Andrick, Koning and Sturch Visit Woodbury Reports

Julia Andrick recently brought Ryan Sturch and Rob Koning by the Woodbury Reports office for a visit.

Ryan Sturch is the Program Director at Santiam Crossing in Scio, OR. He brings to Santiam Crossing a rich background of therapeutic and private business expertise. His association with two prominent wilderness treatment programs, combined with his success in private business management and the financial marketplace, offers a unique blend of management skills. Ryan appreciates the opportunity Santiam Crossing presents to work with both students and their families and to help them move towards making positive, long-lasting changes. He values the work done at Santiam in empowering students to be the best they can be through setting and reaching goals and enjoys watching the students self-confidence grow as they start to realize and embrace all of the wonderful qualities and attributes that reside inside them. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Kansas.

Located in the foothill's of Oregon's Cascade Mountains, Santiam Crossing offers a therapeutic boarding school that provides families with a treatment option that is less than one year in length, therapeutically intensive, and that enables students to catch up academically. The curriculum is designed to engage students in the process of understanding themselves, appreciating their families, realizing what they want in life, and helping them to achieve those goals through hard work and managing their own behavior.

Rob Koning is the Executive Director of Catherine Freer in Albany, OR. He has a plethora of experience working in the field of outdoor behavioral healthcare. He has logged more than 750 days in the field working directly with adolescents as a wilderness guide. In addition, he has worked for three other outdoor adolescent programs prior to coming to work at Catherine Freer. His experience includes working with adjudicated adolescents and adolescents in the social services network. Prior to assuming the role of executive director, Rob was our wilderness department manager. He is an accomplished public speaker and has presented at an Association of Experiential Education conference and at a Wilderness Risk Management conference. Rob has also taken part in a number of community-based leadership trainings. He holds a degree in Recreation and Outdoor Leadership from Western State College. In his spare time, Rob spends most of the time with his wife and two children and also tries to find time for snowboarding, mountain biking, and playing guitar.

On Catherine Freer's wilderness therapy expedition, teenagers are supported in recognizing their personal strengths and weaknesses and learn how to make the best of both. They develop new skills, self-confidence, and gain a strong desire to make the changes that are crucial for their future success. The clinically sophisticated program combines individual and group psychotherapy, therapeutic behavior management, and substance abuse assessment and treatment, all within a naturally healing wilderness setting.

Santiam Crossing is a six to 12 month co-educational program. Students ages 14-18 are eligible for enrollment. Appropriate candidates must have completed a therapeutic wilderness program prior to enrollment, be ready to embrace the leadership opportunities that are offered at Santiam Crossing and display the ability to manage their behavior.

Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs work with teens who are creating family turmoil and whose negative behaviors and poor choices have the potential to jeopardize their health, well-being, and future.