Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
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Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
Stories from the Field: Mental Health in the Outdoors is an authoritative and enlightening podcast that explores the vast landscape of mental health therapies in outdoor settings. Hosted by seasoned mental health professional Dr. Will White, the podcast offers deep insights into outdoor therapies li...
Episode të Fundit
287 episode
287: The Nature Fix: The Science of the Outdoors and Mental Health
Journalist and bestselling author Florence Williams joins Will to explore how time outdoors can transform our minds and bodies. Drawing from her accla...
286: The Trade Program: Earn While Growing, Learn By Doing
In this week’s episode, Will welcomes experiential educator Greg Hitchcock, who shares the story of The Trade—a paid apprenticeship and next-step prog...
285: Grief, Healing, and the Outdoors: The Bright Shadow Approach
In this episode Will speaks with Somerville Johnston, co-founder of Bright Shadow, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people navigate grief and loss th...
284: Nature-Based Mental Health: The LifeWays Approach
In this episode, Will sits down with Chris Brown, founder of the LifeWays Wilderness Institute in Durango, Colorado. Lifeways offers a unique blend of...
283: Alone Winner Nathan Olsen on Survival, Wilderness Therapy and Family
In this episode, Will welcomes back Nathan Olsen—winner of the latest season of Alone. Nathan’s roots in wilderness survival run deep: his father, Lar...
282: Chris Robbins on Men Healing Outdoors and The Let Them Theory
In this episode, Will reconnects with his friend Chris Robbins, founder of Soul Degree men’s retreats and husband of bestselling author Mel Robbins. C...
281: Boys, Men, and the Truths of Wilderness Therapy
In this episode, Will speaks with Jason Denham, founder of Awakened Shadow Coaching, about his two decades of work with boys, men and other genders in...
280: From Transport to Transformation: Enzo Narciso on Wilderness Therapy & Mentoring
In this compelling follow-up to Episode 98, Enzo Narciso returns to Stories from the Field to reflect on his transformation since first sharing his jo...
279: Anxiety, Connection, and the Outdoors: How Dr. Jack Hinman Helps Struggling Young Adults at Engage Transitions
In this insightful episode Will talks with Dr. Jack Hinman, co-founder and executive director of Engage Transitions, shares his personal path from a c...
278: Tents, Trust, and Transformation: How Wilderness Therapy Helps People Build Resilience and Heal
In this episode Will speaks with Jeff Holloway, a veteran social worker and therapeutic consultant from Lumos Strategies with decades of experience in...
277. From Crisis to Connection: A Parent’s Journey Through Teen Substance Use, Wilderness Therapy, and What Comes After
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Will is joined by parent coach Beth Hillman, a mother of five sons whose life was turned upside down whe...
276: Nature's Path for Neurodivergent Boys: Beyond the Autism Diagnosis
In this episode, Will is joined by Chris Blankenship, founder of Autism Learning Lab and former wilderness therapy psychotherapist. Chris shares how y...
275: Men, Mental Health, and the Wild: Nick Mann on the Power of Coaching and Community
In this powerful episode Will welcomes Nick Mann—Marine Corps veteran, former wilderness therapy program director, and founder of Dad’s Project—for an...
274: NOLS Risk Management Director on Resilience, Mental Health and the Future of Outdoor Programs
In this episode Will speaks with Katie Baum Mettenbrink, Director of Risk Management at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), about the inter...
273: Autism and Wilderness Therapy: How Elements Eclipse Helps Neurodivergent Teens Thrive
In this episode Will speaks with Dr. Neal Christensen, psychologist, researcher, and co-owner of Elements Programs in Utah. With over two decades in t...
272: Nature-Based Therapy for Youth: How Hearty Roots Supports Mental Health in Maine
In this episode Will speaks with Haley Bezon, founder and executive director of Hearty Roots—a nonprofit nature-based wellness organization serving yo...
271: From Shame to Safety: Steve Smith on Building Safer Wilderness Therapy and Outdoor Ed Program
In this episode Will welcomes Steve Smith, founder of Experiential Consulting and a 30-year veteran in the outdoor education and risk management field...
270: Jessie Krebs on 'Alone,' Survival Skills, and Healing Through the Outdoors
In this episode Will talks with Jessie Krebs is a wilderness survival expert, former U.S. Air Force SERE specialist, and the founder of O.W.L.S. Skill...
269: Into the Ice: Bestselling Author Mark Synnott on Sailing the Northwest Passage and Finding Meaning in Adventure
In this special live episode Will welcomes his longtime friend and world-renowned adventurer Mark Synnott, a veteran big wall climber, elite alpinist,...
268: Helping Fathers Thrive: Jason Frishman on Journeymen Foundation, Mental Health, and Outdoor Growth
In this heartfelt episode, Will welcomes Dr. Jason Frishman, clinical psychologist and founder of the Journeymen Foundation, an organization dedicated...
267: The Tragedy on Mount Washington That Changed Search and Rescue: Ty Gagne on “The Lions of Winter”
In this powerful episode Will sits down with acclaimed author and risk management expert Ty Gagne to discuss his latest book, The Lions of Winter: Su...
266: Healing in the Wild: Audrey Costa on Nature, Addiction, and Personal Transformation
In this powerful episode Will speaks with Audrey Costa, founder of Deep Rooted Wellness and Creatives, about her powerful journey from personal hardsh...
265: Grief, Healing, and the Outdoors: Jason Stout’s Journey from Loss to Purpose
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Will welcomes Jason Stout, founder of Stoutreach, to share his story of grief, healing, and the outdoors...
264: Helping Neurodivergent Teens Thrive: Brandon Moffitt from Black Mountain Academy
In this episode, Will welcomes Brandon Moffitt, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Black Mountain Academy in North Carolina. Brandon shares his jour...
263: The Rise of Nature-Based Therapy: A Conversation with Katie Asmus
In this engaging conversation, Will welcomes back Katie Asmus, founder of the Somatic Nature Therapy Institute, to discuss the evolution of her work i...
262: The Evolution of Outdoor Therapy Research: Dr. Tucker & Dr. Norton on the Outdoor Research Collaborative for Health, Wellbeing, and Experiential Engagement
In this episode Will talks with Dr. Anita Tucker and Dr. Christine Norton about the transformation of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Cente...
261: Can AI Be Your Outdoor Therapist? A Real-World Experiment in Mental Health & Nature
Want to listen to an outdoor therapy session? In this episode Will embarks on a personal experiment inspired by Reid Hoffman’s new book, Superagency....
260: Myths, Groups & Outdoor Mental Health: Brant Evans on Ancient Wisdom in Modern Therapy
What can ancient myths teach us about group dynamics, leadership, and mental health? In this episode Will sits down with Brant Evans (pen name Brant E...
259: The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act: What It Means for Outdoor Behavioral Health
In this Will speaks with Derek Daley, the incoming president of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), about the trans...
258: From Survival Skills to Life Skills: John Tobias on Red Cedar Transitions
In this episode Will talks with John Tobias, founder of Red Cedar Transitions. John shares his journey from working at Boulder Outdoor Survival School...
256: Inside Elements: New Models, Neurodiverse Focus, and the Future of Wilderness Therapy
In this episode Will talks with John Karren, co-founder of Elements Programs. John reflects on how Elements has evolved over its 17-year history, movi...
255: Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare – Exploring Wilderness Therapy’s Complicated Past
In this special episode Will takes a deep dive into the Netflix documentary Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare, which explores the infamous Challenger Foundati...
254: From Wilderness to Evolution: How True North Transformed Its Therapeutic Model
In this episode Will reconnects with Mod Barefoot Maves, who last appeared on the podcast just before the pandemic in February 2020. Mod shares the re...
253: Navigating Change in Wilderness Therapy: Insights from Andrew Taylor
In this episode Will reconnects with Andrew Taylor, founder of Pure Life Adventure in Costa Rica and the podcast's very first guest in 2018. Andrew sh...
252: After Open Sky: How Danny Frazer is Shaping the Future with Gain the Ridge
In this episode Will engages in a profound conversation with Danny Frazer, co-founder of the former Open Sky Wilderness Therapy program and founder of...
251: Addressing Controversy by Transparency: A Conversation with Summit Achievement's CEO
In this episode Will reconnects with Nichol Ernst, CEO of Summit Achievement, an adolsecent residential treatment program in Maine. Nichol shares his...
250: From Adventure Therapy to Disaster Relief: PIVOTPoint's Journey Amidst Turmoil
In the milestone 250th episode, Will reconnects with Matt Nannis, founder of PIVOTPoint, an experiential adventure program based in Western North Caro...
249: From Wilderness to Well-being: How Confluence Adapts to Changing Youth Challenges
In this episode Will reconnects with Bill Brown, co-founder of Confluence Behavioral Health in Vermont. Since their last conversation in 2019, Conflue...
248: Confronting Challenges in Wilderness Therapy: A Conversation with Derek Daley
In this episode Will reconnects with Derek Daley, co-founder of Legacy Outdoor Adventures and a seasoned professional with over 25 years in wilderness...
247: Surviving the Storms: Insights into the Shifting Landscape of Wilderness Therapy
In the opening episode of Season 21, host Will White delves into the significant transformations occurring within the wilderness therapy field for ado...