Listen Now

PREVIEW: While your child is in wilderness therapy treatment, a big question mark can be: “what next?” The transition after wilderness looks different for every family. Whether transitioning home, to school, or to an aftercare program, how can parents foster a healthy environment for their child to continue thriving?On today’s episode, Clinical Therapist Chris Blankenship answers common questions parents have as they prepare for their child to graduate wilderness therapy. He addresses the risk of missing underlying successes and challenges by focusing solely on boundaries and details. He also guides us in how to best attune to each other in the transition period, focus on the big picture, and stay committed to family values. With the right approach, parents can help their child carry on with the skills, growth, and progress they gained while in wilderness therapy treatment, no matter what the next steps are.Visit Episode Webpage GUEST PROFILE:CHRIS BLANKENSHIP, LCSWChris is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a therapist for transition age young adults (18-20) at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. These young adults have not been able to find a healthy sense of self and often experience depression, anxiety, trouble launching into adulthood, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, and problematic dynamics with family members. Chris’s clear and direct therapeutic approach helps students deepen their understanding of their presenting issues as well as the underlying processes resulting in these symptoms. Using a relationship-based approach, Chris provides direct and supportive techniques that help families to understand not just their child, but their entire family system. He strives to help his young adults stabilize, to give them the tools necessary for growth, and to provide a sophisticated assessment for future treatment options to effect positive change and growth.

PREVIEW: The first thing you can do after your child has enrolled in wilderness is BREATHE. Acknowledge this transition and the courage it took to get here. What next? In this episode, we give guidance on how to support yourself and your child while he or she is in wilderness therapy. We explain how both students and parents can cycle through the stages of grief as they adjust to this new phase in their life. We address the common fears parents experience about sending their child to wilderness and the growth opportunities their family can expect.It’s also important to note that the questions, fears, challenges, and opportunities for parents of young adults, specifically, are unique. What if my child wants to leave wilderness? What are the next steps after wilderness? Our guest today, Senior Clinical Therapist Mariah Loftin, works with young adults and their families at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. She lends us her expertise and advice for parents on these topics. RESOURCES:Family-related Open Sky blogsMariah’s blog, How to Talk with your Young Adult About Wilderness TherapyMariah answers young adults’ FAQs in her blog, How will Wilderness Benefit Me?SKYlights Episode 6: How will Wilderness Benefit Me?GUEST PROFILE:Mariah Loftin, MA, LPCAs a Licensed Professional Counselor, Mariah skillfully blends her background as a psychotherapist, behaviorist and art therapist. She is quickly able to assess and appropriately treat students, masterfully illuminating the issues that are difficult for them to face. She then pushes them to their edges to start working on those core issues. In her work, she melds a variety of modalities such as Art Therapy, Behavior Analysis, Relational Psychotherapy for Trauma, DBT, Family Systems Therapy, MI, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to best meet the individual therapeutic needs.Mariah quickly and easily establishes rapport with students and their families, building deep and positive connections with parents while supporting students through change. She is recognized by clients and peers for her positive nature, open personality, and tenacious dedication.As a seasoned three-dimensional stained glass sculpture artist, Mariah likens what she does in her studio to the work she does in the field at Open Sky. As each sculpture is lit from within, the imperfections in the glass form are the very things that add character and individuality to the piece. Mariah helps students examine and appreciate the many dimensions of themselves, including their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. She creates an environment that contributes to changes in the student’s inner world, developing a more integrated sense of self along with an increase in self-awareness, understanding, and acceptance.

PREVIEW: A “communication toolbox”…it’s exactly what it sounds like! It is a set of skills and resources at our disposal to access at any moment to practice healthy communication and strengthen our relationships. These are tools to draw from when relationships get tense, confusing, or avoidant. They are also tools to practice regularly even when things are going smoothly.On this episode, therapist Nick Lenderking-Brill walks us through a set of specific skills/resources to include in a “communication toolbox,” such as the “I Feel” Statement, reflective listening, empathy, and the feelings wheel. He gives tangible tips for implementing them into our real-life conversations. Download some of these resources at the links below.RESOURCES:Downloadable Feelings Resource WheelDownloadable “I Feel” Statement and Reflective Listening guideNick’s blog: Family Connection in the Digital Age: Tips for ReconnectingOpen Sky blog: 10 Tips for Strengthening Family Relationships in the New YearOpen Sky blog: From Distant to Connected: Effective Communication Strategies to Improve Parent-Child RelationshipsGUEST PROFILE:Nick Lenderking-Brill, MA, LPCCNick, a Boston native, has always been fascinated by humans and how they interact. He earned his Bachelor’s of Arts in English from the University of Virginia, largely to delve deeper into the arts of communication and expression. His 12 years of experience working with individuals and families led him to a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Naropa University.From organizing and leading backpacking trips for teenagers, to supporting displaced families in urban Brazil, to teaching English to schoolchildren in Thailand, Nick has found joy and fulfillment in serving others through the connective tissue of human relationships. Since childhood, he remembers feeling a sense of solace in nature. In 2013, he thru-hiked the 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. During this journey, Nick experienced his own "wilderness therapy," and knew he needed to help others heal, using nature as a backdrop. His passion took him to Colorado in 2015, where he decided to concentrate his Master's degree in the field of Wilderness Therapy. As a therapist, Nick has facilitated equine-assisted interventions, rock-climbing interventions, group work while actively canoeing, and therapeutic backpacking trips. Aside from his work at Open Sky, he has worked at a counseling agency leading groups and performing individual therapy with folks who suffer from addiction.Nick uses a humanistic approach in therapy. He believes that all beings are basically good, yet we are subject to several difficulties simply by being alive. He is direct but compassionate with his adolescent boys--he knows how to push them into their work in a playful way, because after all, he was once an adolescent boy too! Nick finds the most value in life through interpersonal connection, and it is his goal as a therapist and human to have meaningful interactions with everyone he encounters. Rather than seeking to fix people’s problems, Nick hopes to empower people to reach their own goals.He specializes in addiction counseling, attachment issues, trauma-informed therapy, depression, anxiety, and screen overuse. His own research includes the ways in which screen overuse affects the developing brain. Nick is fascinated by neurology and mindfulness, and often brings current research into his work with students and families.

PREVIEW: Clinical Therapist Brian Leidal walks us through his understanding, research, and expertise on the topic of trauma and addiction, and the link between. The foundation to any conversation or therapeutic work on trauma begins with a grounded nervous system and healthy connection: to others and to self. According to Dr. Dan Siegel, trauma is some thing or event that overwhelms our ability to cope. Our ability to cope is dependent on life experiences, outside events, family, our practices. This is where substance use and other behavioral addictions come in—without the ability to cope effectively, these become short-term releases that can become destructive in the long run. The foundation to any conversation or therapeutic work on trauma begins with a grounded nervous system and healthy connection: to others and to self. Brian gives examples from his own clinical approach at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy of how to dig beneath the surface of substance abuse and addiction. RESOURCES: Brian’s blog: Exploring the Link Between Trauma and Addiction CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Justin Sunseri’s Polyvagal Podcast Johann Hari’s Ted Talk: Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong

PREVIEW: Starting as Field Guide, moving up to Assistant Field Director, and now as Family QuestTM Guide and Transition Mentor—Robin Wolthausen has been fortunate enough to know dozens of the personalities at Open Sky. He’s also as passionate as ever about wilderness therapy, wandering the land as humans amidst the wilderness and weaving the therapeutic experience into every aspect of the journey. Robin values Open Sky’s emphasis on whole health, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. In this episode of SKYlights, the Open Sky Wilderness Therapy podcast, we talk to Robin about how his own journey led him to, away from, and eventually back to Open Sky. Robin shares why he believes that same journey prepared him for a career as our Transition Mentor, helping families to incorporate the skills learned in the wilderness into their lives at home. GUEST PROFILE: Robin Wolthausen, BA Robin Wolthausen has been involved in wilderness guiding and education since 2003 and specifically in wilderness therapy—supporting students and families in crisis—since 2008. Robin’s worked with families in crises within the field of wilderness therapy for half-a-dozen well-known organizations. Additionally, he currently works with a number of family crises intervention support organizations. Today, at Open Sky, his chief goal is to support families and students during post-program reintegration to their homes. While specializing in wilderness therapy, Robin prides himself in his diverse vocational experience pointing to his many passions and loves in working with youth and young adults outside in an array of positive activities. He is trained in technical rock climbing, backcountry canoeing, naturalist studies, wildlife tracking, survival skills, primary handcrafts, conflict mediation and crisis de-escalation, rites of passage, permaculture, natural building and sustainable landscape construction and land management. In his free time, he loves baseball, shooting bows, learning about wild birds, and gardening. 

PREVIEW: Today we talk with Clinical Therapist Morgan Seymour about how societal expectations can discourage or prevent boys from developing emotional awareness, the skills to express emotions and feelings, or seeking help for depression, anxiety, social issues, or challenges at school. Additionally, Morgan explores how—in a new and unfamiliar environment in the wilderness—boys must face emotions they’ve previously avoided or covered up, and how wilderness therapy is an excellent way to strengthen, understand, and be aware of one’s entire self.

PREVIEW: Turning 18 is one of the biggest milestones young people experience. Overnight, one goes from being labeled a child to an adult. However, the growth that occurs in that one day is not commensurate with the change in expectations, nor cognitive development. In this episode, clinical therapist Chris Blankenship discusses how Open Sky helps young adults and families navigate this transition. GUEST: Clinical Therapist, Chris Blankenship, LCSW

PREVIEW: Program Director Danny Frazer discusses Open Sky’s winter course area in Utah. He describes what the winter climate is like, explains how our base camp infrastructure enhances the student and family experience, and talks about the training our field staff receive prior to and throughout the winter season. Danny details the winter gear our students receive—including insulated boots, long underwear and down jackets—and how students’ diets are modified to account for colder weather. He also explains the physical, mental and psychological benefits inherent to a wilderness therapy experience during the winter. GUEST PROFILE: Director Danny Frazer, BBA Danny graduated cum laude from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Management and Human Resources. He took his first wilderness therapy job as an intern while in college in 1996, working for a small, family-run wilderness program. This experience inspired him to pursue work in the field of wilderness therapy after graduating. In 1998, he began working as field guide for Aspen Achievement Academy, eventually becoming Field Director. For six consecutive summers, while guiding at Aspen, he worked for the Montana program of the Voyageur Outward Bound School, where he served as an instructor, course director, trainer, and logistics manager. In that early 8-year period, he accumulated over 700 field days working directly with adolescents and young adults. Since Open Sky’s inception, Danny has served in multiple leadership roles, starting as the field and operations director and then as the first marketing and business development director. He eventually landed in admissions, where he served as the director. He brings a vast history of working in the field with special emphasis on risk management, safety, wilderness programming, and personnel development to Open Sky’s leadership team. In addition, he chairs the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council, the field’s leading organization representing over 20 wilderness programs throughout North America. TOPICS COVERED: Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, winter wilderness backpacking, winter backpacking safety

PREVIEW: Today we talk with Clinical Therapist Kirsten Bolt about the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is a treatment that has been used to address a wide variety of clinical issues and the underlying negative core beliefs about oneself. EMDR is a helpful way for people to reprocess experiences and develop adaptive core beliefs, providing relief from frozen neural pathways. This paves the way for students to harness other skills and resources taught at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy.

PREVIEW: Today we talk to Clinical Therapist and Education Director Melia Snyder, who’s not only an expert on nature-based expressive arts therapy, she wrote the book on it! In our conversation with Melia, we discuss how her background led her to therapy and education, her fascination with nature-based expressive arts therapy—and what it is—how this type of therapy promotes overall health, and how she helps her students craft a positive, productive, healthy and thriving life. GUEST PROFILE: CLINICAL THERAPIST AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR MELIA SNYDER, PHD, LPC, REAT Dr. Melia Snyder earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy from Appalachian State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling from the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Melia immersed herself in studying factors and behaviors that contribute to wellness and thriving despite life’s inevitable challenges. She conducted her doctoral research on salutogenesis (the promotion of health) among young women in recovery from substance use disorders. Her study revealed that those who participated in a structured group therapy intervention that incorporated the arts, experienced significant gains in their sense of meaning, coping capacities, and ability to make sense of their lives in comparison to those who just participated in the usual treatment. Dr. Melia is excited to bring her passion for health promotion and the arts to students and families at Open Sky. Prior to joining the Open Sky team, Dr. Melia was a counselor educator and supervisor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She also directed the Appalachian Expressive Arts Therapy program, which teaches counselors, educators, and other helping professionals to incorporate the arts into their work. Her focus within her academic career was bringing the health-promoting capacities of wilderness, nature, and the arts into counseling—a topic she explores in her book Nature-Based Expressive Arts Therapy. Additionally, Dr. Melia brings more than 15 years of experience working with families in crisis. She has worked in a variety of settings including wilderness, community mental health, integrated care, and private practice. She is trained in Family Centered Treatment and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and enjoys studying depth psychology and ecopsychology. Dr. Melia was drawn to Open Sky’s strong focus on whole person health, the depth-oriented and nature-based Student Pathway, and the integrity with which families are integrated into treatment. As a clinical therapist, Dr. Melia shares her expertise in issues relevant to adolescent girls, including cultivating resilience and addressing the need for connection and intimacy in relationships. She is passionate about helping her students develop skills to maneuver the challenges of adolescence, including those associated with technology and social media, body image, and sexuality. As the Education Director at Open Sky, Dr. Melia brings her knowledge and experience to support curriculum development at Open Sky. In her downtime, Dr. Melia enjoys writing poetry, eating good food, engaging in meaningful conversation, and exploring the beautiful San Juan Mountains with her partner and dog.

PREVIEW: SEBASTIAAN ZUIDWEG, MA, LPC Sebastiaan Zuidweg knew early on that his calling was a life of being in service to others. Sebastiaan believes in Open Sky’s holistic family systems approach as a catalyst for change, and the power of the wilderness as an effective medium for therapeutic work. His clinical approach is rooted in the belief that every individual has the ability to activate his or her potential, and pursue health and wellness.  TOPICS COVERED: Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, meditation, mindfulness, motivation, self-harm

PREVIEW: Clinical therapist Kirsten Bolt explores the reasons people self-harm and the steps involved in treating self-harm. With assessment and reassessment, westart to understand the history, severity, circumstances, and intentions surrounding thebehavior, allowing us to help students to develop the skills to regulate emotions andcommunicate their needs to others.GUEST PROFILES:KIRSTEN BOLT, M.ED., LMFTKirsten is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She graduated from Syracuse Universityin 1999, Summa Cum Laude, with a BS in Health and Exercise Science. Instead of following herprojected course to study Biomechanics, she turned west, seeking something that felt missing.That trip landed her in Utah amid stunning red-rock canyons, wide sandy rivers, and abundantsunshine. Kirsten finds wilderness to be a uniquely powerful setting for young people toconnect to themselves, to others, and to their means of contributing to the world.Kirsten finds inspiration observing the landscape, running whitewater rivers, climbingsandstone cracks, mountain biking, trail running, skiing, playing guitar and piano, and spendingquality time with her husband, children, dogs, and cats. Kirsten is humbled daily by herpersonal experiences as a mother, stepmother, and partner, and she believes her clinical workis significantly deeper as a result.TOPICS COVERED:Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotionalsupport, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships,substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachmentissues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems,substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, meditation, mindfulness,motivation, self-harm

PREVIEW: Clinical therapist Kirsten Bolt explores the reasons people self- harm and the steps involved in treating self-harm. With assessment and reassessment, we start to understand the history, severity, circumstances, and intentions surrounding the behavior, allowing us to help students to develop the skills to regulate emotions and communicate their needs to others. GUEST PROFILES: KIRSTEN BOLT, M.ED., LMFT Kirsten is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1999, Summa Cum Laude, with a BS in Health and Exercise Science. Instead of following her projected course to study Biomechanics, she turned west, seeking something that felt missing. That trip landed her in Utah amid stunning red-rock canyons, wide sandy rivers, and abundant sunshine. Kirsten finds wilderness to be a uniquely powerful setting for young people to connect to themselves, to others, and to their means of contributing to the world. Kirsten finds inspiration observing the landscape, running whitewater rivers, climbing sandstone cracks, mountain biking, trail running, skiing, playing guitar and piano, and spending quality time with her husband, children, dogs, and cats. Kirsten is humbled daily by her personal experiences as a mother, stepmother, and partner, and she believes her clinical work is significantly deeper as a result. TOPICS COVERED: Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, meditation, mindfulness, motivation, self-harm

PREVIEW: Senior Clinical Therapist, Mariah Loftin, MA, LPC explores the often-misunderstood differences between gender and sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity; how unaddressed gender and sexual issues can result in health risks to young adults; and how families can best support children navigating these issues. 

PREVIEW: Senior Clinical Therapist, Mariah Loftin, MA, LPC explores the often-misunderstood differences between gender and sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity; how unaddressed gender and sexual issues can result in health risks to young adults; and how families can best support children navigating these issues. 

PREVIEW: In this episode of the Open Sky Wilderness Therapy podcast, Family Wellness Counselor Norman Elizondo will guide you through 20 minutes of meditation. The premise of meditation is learning to have a healthy mind, and research shows that this happens. Neuroscientific studies have documented anatomical and physiological changes in the brain and cell structure as a result of meditation, including studies on neuroplasticity, showing restoration of gray matter and the healing of the brain. Mediation gives one the capacity to respond to situations in a way that lines up with one’s values. As one develops mental strength, he or she may be better able to resist an addiction craving down the road. Ultimately, this non-reactivity and awareness are what lead people to live fulfilled lives. GUEST PROFILES: Norman Elizondo, BS Norman earned his BS in Business Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Following the death of his mother, he considered her parting advice about doing work that really helps people and began his career in wilderness therapy as a field instructor. As an immigrant from the Philippines, becoming educated and assimilating into American society has driven Norman to work hard, adapt, and feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for being a U.S. citizen. As such, he has enjoyed tremendous opportunities; one of the most meaningful was to help found Open Sky. Norman takes great pride and pleasure in helping Open Sky parents understand their child’s work. He assists parents in developing the same basic skill sets including emotional regulation, assertive communication, and effective boundary holding, all of which are crucial in parenting. Norman facilitates Open Sky’s Wellness Weekends, parent support calls, graduations, meditation instruction, and field guide training. Meditation has been a cornerstone of Norman’s life. With prior study and practice in the Southeast Asian Theravada tradition beginning in 1995, Norman has been studying and training as a meditation instructor in the Tibetan tradition since 2001. Norman is a certified meditation teacher with the Dharma Ocean Foundation. TOPICS COVERED: Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, meditation, mindfulness

PREVIEW: We hear a lot of buzz terms today: “lawnmower parenting”; “helicopter parenting”; or even “bubble wrap” parenting. At the route of these terms, the common theme is a parent-child relationship in which parents aren’t allowing their kids to think for themselves or develop a sense of self-confidence. In this episode of the Open Sky Wilderness Therapy podcast, counselor Jonathan Mitchell explains techniques parents can use to begin shifting out of the “helicopter parent” trap and help their children build confidence and resilience. GUEST PROFILES: Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC Jonathan is a Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience serving adolescents, young adults, and families. He grew up in Wisconsin, earning his BS in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 2000. Instead of getting a job traditional to his field of study, Jonathan took to the outdoors to work with people. Over the next six years, he worked extensively in the wilderness therapy field, in roles such as field director and field manager. Inspired by the magic of the wilderness to motivate change, Jonathan returned to graduate school and earned a Master’s in Counseling. During this time, he worked as both a therapist at an intensive outpatient addiction treatment center for teens and a college math teacher. He has continued to expand his clinical training, earning a certificate in Gestalt Therapy from the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies in 2008. In 2009, he joined Open Sky as a Family Quest Therapist and is now a primary clinical therapist for adolescent boys. Jonathan’s areas of clinical expertise include oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse and addiction, depression, anxiety, and trauma. His clinical approach draws on the teachings of dialectical behavioral therapy, Gestalt therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and years of experience as a field guide. As a therapist, he is appreciated for his pleasant and direct nature, intuitive connection with clients, and knack for working with defiant and strongly guarded adolescents. When not working at Open Sky, Jonathan can be found exploring the Southwest: rock climbing, trail running, and telemark skiing. He has traveled extensively in India, and his daily meditation and yoga practices are core parts of his life. A Green Bay native, Jonathan is an avid Packers fan. TOPICS COVERED: Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety

PREVIEW: Clinical therapist Mariah Loftin explains the benefits of therapy conducted outdoors. Among them, with wilderness therapy, instead of returning after a therapy session to the same ruts and patterns in your life, you are immersed in a supportive and healthy environment—the wilderness—which leads to lasting change.

PREVIEW: One of the most common frustrations expressed by Open Sky clients and their families is the struggle to understand and “fix” a lack of motivation. In this episode of SKYlights, Dr. Aaron Wallis brings some clarity to the concept of motivation and an understanding of the neurological influences that affect our ability to turn desire into action. GUEST PROFILES:AARON WALLIS, PH.D, LPDr. Aaron Wallis earned his BA in Psychology from Texas Tech University and his PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. While in graduate school, Dr. Wallis was able to explore a few areas of clinical interest through research: substance use (cannabis), social skill development, and social media. Not only did he study these concepts through research; he was also able to hone his clinical skills working directly with individuals in several college counseling centers including Grand Valley State University and the University of Colorado.Dr. Wallis has a strong interest in the myriad issues that face young adults face as they navigate the complex transition to adulthood. He has a particular passion in working with clients to address social anxiety, substance use, anger and emotional management challenges, and the development of a healthy relationship with social media. He was drawn to Open Sky because, being a scientist at heart, he values Open’s Sky focus on research, efficacy, and techniques that actually work. He is invigorated by the opportunity to move beyond traditional talk therapy, using the power of wilderness therapy to create experiences that his clients can incorporate into their character as they heal. When he’s not working, Dr. Wallis likes to “get lost” in the wilderness with his wife and their dogs. He enjoys biking, swimming, exploring new food and places, and generally being active and outside. He is also working on what may be a lifelong challenge of bringing Texas BBQ to Colorado. TOPICS COVERED:Wilderness Therapy, coping skills, emotional and spiritual growth, self-confidence, emotional support, healing, young adults, recovery support, empowerment, destructive relationships, substance use, personal trauma, family dynamics, oppositional defiance, adoption/attachment issues, treatment resistance, navigating non-traditional and complex family systems, substance abuse, substance addiction, depression, anxiety, meditation, mindfulness, motivation

PREVIEW: Family Wellness Counselor, Norman Elizondo leads us in an extended 10 minute embodied mindfulness meditation that provides us with tools to help us be present, disrupt repetitive thoughts, use breathing exercises for mental calmness and rewire our brains and nervous systems for greater emotional resilience.