Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
Health & Fitness:Mental Health
In this special episode, Will sheds light on the upheaval in the wilderness therapy landscape, particularly spotlighting the closure of Embark Behavioral Health's New Visions Wilderness Therapy programs. This narrative delves into the broader implications of private equity's role in the mental health care industry, with a focus on how these financial underpinnings have influenced the recent pivot away from wilderness therapy models, especially in the context of adolescent treatment. The episode underscores the closure of not just New Visions in Wisconsin and Deschutes Wilderness Therapy but notes a startling trend: the total cessation of ten adolescent wilderness therapy programs in the past year alone, signaling a seismic shift in the field.
In discussing New Visions Wilderness Therapy, the episode shares a brief history of the program and spotlights the utilization of trauma-informed care as a factor in its growth and success. The incorporation of trauma-informed practices into their treatment model did play a role in differentiating New Visions in a growing behavioral healthcare marketplace, aiding in its expansion and the subsequent interest from larger, investment-driven entities. This examination underscores the complexity of the adolescent wilderness therapy field, where clinical innovation intersects with business interests, leading to significant changes in the availability and approach to adolescent mental health care.
This episode navigates through the nuances of these closures and the broader implications for the changing wilderness therapy landscape, offering a dive into the intersection of financial decisions, clinical practices, and the changing dynamics of adolescent mental health treatment. As the wilderness therapy sector faces this pivotal juncture, White's analysis provides essential insights for professionals, families, and stakeholders, charting the ongoing evolution of treatment modalities in the face of economic and clinical challenges.
Article and podcast episodes talked about in this episode:
Wilderness Therapy Industry's Decline Accelerated by Embark Behavioral Health's Exit
Podcast episode with Steve Sawyer in which we talk about trauma-informed care
Podcast Interview with Drew Hornbeck, Co-founder of New Visions
Podcast Interview with Steve Sawyer, Co-founder of New Visions
Episode 56: John Conway, Director of Business Development- Edge Learning and Wellness Community
Episode 55: Emily (Jonesie) Jones, Senior Field Guide at Open Sky Wilderness
Episode 54: Meaghan Farrell, Field Guide at Elements Traverse
Episode 53: Phil Bryan, Clinical Assistant at Evoke Entrada
Episode 52: Jory Hanselman, Director of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy
Episode 51: Chris Luchesi, Field Guide at Legacy Outdoor Adventures
Episode 50: Guy Dumas, Founder of Guy Dumas Coaching
Episode 49: Dr. Christine Norton, Associate Professor of Social Work at Texas State University
Episode 48: Shannon Palentchar, Director of Admissions at Summit Achievement
Episode 47: Emily Fernandes, Co-founder and Executive Director at Open Sky Wilderness
Episode 46: Hilary Moses, Co-owner of Solutions Parenting Support
Episode 45: Joanna Lilley, Founder of Lilley Consulting
Episode 44: Karen Scrafford, Co-founder of Elements Wilderness Therapy
Episode 43: Dr. Justine O'Donnell, O'Donnell Psychological Testing
Episode 42: Anngela Wells Starnes, Director of Admissions for Q and A Associates
Episode 41: Tracey Bachrach, Director of Business Development at Point School Puerto Rico
Episode 40: Margie Lannon, Co-founder of Onward Transitions
Episode 39: Lily Wilkinson, Outreach Director at Aim House
Episode 38: Audrey Peavey, Outreach Director at Potomac Pathways.
Episode 37: Angie Shockley, Founder Q & A Associates
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Good Mood Revolution
Your Sleep Guru Podcast
Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Men Do Talk Podcast
The Dr. John Delony Show
On Purpose with Jay Shetty