WinGate Welcomes Mary Lou Wise and Hal Tyler

It is with great pleasure that I announce two great additions to the WinGate and WayPoints team! Hal Tyler, LAPC, is a Primary Wilderness Therapist at WayPoints for Young Adults and Mary Lou Wise, LCSW, is a Primary Wilderness Therapist at WinGate for Adolescents.

Hal's experience with wilderness therapy started as a client at Passages to Recovery, a twelve-step based wilderness therapy program for young adults. Hal returned to work there as a senior wilderness field guide, helping other young adults struggling with alcohol, drug, and other addiction issues. He began a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology during his two and a half years working there. During that time, he also completed part of his internship as a therapist.

He began working for Wingate in early 2011. While completing his therapy internship, Hal also helped to further integrate addiction treatment into the Waypoints adult program, running psychoeducation groups on addiction and working with adult and adolescent clients individually with their addiction issues. Hal completed a research project exploring the benefits of wilderness therapy for substance abuse and addictions treatment at Waypoints at Wingate.

Hal has been involved in wilderness all his life. During his youth, he regularly went camping, backpacking, mountaineering, skiing, and mountain biking, taking every weekend and holiday opportunity to get out of his hometown of Los Angeles, California. He first earned his Wilderness First Responder, a medical qualification needed for wilderness guides, at the age of fifteen. By 18, he had earned his Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and spent some time working for an ambulance company. He also gained an interest in primitive and wilderness skills around this time, earning certifications over the next several years in the identification and use of edible and medicinal plants, basic and advanced tracking, shelter and fire-building, and primitive trapping and hunting.

Hal earned a B.A. in Environmental Analysis with an emphasis in Ecology from Pomona College in Claremont, California. He earned his M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Prescott College. He has logged over 400 trail days as a field staff working with young adults and adolescents. In recovery himself, his passion and focus is working with young adults struggling with substance abuse and addictions.

Mary Lou has worked with adolescents and young adults for 25 years. She has skills in treating addiction issues such as substance abuse and dependency, eating disorders, gaming addiction, grief and loss, underachievement, oppositional disorders, as well as a wide range of mood disorders. Her strength as a therapist lies in her ability to connect quickly with clients and use the therapeutic relationship to motivate change and desire to seek the best within themselves and reach their highest potential. Her clients love her for her straightforward and honest approach. She is direct but compassionate and caring.

"My goal as a therapist is to help my clients determine what it is they truly want from life, to recognize their true potential, and to create a life they love and take pride in. I believe we all need to live with intent."

Mary Lou grew up on the shores of Bear Lake in southeastern Idaho, where she was at home in nature. As the parent of four teenagers, she understands the parental perspective. "One of the greatest rewards of my work, is to help families heal, and to give parents back a child well on their way to a bright and healthy future. I love getting a letter or email from a student or family whose child is living successfully and happily after making necessary but difficult changes." She believes healing comes from heartfelt and honest communication and authentic relationships.

Thank you for your support and confidence. We recognize what a great trust you have put in us, and we look forward to working with you in the future.

All the best,
Shayne Gallagher
Executive Director

WinGate Wilderness Therapy provides intervention for adolescents 13-18 who are struggling with a range of behavioral and emotional issues.

Waypoints at WinGate is for young adults age 18-26, seeking treatment for clinical, emotional, and academic issues.