of passage work
and exposure to the healing influences of nature. He is mindful of his current transition to Elderhood
and wishes to learn from other cultures and their ways of supporting these traditions.

Zach Lager - Originally from the Boston MA, USA area, Zach has lived for more than 10 years on the
African continent. His passion is to foster meaningful community driven sustainable development and
working to promote sustainable living and farming practices. Zach also has a deep belief in the power of
cross-cultural relationships and learning as a key tool and mechanism for his work. He is the founder of a

nonprofit organization, Local Development Catalyst Network, as well as a founder and director of
Sibanye Gap Programs, South Africa.

 Andy Myers - Andy is a member of the Founding Team of New Summit Academy (NSA) in Costa Rica,
Sibanye Gap Programs in South Africa and the Supportive Immersion Institute. Normally out facilitating
cultural immersion learning experiences for adolescents and young adults in amazing places with
wonderful communities, Andy is currently collaborating with the NSA Team to launch an online high
school platform, the Virtual Immersion Academy (VIA), in hope to bring Supportive Immersion education
to a wider population.

Forest Bathing--A Pathway to Connection, Wellness, & Community Engagement
Kim Hinzy & Lynette Spencer
Forest Bathing is a research-based framework for supporting healing and wellness through immersion in
forests and other natural environments. Forest Bathing is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-
Yoku, which translates to "forest bathing." Studies have demonstrated a wide array of health benefits,
especially in the cardiovascular and immune systems, and for stabilizing and improving mood and
cognition. Forest Bathing builds on those benefits and looks beyond, to what happens when people
remember that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, and are related to all other beings in
fundamental ways. From this framework, participants will learn the standard sequence created by the
Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs as a pathway to promoting wellness
(their own and others), deepening relationships with nature, fostering accessible connections with the
general community to their adventure and wilderness therapy work, and the role nature can play in
healing and growth.

Kim Hinzy, MSW, LSW, is a Clinician and Associate Director at Adventure Works, an AEE/OBH accredited,
community-based, outdoor behavioral healthcare organization in DeKalb, Illinois. Kim is a Certified
Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and
Programs and a member of the Leadership Committee for the Therapeutic Adventure Professionals
Group through the Association of Experiential Education. In addition to her work as a clinician, Kim
provides guided walks to the local community designed to reduce stress and support wellness through a
deepened connection with the natural world.

Lynette Spencer, LCSW, is the founder/executive director of Adventure Works and founding partner of
Action Consulting and Therapy. She is currently serving as chair of the OBH Council. Lynette has over 30
years’ experience in the fields of social work and behavioral healthcare and is ecstatic that her career
path led her to OBH.

1.5hr Workshops
10 therapeutic techniques for adventure therapists and field guides
Michael Gass

The purpose of this workshop is to present 10 therapeutic techniques that capitalize on the intersection
of therapeutic technique done in wilderness and adventure settings. Therapists and field guides will
learn these techniques with a focus on being able to use them Monday morning after returning from the
conference in the context designed for therapeutic advancement with the client.

 Michael Gass is a Professor in the College of Health and Human Services at the University of New
Hampshire. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and completed
postdoctoral studies in marriage and family therapy. After various careers as a landscape architect,
dance instructor, group home weekend supervisor, maître d', therapist, and mountain guide, Mike
settled into his career at the world renown Outdoor Education Program at the University of New
Hampshire. He is one of the creators of the Browne Center, a program development and research center
on adventure learning that serves over 10,000 clients a year with educational, therapeutic, and
corporate clients. He currently directs two critical research initiatives in the field of adventure therapy–
one as Director of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Center (OBHRC) and another as Director
of the NATSAP Research Database. Work completed by the Center has resulted in the return of over $8
million to families for wilderness therapy over the past six years. He has made over 300 professional
presentations and written over 200 professional publications. His book, Effective Programming in
Adventure Programming written with Dr. Simon Priest, is the largest selling textbook in the field. His
latest book, written with Dr. Lee Gillis and Dr. Keith Russell, Adventure therapy: Theory, research, and
practice, is published by Routledge Press in 2020. In 1998 Mike received the Association for Experiential
Education’s Outstanding Experiential Teacher of the Year Award, in 2002 he delivered the Kurt Hahn
Address for AEE, and in 2011 received AEE’s Distinguished Researcher Award. In 2005 he received the
UNH School of Health and Human Service’s Distinguished Career Research Award as well the University’s
Award for Excellence in International Engagement in 2011. In 2016, Gass was awarded the NATSAP
Leadership Award, the OBH Eagle Award, and the TAPG Heart of Adventure Therapy Award.

Mindful Transition: Acknowledging and Addressing the Unique Challenges of 18-Year-Olds in
Wilderness and Transition Programs
Josh White
For better or for worse, turning 18 demarcates the legal shift from being a child to an adult. Though it is
a pervasively agreed upon distinction in the eyes of the law, we know that it means very little when it
concerns an individual’s emotional and cognitive development. Under optimal conditions 18-year-olds
are on the precipice of dramatic change in their lives–completing high school, entering college or
exploring vocational opportunities, testing independent decision-making skills and navigating complex
relationships. On the other hand, when typical adolescent development is disrupted, the 18th year of
life can be fraught with even more turmoil and confusion than what is anticipated. Specifically, the 18-
year-old students in our programs are, often times, 18 by calendar date only. More than likely their
developmental age is younger, and as such they present a unique challenge to the programs caring for
them. As therapeutic programs it is crucial that we work together and become mindful of the nuances
that distinguish these students from others. This presentation will explore this age group as separate

from the larger young adult population. Through interactive discussion, case study examination and
didactic lecture, this presentation will assist participants as they work to better serve the youngest
students on the young adult spectrum.

Josh White earned his Master’s Degree from Naropa University, the nation’s premier mindfulness-based
therapeutic institution. He is a renowned Zen teacher and pioneer in the emerging field of mindfulness-
based adolescent and young adult treatment. A martial arts teacher, board-certified clinical supervisor,
and licensed therapist, Josh is also Executive Director of Red Mountain Sedona and Operating Partner of
Red Mountain Colorado, where he draws on his decades of training in Eastern philosophy and cutting-
edge clinical modalities to help clients achieve their full potential. Prior to founding the Red Mountain
Programs, Josh served as a Program Director, Clinical Director, and Executive Director in top treatment
programs for adolescents and young adults, gathering a wealth of experience which now guides the
philosophy and day-to-day operations of both Red Mountain sites.

"What Cha Thinkin' Bout?" Attentional Bias and Adolescent Substance Abuse Interventions
and Aftercare Planning
James Skelton
Aftercare planning is an indispensable component to sustaining sobriety for those with substance abuse
and dependency issues once discharged from treatment. Recent research shows that the longer one
participates in treatment, the greater their chance of maintaining long-term sobriety (Catalane,
Hawkins, Wells, & Miller, 1990-01). Yet, roughly one-quarter actually receive the needed length of time
in treatment to be successful upon discharge (Vourakis, 2005). In addition, research indicates that
performance during a treatment episode is not a clear indicator of posttreatment functioning (Catalane,
Hawkins, Wells, & Miller, 1990-01). Adolescents are among the most at risk of relapse following
treatment for substance abuse. Relapse rates after discharge from treatment among adolescents with
substance use disorders (SUDs) is alarmingly high. Statistics range from 35% to as high as 85% for
relapse within the first-year posttreatment (Luijten, Schellekens, & Sescousse, 2017). Prevalence of
relapse is highest within the first three months of posttreatment. (Brown, Vik, & Creamer, 1989). For
adolescents going home after treatment, the only accountability for continuing aftercare activities is
often a “home contract” or “home agreement.” General thinking amongst parents in drafting a home
contract is to control the teenager as a means of protecting them. The use the fear of negative
consequences as the main motivating factor to deter the teenager from falling back into old behaviors.
Consequences such as going back to treatment, loss of privileges, stricter curfews, or demoralizing
chores are frequent devices as deterrents. Home agreements which are geared to avoiding relapse
promote the avoidance of old friends, old places, and old things. Most importantly is avoiding alcohol or
drugs. However, neurophysiology research shows that activity in the anterior cingulate is heightened by
strong intentions whether the intention is to avoid items or to attract them creating attentional bias
(Marhe, Luijten, van de Wetering, Smits, & Franken, 2012). The brain goes on high alert to recognize the
items when intentions are set. This implies that when an aftercare plan is set up to avoid items of
temptation and avoid consequences, then the brain is hardwired for an attentional bias towards those
items which could create cravings and lead to relapse. AB has been found to be closely linked to cravings
which lead substance abusers to relapse (Garland, Franken, & Howard, 2012). In addition, an aftercare
plan for an adolescent must take into account the unique qualities of teenage life. Fear of consequences
may be an appropriate motivator for an adult. However, teenagers are more focused on immediate

anxieties and social pressure. Peer pressure is less of a relapse indicator for adults than teens (Winters,
Botzet, & Fahnhorst, 2011). Creating aftercare plans which meet the special needs of adolescents and
understanding the major relapse predictors should be of high importance to clinicians and parents.

James has worked with adolescents who struggle with substance abuse issues and their families for over
9 years in both outpatient and wilderness settings. He has a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in
religion, and a master’s in social work. His research has focused on the neurobiology of addiction and
evidence-based aftercare planning for adolescents. He is described as a straight-talker,
enthusiastic, humorous, and insightful. He believes that all people are capable of healing.

From Crisis to Conversing: Re-engaging the Thinking Brain
Scott Bandoroff, Sandy Newes
In wilderness therapy, students routinely become emotionally dysregulated. This can often lead to a
crisis situation. When crises arise, our students are “out of their zone.” When their “lids are flipped,” all
of our best cognitive processing strategies become ineffective. In this workshop, participants will learn
the neurobiology underlying this process. The Community Resilience Model (CRM) will be introduced,
and participants will have the opportunity to practice CRM skills to help students (and themselves)
emotionally regulate. Foolproof strategies for re-engaging with students and deepening the therapeutic
relationship will be demonstrated as well. Participants will have the opportunity to experience a number
of hands-on techniques to apply directly in the field.

  Dr. Scott Bandoroff is a psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with challenging
adolescents and their families in wilderness and outpatient settings. He has served as a clinical director,
internship director, clinical supervisor, consultant and trainer. He founded Peak Experience to provide
training and consultation in adventure therapy and works with mental health agencies, schools,
residential treatment centers, and wilderness programs. He co-developed the Clinical First Responder
training to enhance the clinical skills of direct care staff. Scott is well known in the adventure therapy
field through his publications and presentations in the U.S. and abroad. He maintains a private therapy
practice in Ashland, OR where he continues to treat challenging teens and their families. In addition,
Scott offers Wilderness Family Intensives for families interested in a deep and impactful family therapy
experience.

Dr. Sandy Newes is a Licensed Psychologist in Asheville, NC. Specializing in the integration of
experientially based therapeutic approaches with traditional clinical methods and brain-based
interventions; Sandy is in private practice, working with young adults and families. She also provides
testing, consultation, and neurofeedback locally and with programs nationwide. Sandy offers training
and staff development, including co-facilitation of the Clinical First Responder (CFR) staff training,
trainings on the Community Resilience Model (CRM) and trauma, as well as others upon request. Sandy
is keenly interested in how neuroscience informs our day-to-day experience, and how brain-based
practices can shift deeply entrenched patterns of emotion and behavior. She takes pride in walking her
talk, and in her teaching draws from her experiences with learning to thrive as a single parent to help
teach others tools they can apply to their own lives to foster resilience and develop increased joy and
belonging.

You Don't Need to be a Neuro-Guru to do NeuroFeedback!
Dianne Kosto
Many times, countless interventions using traditional therapies fail to get the results desired. Science
has shown we can identify and re-train brainwave patterns through qEEG Neurofeedback. This
presentation covers the basics of neurofeedback and how this innovative technology can improve
trauma and technology impacted youth. The science of neurofeedback is important for all professionals
and parents associated with academics and mental health to understand this type of program can be
used as a single or complementary aide to improve brain health for enrollees. Discussion includes
practical application and demonstration as well as Q&A.

Dianne Kosto, SCN – Is the Founder and CEO of SYMMETRY Neuro-Pathway Training managing multiple
locations and @home programs that provide neurofeedback services. Dianne was the Executive Director
of Training and the only trainer for BrainCore Neurofeedback Systems. She was an approved instructor
for Bridgeport College’s CEC and Certificate Course for Chiropractors in Advanced BrainCore qEEG.
Dianne has presented on several occasions for the Collaborative Organization of Services for Youth
(COSY). COSY is an organization that provides continuing education credits for Counselors, Social
Workers and mental health professionals in Beaufort and several neighboring counties. She passed her
BCIA Board Certification and requirements in 2014. Dianne has presented to SE NATSAP Oct.2016, CTSS
2019. She will be presenting at Attach Conference 2019 and NATSAP 2019.

Keith Bishop, CLC Keith is the current Chief Operations Officer for Q&A Associates, a family of 3
programs for young adults, based in Davis, West Virginia. An accomplished Equine Professional, Keith
also operates Saddles & Smiles, a Non-profit equine assisted learning program for children, teens and
young adults who don’t have access to services or opportunities in the surrounding area. Keith began
working with adjudicated youth in the State of Georgia’s Outdoor Therapeutic Wilderness Program.
There he worked as a field staff and was promoted to Senior Counselor before moving to Eckerd Youth
Alternatives program in Blue Ridge Georgia, where he served as Master Counselor and Program
Director. After Eckerd Academy of Blue Ridge, Keith moved to Davis, WV to work with Q&A and since
2010 he has held the position of Program Director and is now the Chief Operations Officer.

Back to the “Why” of Leadership
Katelyn BeVard
In this workshop we will honor and explore what it means to be a leader. Is there such a thing as a good
or bad leader? If so, how do we define each? Working in wilderness therapy inherently makes you a
leader and our influence on our clients is immense, but the pressures of the job can feel overwhelming.
In this workshop we will dive into leadership from an internal perspective taking a look at our own
values and why we do this work in order to help inform the way we lead our clients, students and
employees. Understanding our why can help reduce the stresses of the job and remind us how we got

here in the first place. The hope is to leave the workshop with a renewed feeling of passion towards
leading clients and/or employees.

Katelyn is the Program Director of Evoke at Entrada and has been with the company since 2009.
Through her many roles with Evoke, she has gained a versatile understanding of and fascination with
leadership. Katelyn’s attraction towards leadership began at a young age through sports and grew even
more as a college athlete. In her professional career she has held several leadership roles outside of
Evoke including; OBHC Best Practices Committee Chair, Secretary of the OBH Council, Chair of the
Southern Utah Program Alliance, and AEE Accreditation Council Member.

Don’t forget to have some fun: Leisure, Recreation and Play in Wilderness Therapy
Emily Fritz, Rachel Voit
Play, recreation and leisure are vital parts of overall wellbeing and development. Unfortunately,
they are often focused on less than they should be. This presentation will explore the
differences between play, recreation and leisure and their importance in well-being and
development while identifying their importance in a wilderness therapy setting. Participants
will learn about ways in which New Vision Wilderness teaches incorporates play and leisure
education while gain resources for implementing leisure education and play into groups. This
session will be interactive, so come ready for some learning and some laughs!
 Emily Fritz MS, CTRS Experiential Services Director: Emily is an Iowa native that now calls the
north woods of Wisconsin home. As an undergraduate, Emily double majored in Exercise
Science and Human Performance and Fitness, then went on to pursue her masters in
Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. Emily
fell in love with working outside during graduate school while managing a challenge course and
climbing tower at Horn Field Campus. Emily’s graduate course work also led her on a variety of
other adventures including backpacking a section of the Ozark Trail in Missouri and sea
kayaking in the Apostle Islands. After working as a Recreation Therapist at Lurie Children’s
Hospital’s inpatient psychiatric unit, Emily knew she needed to get back outside. Northwoods
Wilderness Therapy was the perfect fit combining the population of students she loved serving
and being outside. Emily is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and is passionate about
incorporating this skill set into her time with students in the woods and educating students
through experiential activities. Along with being a CTRS, Emily is also a Wilderness First
Responder and is certified in Wilderness Water Safety. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading,
paddling, traveling and spending time with family, friends and her dog Diesel.

Rachel Voit APSW Primary Wilderness Therapist: Rachel Voit, MSW, ACSW is a Primary
Wilderness Therapist at Northwoods Wilderness Therapy. She has worked with children and
adolescents in therapeutic and recreational settings for over 10 years. Rachel developed her

devotion to working with youth in the outdoors by serving in a variety of professional roles.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Educational Studies at Macalester College
and began work as a Field Guide for Northwoods Wilderness Therapy. She went on complete a
master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, followed by a
post-graduate fellowship at Yale University’s Child Study Center. While at Yale, she worked as
an outpatient therapist for children and families. Rachel has extensive training in evidence-
based practices designed to address attachment and trauma. She draws from Circle of Security
and other trainings to support students who have experienced attachment disruption in
relationships. Rachel is also a certified yoga instructor and with training in TCTSY. She finds the
outdoors to be a uniquely powerful setting, one that supports and encourages significant
therapeutic change. When she is not in the woods with students, Rachel is often in the woods
with friends or family, hiking and exploring new landscapes.

Giving power to experiences through nature-based activities and restorative storytelling
Crystal Gail Welcome
It is through our experiences of the world that we build, shift, and shape our identity. BIPOC aren't often
given the space to engage in and share their experiences with nature. Giving voice to our experiences
through nature-based activities and restorative storytelling can provide a unique tool for interpersonal
growth, positive self-esteem, mental health, and emotional well-being. In this workshop, I will
demonstrate the transformative power of nature through narration as a BIPOC. Unfolding the ways that
nature can change our narratives and the stories we tell ourselves can change our lives.

Crystal Gail Welcome is an experiential educator, author, storyteller, activist, and Black outdoor leader.
She chooses to speak out against racial injustice in the United States by hiking and giving voice to her
experiences. Crystal emphasizes the need for social and environmental justice and explains how
discrepancies in both have led to a gap between BIPOC and nature. She also explores how sharing one’s
experiences while in nature can create a unique space for healing from trauma or other negative life
experiences. Crystal Gail leads by example and has inspired other BIPOC people to foster a positive
relationship with the natural world.

Their Relationships Matter More Than You Think: A Neuro-Imaging Study on Recovery and
Family
Porter Macey
This workshop introduces the idea and evidence that the social experience of our relationships can have
a direct impact on the biological functioning of the brain and how the brain heals itself after Alcohol
addiction. A research study done at the Texas Tech neuroimaging institute shows the systemic nature of
healing from a substance addiction and why your relationships matter more than you think. Using a
systemic framework, the presenter will provide a brief overview of how addiction changes the

neuropathways in the brain from a top down to a bottom-up process and how we can better reverse
this organ’s (the brain) defect during abstinence by focusing on our family relationships.

Dr. Porter Macey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He received his Bachelor’s degree in
Psychology from Utah State University, his Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University
of Akron and his Doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University. Porter is a
member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and is a supervisor in Marriage
and Family Therapy, through which he provides supervision to new therapists. He has extended training
and enjoys working with couples, families, and individuals. Porter has worked in a variety of locations
and diverse populations, from Ohio to Texas and now in Utah. He has experience addressing a range of
topics, including working with adolescents, couples’ issues, family struggles and addiction. He has a
passion for therapy and making connections with others. As a therapist, Porter believes in authenticity
and honesty. Because of this outlook, he is quick to build relationships with the people he works with,
helping them feel secure in his office. He is nonjudgmental and caring and always works hard to
demonstrate an unconditional positive regard towards his clients. He believes that people are already
striving toward a better life, but often we get stuck. He works collaboratively with his clients to help
them continue their progression. Porter also specializes in Wilderness Therapy where he spends a few
days working with families in the outdoors.

The “com” effect
Tony Naidoo, Rob Meltzer, Danny Recio, Andy Meyers, Zach Lager
On the same day, separated by thousands of miles, two groups converged, bound by the commonality
of being immersed in a wilderness setting, separated by cultural histories, with the intention to create a
space for a cross-cultural co-creative process. With the intention of revealing the effects of these
encounters and its method of facilitation, a research project originated which has been called: the
“com” effect. The “com effect” emerges out of the main themes the participants converged in:
community, commonality, communication and connectedness. These four themes share the same
etymology: “com”, which means “to be with” or “to move together”. We’ll dive into the facilitation
method that appears to evoke the “com” effect, as well as bring in sources of wisdom ranging from the
traditional African philosophy of Ubuntu to the contemporary methods of Theory U to support and
enrich the conversation. Recommended that you also participate in this group’s 3hr workshop “Cross-
Cultural Co-Creation” on Thursday morning.

Rob Meltzer, MA - Rob is a Consultant, Wilderness Guide, Therapist, and Educator. He’s been a program
director, school principal, and university professor. He facilitates experiential workshops for families that
include outdoor adventure, music, art, and horses. He is the founder of the Wilderness Therapy
Symposium.

Danny Recio, PhD - Danny is a Costa Rican psychologist and ecologist. For the past 15 years, he has been
dedicated to guiding coming of age experiences for youth using nature and cross-cultural immersions.
Danny is the Founder and Director of The Bridge in Costa Rica, a Supportive Immersion Gap Year
program for Young Adults that uses Adventure-Based Practices.

Tony Naidoo, PhD - Tony Naidoo is a South African of mixed heritage. Raised in the challenging context
of the apartheid era, he sought to combine formal training and teaching in Psychology with his passion
to introduce disaffected youth and their communities to the restorative powers of rites of passage work
and exposure to the healing influences of nature. He is mindful of his current transition to Elderhood
and wishes to learn from other cultures and their ways of supporting these traditions.

Zach Lager - Originally from the Boston MA, USA area, Zach has lived for more than 10 years on the
African continent. His passion is to foster meaningful community driven sustainable development and
working to promote sustainable living and farming practices. Zach also has a deep belief in the power of
cross-cultural relationships and learning as a key tool and mechanism for his work. He is the founder of a
nonprofit organization, Local Development Catalyst Network, as well as a founder and director of
Sibanye Gap Programs, South Africa.

 Andy Myers - Andy is a member of the Founding Team of New Summit Academy (NSA) in Costa Rica,
Sibanye Gap Programs in South Africa and the Supportive Immersion Institute. Normally out facilitating
cultural immersion learning experiences for adolescents and young adults in amazing places with
wonderful communities, Andy is currently collaborating with the NSA Team to launch an online high
school platform, the Virtual Immersion Academy (VIA), in hope to bring Supportive Immersion education
to a wider population.

If Thirty Years Could Talk
Shayne Gallagher
Last spring marked Shayne’s 30th continual year working in wilderness therapy. Drawing on lessons
learned across three decades, through storytelling, interactive teaching, and hands on instruction,
Shayne will cover a number of wilderness therapy subjects. Topics will include: Strategies for
successfully mentoring students in the field, training field staff, creating pertinent program curriculum,
intervening in difficult field group dynamics, creating powerful ceremonies, using symbology, drawing
forth teaching moments, strategies for reducing treatment resistant students, encouraging intrinsic
motivation, strategies for ‘upward mobility’ in the wilderness therapy industry, establishing
philosophical foundations, the challenges and rewards of starting wilderness therapy programs, why
(and how) to remain a student yourself.

The year 2020 marked Shayne's 30th year working in wilderness therapy. A principal designer of four
wilderness therapy programs, clocking 1,400 or so 'trail days', having worked in nearly every position in
wilderness therapy, co-founder and currently the Executive Director of WinGate Wilderness Therapy,
Shayne is authoritative on multiple topics in our industry, and is passionate in his desire to help others
better understand this amazing occupation.

Ten Thousand Hours in Wilderness: What I Learned While No One Was Watching

Guy Dumas

Three Hours of Talking about Wilderness Living Skills Instruction. No Time Talking about Therapy.
Student experience and growth in a wilderness setting is predetermined by the quality of their
instructors. Students spend 168 hours a week with instructors. During their time in a program, they will
have over 1000 instructor contact hours. Let’s talk about how to do that well. This will be a combined
lecture (historical perspective and theory of instruction) skill demonstration, group discussion and
question and answer format.

Guy Dumas has over 1000 days on the trail as a Wilderness Therapy Instructor. His email address used to
be JumpingMouse@hotmail.com. He has a BS in Literature and Philosophy with a Minor in Systems
Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point NY. He dropped out of the Contemplative
Psych program at Naropa AND Beauty School at Paul Mitchell. But he graduated from the US Army
Ranger School. He is a licensed barber and has over 10,000 hours behind the chair listening to men talk
about what is important to them. He has over 10,000 hours coaching wilderness therapy graduates
through their transition home. And he has over 10,000 hours working as an instructor in various
wilderness therapy programs. He has two competent independent adult children aged 18 and 16 who
he raised in a 224 square foot RV in 48 states with his wife of 21 years.

When is the iron hot: a conversation about length of stay in Wilderness Programs

Jesse Quam, Chris Tarver, Guy Dumas, Daniel Fishburn

A panel discussion on the topic of length of stay in Therapeutic Wilderness Programs. Many viewpoints
exist on this topic, ranging from length of stay being too short, too long or just right. The panel will
discuss the issue and offer four case studies to illustrate and give color and depth to the issues. Group
discussion and questions will be encouraged.

Jesse Quam is an experienced clinician and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who joined John Huie
& Associates as educational consultant in May 2015. He has served in some of the most effective
therapeutic wilderness programs and schools on both the East and West coasts. For seven years, Jesse
worked with struggling adolescents and families as senior wilderness instructor and field director for
highly successful programs in Utah. There, he and his wife, Grace, also a wilderness instructor, first met.
Jesse served as front line staff in several group homes—first in California and later in Massachusetts,
where he earned his Master’s degree from the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work while
Grace taught in Boston area charter schools. In 2005, he accepted a position with SUWS of the
Carolinas, where he served for 10 years as therapist and clinical director. There, he pioneered and led
the nationally-acclaimed Seasons Program for younger teenagers. Jesse is widely recognized for his
skillful work with adolescents, young adults, and parents. He teaches a course in outdoor leadership at
Montreat College, and is a respected, in-demand presenter at professional conferences nation-wide. He
is an associate member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and an Affiliate
Member of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP). Jesse and Grace
live with their three children—Elsa, David, and Samuel—on their homestead near Black Mountain NC,
where they raise chickens, ducks, and rabbits, and cultivate their organic garden.

Chris Tarver began working in the wilderness industry in 2005 where he found he connected with the
wilderness therapy model. He has a love of nature and a great respect for its healing power and its

balancing influence in his own life. This led him to want to become a therapist and to go on to earn two
Master’s degrees, the first in psychology and the second in social work. Chris has a deep understanding
of mental health treatment which he has developed by working in a variety of mental health settings.
These include wilderness therapy, a mental health hospital, intensive outpatient, residential treatment,
and private practice. He has also held leadership roles such as Clinical Director and Program Director.
Given his vast level of experience, Chris is able to effectively work with a broad range of clientele with
varying psychological, emotional, behavioral, and addictive issues. He focuses his work on helping clients
accept their emotions and encourages them to live the healthy life that they deserve. When Chris is not
working he enjoys spending time with his family doing various activities like fishing, hunting, hiking, and
camping. He also enjoys coaching youth sports teams and serving in different capacities in his
community.

Daniel Fishburn has been helping young people find their way a variety of settings for 30 years,
including over 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.

Guy Dumas worked with students in wilderness programs and helping facilitate their transition home
for the last 25 years. He has worked with program graduates with six field weeks up to fifteen plus
weeks.

Employee Resilience: The Nature and Nurture of Grit

Daniel Kikkert

An exploration of how organizations and the individuals that make them up can hire, train, and create a
company culture that fosters resilience in employees. Working in the wilderness therapy industry
requires that employees be exposed to potentially stressful and challenging situations. Field guides,
clinicians, and support personnel all experience this and are at risk of vicarious traumatization,
compassion fatigue, burnout, and turnover. Participants in this workshop will explore evidence-based
concepts and share narrative experiences as they apply the nature vs. nurture duality to employee
resilience.

Dan Kikkert has been working in the wilderness therapy industry since 2012. He worked as a field guide
before transitioning to program leadership in 2015 and is currently the Director of Operations for
Deschutes Wilderness Therapy in Bend, Oregon. He received his BS in Physics with a Minor in
Mathematics from Penn State University and his MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Sacred

Heart University. He has maintained a WEMT certification since 2014 and is passionate about wilderness
medicine. Dan spends his free time biking, skiing, and rafting.

Half-Hour Workshops
Culture Agreement; Onboarding with Intention

Tamra Hyde

From my observations as a field director, as well as my own years of guiding, I identified several
common pitfalls for new field guides. I compiled a list addressing some possible solutions and began
presenting it to new and potential guides, in order to help them be more confident and prepared from
the outset. While it also contains practical advice and suggestions, it points to foundational guiding
principles. Over time, it was dubbed our "Culture Agreement" and adapted in every department; so
that, as a company, we hold ourselves to, measure ourselves against, and strive towards the same
ideals. I'd like to present our Culture Agreement as an example, as well as discuss how it can be
presented and implemented. I will also share the benefits that we have seen as a result.

Tamra Hyde was radically transformed by wilderness therapy, when in the fall of 2006, without any
camping or hiking experience to speak of, she was hired as a Trailwalker at The Anasazi Foundation. It
took. She continued to guide with them in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona for 2 and a half years. In the
Spring of 2011, realizing, as so many former field guides do, that she'd been ruined for conventional life,
she began guiding again at Wingate Wilderness Therapy in Southern Utah. She did this for years until
finally agreeing to assume the role of field director, and eventually transitioning into her current role,
focused exclusively on recruiting, hiring and training. Additionally, Tamra is a primitive living, wilderness
survival instructor (featured on a few television shows), a minimalist nomad living in her cute converted
short bus, and heavily involved in the adoption community through writing, speaking and organizing
throughout the country for the last 20 years.

Field Staff Wellness and Therapeutic Resources: Beyond “Good Practice”

Jenn Gift

Staff longevity is something that every OBH program strives for, yet it remains a constant struggle to
nurture lasting commitment to such an “in-tents” line of work. The demands and dangers of outdoor
living aside, field staff are commissioned to maintain a safe container for significantly distressed clients,
enduring frequent exacerbation while fostering the therapeutic healing process. Accomplishing this task
with compassion and emotional differentiation can be incredibly draining and requires remarkable
resilience. Compassion fatigue and turn-over have been linked to the quality of client care in the mental
health field. Vicarious trauma can impact staying power and the potential for burnout in the OBH field is
significant. What is the culture surrounding wellness in the field? What are field staff doing to manage
their own mental health? What works? What more is needed? Nod to the “Jedi Masters” of the field.
How do they stay long enough to become so? How can the OBH community offer support regardless of

whether or not there are “enough” mentors amongst the field staff to go around? Let’s talk about how
we could all move in the direction of greater wellness and endeavor to improve the education and
accessibility of therapeutic resources for field staff.

Jenn has been a wilderness therapy field staff for nearly a decade. Since 2010, she has logged over 1,000
days in the field and has hiked over 5,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the
Camino de Santiago! She approaches life with curiosity and creativity. The thing that most attracts her to
all of these things? Community. Jenn believes that one's community and sense of love and belonging are
invaluable to personal growth and change. She is keen on developing authentic relationships in a fun
and goofy howl-at-the-moon kind of way. She became motivated to pursue a master’s in Clinical Mental
Health Counseling at Western Carolina University in order to continue mentorship in the OBH field (and
the broader field of mental health) with a focus on staff wellness.