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
214: Advancing Adventure Therapy Certifications with Fred Borroel
213: Post-Pandemic Wilderness Therapy: Seven Trends in Outdoor Mental Health Practices
212: Exploring the Healing Power of the Outdoors in Mental Health Treatment with Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan
211: Psychotherapy on the Trail: Portland Hiking Therapy's Approach to Healing
210: Adolescent Anxiety and the Healing Power of the Outdoors: An Interview with Wilderness Therapist Justin Messinger
209: Addressing Anxiety & OCD with Mountain Valley Techniques: Zack Schafer's 'Fear Less' Insight's
208: Navigating Autism & Anxiety in College: The Transformative Power of Adventure
207: From Aspiro Wilderness/Adventure Therapy to Nature Based Preschool: Jenna Krueger’s Story
206: Harnessing the Outdoors: How Summit Achievement Addresses Adolescent Anxiety with Mike DeLuca
205: WinGate's Closure and the Future of Wilderness Therapy Programs
204: Nature-Based Healing: The Millcreek Experiential Approach with Jessica Jo Stenquist
203: Reimagining Therapy in the Outdoors: Darcy Holt's Path at Three Peaks Ascent
202: Running with Anxiety to Fear Less
201: Celebrating 20 Years of Wilderness Therapy Symposium
200: The End of Wilderness Therapy?
199: Finding Strength in Challenges: Dr. Hilary McCloy's Unwavering Spirit
198: "Buried"-A Story of Healing After A High Risk Adventure Goes Bad
197: A New Christian Wilderness Therapy Program!
196: Everest as a Path to Transformation
195: How the Abrupt Closure of SUWS of the Carolinas by Acadia Healthcare Impacted Families, Employees and the Field: Special Episode
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