Many who know me are already aware that I have decided not to organize the Wilderness Therapy Symposium this year. I am proud of my work as the creator and organizer of the Symposium. Those who attended know that it was a joy-filled event where people who share a common love of working in the outdoors came to connect in beautiful Boulder, Colorado.
Working on the Symposium was a fascinating job that allowed me to observe the field of Wilderness Therapy from the front row. Wilderness Therapy is a diverse field with many roots:
The Therapeutic Camping models that originated in the Southeast with Gary Loughmiller, Eckard Programs, Three Springs, and Cat Jennings' Family
Western primitive skills models that originated with Larry Olsen, Larry Wells, LJ Mitchell, SUWS and Aspen Achievement Academy
Adventure Therapy models that originated with Kurt Hahn and Outward Bound and that have been furthered by Mike Gass, Christian Itin, Lee Gillis, Scott Bandoroff, Will White, and folks at the Association for Experiential Education
Spiritual / Rites of Passage models that evolved because of the work of Steven Foster, Meredith Little, Bill Plotkin, Trebbe Johnson at places like Animas Valley Institute, School of Lost Borders and the Wilderness Guides Council
One on one, Gestalt, and retreat-oriented models developed by people like Roger Strachan, Mado Reid, Katie Asmus, and Michael Jospe
Clinical models that emerged with the rise of Second Nature, the work of Brad Reedy, Matt Hoag, Jay Huffine, Gill Hallows, Shane Galagher, Graham Shannonhouse, Sue Crowell, and the many Aspen programs
Reovery models that emerged at the Wilderness Treatment Center and with the work of Pam and John Dupuy at Passages to Recovery and Jack Kline at Four Circles Recovery
Family-oriented / wellness models pioneered by Aaron Fernandes, Norman Elizondo, Ty Maves, Mod Barefoot, Lorri Hanna, Doug Sabo, and Mike and Suzanne McKinney at Open Sky, True North, Pacific Quest, and Sol Treks
Contemplative, somatic, equine, and experiential approaches being taught by Deb Piranian and the faculty at Naropa University
And so many more creative off-shoots and small hybrid programs.
The Symposium brought together people from these diverse backgrounds and got them all talking. This is what made the event so spectacular and valuable. The Symposium allowed the field to coalesce and come together in new ways. It was a place where students sat next to executive directors, where field staff sat next to ed consultants, and where everyone was on the same level. We had difficult and sometimes contentious dialogue and we had meaningful personal experiences. We spent time outside enjoying Nature. We always maintained a spirit of cooperation and we always had a blast!
This coalescence is part of a shift that is now occurring in the field. Key organizations and individuals are forming new alliances and coming together in new ways. As part of this new shift, The Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC) has been working in cooperation with other organizations such as the Association for Experiential Education (AEE), the National Association for Therapeutic Wilderness Camps (NATWC), and the Wilderness Guides Council (WGC) on a new national conference in Wilderness Therapy.
It will take time for this new event to be defined and to evolve. But, it seems pretty certain that it will happen sometime in 2012.
So, in the spirit of allowing something new to emerge I am "letting go" of the Symposium. I have made the decision to get out of the conference organization business and I am excited at the prospect of having only one job and one professional purpose: working as an Educational Consultant to help struggling teens, young adults, and their families find the best path forward.
I am grateful to all those who supported the Symposium. Thank you. I am honored to have been a part of this piece of history in the development of the field of Wilderness Therapy. I hope the Symposium will be seen as a necessary stepping stone to something new and exciting. I hope you will all gather at the new event in 2012 and continue to further the field of Wilderness Therapy.
In the absence of information about the Symposium, I have received many emails asking me, "is everything OK?" Sorry to leave you all hanging. I have been waiting for more clarity before sending this announcement. The answer is YES everything is more than OK. Despite the struggles of parenting three teenage children, my family is well, I feel healthier and stronger than ever, and my consulting business is thriving.
My best wishes are with all of you. I am excited to see what comes next for the field of Wilderness Therapy!