Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
Health & Fitness:Mental Health
How can wilderness therapy help young people suffering from trauma? Is transporting young people to wilderness therapy traumatizing? We explore these topics and more with Steve Sawyer, Co-Founder/Chief Clinical Consultant of New Vision Wilderness. Steve has been a long-time champion of trauma-informed care and entered the wilderness therapy field when there was little discussion about trauma in behavioral healthcare. Steve shares his thoughts about trauma-informed care versus trauma-responsive care and how wilderness therapy programs have evolved in their approach to trauma over the years. Steve also dives into the challenging subjects of whether transporting youth to wilderness therapy can be done without trauma and whether behavioral healthcare has become too focused on trauma.
From the New Vision Website: Steve Sawyer, Co-Founder/Chief Clinical Consultant of New Vision Wilderness, Deschutes Wilderness Therapy, and First Light Wilderness Therapy. Steve 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.
235: Thriving After Wilderness Therapy: Colin MacDonald's Path to Not Therapy
234: Enhancing Adventure Therapy Practice: Insights from Westminster University
233: Wilderness Therapy Under Fire: A Deep Dive with Reporter Jessica Miller
232: Exploring Outdoor Therapy with David Wynn from Blue Ridge Treks
231: Surf Therapy: A New Wave in Therapeutic Practices with Cash Lambert
230: Everest Inc.: Debunking Myths with Author Will Cockrell
229: Healing in the Outdoors: 'No Child Left Inside” author Bryn Lottig on the Journey to Emotional Well-being
228: Embark's Closure of New Visions and the Future of Wilderness Therapy
227: From Military to Mindfulness: Tripp Johnson's Journey to Behavioral Healthcare Innovation
226: From Addiction to Adventure: How Nature Transforms Lives with Nate Bennick
225: Embracing Adventure for Recovery: The Foundation House Experience
224: Navigating Controversy: Dr. Madolyn Liebing's Take on Wilderness Therapy's Future and Addiction Treatment in Outdoor Settings
223: Recovery in the Outdoors: Roy DuPrez's Journey to Sobriety and the Back2Basics Story
222: Empowering Young Adults when “At the Crossroads” with Mike Hench
221: The Closure of Open Sky: Is this the “Winter” of Wilderness Therapy?
220: Tommy Rosen's Recovery 2.0: Transforming Addiction Treatment with Holistic Healing
219: From Phish to Fulfillment: Trey Anastasio & Melanie Gulde's Recovery Vision
218: Recovery in the Wild: Transforming Lives Through Outdoor Adventures
217: Nature's Therapy: Unveiling Soul Degree's Power in Men's Wellness with Chris Robbins
216: Adventure Therapy for Anxiety: Exploring Dr. Stephanie Marti's Outpatient Practice
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