Our mission at Adventure Works is to assist youth in overcoming challenges and becoming healthy adults through adventure-based counseling.

Adventure Works is a non-profit, community-based outdoor behavioral healthcare organization serving at-risk youth in Northern Illinois. Our programs utilize the natural environment and adventure-based experiences to promote positive changes in behavior and overall well-being.

Population Served: Youth, ages 6-21

Adventure Works offers outpatient, group-based counseling services aimed at encouraging healthy risk taking. Utilizing our area’s natural resources, and led by mental health professionals, sessions are educational and therapeutic in focus and designed to help youth develop social skills, enhance psychological resilience, reduce behavioral problems. Working in partnership with the community’s homeless shelter and other organizations serving families with at-risk youth, Adventure Works’ non-profit status allows youth to participate regardless of their ability to pay.

Adventure Works operates with an open-ended model of treatment with “rolling” admission and discharge.  Youth can access the services when the need arises and stay as long as needed to meet individual goals. All youth and parent/guardian participate in comprehensive psychosocial and individualized treatment planning sessions at the beginning of the treatment process, which is then updated as needed.  Youth are grouped with peers their same age, with some groups being gender specific and others modeled in a multi-gendered format.

OBH Council Founding Member

ANASAZI Foundation is founded upon tried and true principles and methods. The founders of ANASAZI have more than 40 years of experience serving at-risk youth in outdoor survival settings.

OBH Council Member Since:  1996

Populations Served:  Adolescents 12-17 and adults 18+, coeducational

Program Offered:  49-day (minimum stay) expedition-based treatment in remote Arizona high country, with single-gender adolescent groups and coeducational adult groups

Licensing and Accreditation:  Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Behavioral Health Licensing, Level II Behavioral Health Care Provider; Joint Commission

A founding member of the OBH Council, ANASAZI Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) behavioral healthcare provider based in Arizona.  ANASAZI’s wilderness-based treatment services are effective for adolescents and young adults with behavioral concerns, mood disorders, attachment disorders and/or adjustment difficulties.  The organization’s charitable purpose is to make these services available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.  Its core mission is to help parents and children turn their hearts to one another, begin anew, and walk in harmony in the wilderness of the world.
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Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is a licensed treatment program that uses the wilderness in a clinically focused intervention to teach students accountability, communication skills, and healthy emotional and behavioral habits. Treatment plans are individualized for each student and include flexible lengths of stay, single gender treatment groups for adolescents, daily group therapy, and individualized therapy sessions with masters or doctorate level therapists.

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness works with students ages 11 to 18 with a range of emotional and behavioral issues including Depression, Learning Differences, Oppositional Defiance, Attention Deficit, Attachment, and Substance Abuse Disorders. Typical students have failed to respond to limits and rules, struggled with entitlement, chosen the wrong friends, underachieved, have experienced low self-esteem and a decline in academic performance, and may be experiencing parent-child conflicts.

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is a flexible 6 to 12 week outdoor program designed to create an intensive initial impact to identify coping skills, teach behavioral responsibility, and improve family relationships. The family component is structured to teach parents new skills designed to support their child’s growth, and a strong focus is placed on assisting parents and consultants in planning appropriate aftercare. Families have weekly calls with their child’s therapist, and they may also participate in parent workshops, program visits and webinars.

For more information, please visit our website.

www.blueridgewilderness.com

Elements is a wilderness therapy program for adolescent boys age 13-17. We are a therapeutic intervention for families and students in crisis and provide emotional and behavioral stabilization, a thorough clinical assessment, opportunities for growth while engaging and motivating students. Owner operated and small by design, we offer an evidence based treatment approach that also allows us to adapt to the unique individual needs of students. Core therapeutic components of our program include: The Seven Challenges substance abuse counseling model, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, milieu and group therapy. Established in 2008, we believe in providing affordable, individualized treatment that uses the power of wilderness to create positive change in the lives of young people.

Evoke at Cascades provides personalized help for those struggling with mental health, addiction, common stage-of-life challenges and family turmoil. Our approach of whole-health treatment provides participants an experience to learn, grow and evoke their own inner wisdom. Evoke operates as a close network of service-oriented individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We work collaboratively to help youth, young adults and families reconnect to their healthier, more authentic selves.

Evoke specializes in Wilderness Therapy, a highly effective and research-proven approach for treating teens and young adults, with extensive family support. Evoke has a strong clinical focus and high level of personalized service for each individual and his/her family.  Every encounter, assignment, and activity a participant will experience has purpose and intention.  Evoke provides individualized therapy and experiential education to help develop greater awareness and insight, and to highlight choices and consequences, guiding participants toward healthy, long-term goals.  

A mind, body, spirit approach with a focus on whole health and extensive family support are integral components of the program. Whole health treatment includes a client’s emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.  Supporting the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential for long-term, sustainable growth and transformation.  Our family support includes an interactive Parent Portal for parents who have children in our wilderness therapy programs, weekly webinars, parent support groups, parent workshops, alumni mentors, and parent and family intensives.  

Our philosophy is based on a deep respect for our participants; our expertise is not in providing advice, but creating an experience that evokes a self-discovery of an enduring source of truth—oneself.

Our dedicated and experienced staff are ready to provide information and solutions.  Give us a call.

Location:

 Bend, OR

Evoke at Entrada provides personalized help for those struggling with mental health, addiction, common stage-of-life challenges and family turmoil. Our approach of whole-health treatment provides participants an experience to learn, grow and evoke their own inner wisdom. Evoke operates as a close network of service-oriented individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We work collaboratively to help youth, young adults and families reconnect to their healthier, more authentic selves.

Evoke specializes in Wilderness Therapy, a highly effective and research-proven approach for treating teens and young adults, with extensive family support. Evoke has a strong clinical focus and high level of personalized service for each individual and his/her family.  Every encounter, assignment, and activity a participant will experience has purpose and intention.  Evoke provides individualized therapy and experiential education to help develop greater awareness and insight, and to highlight choices and consequences, guiding participants toward healthy, long-term goals.  

A mind, body, spirit approach with a focus on whole health and extensive family support are integral components of the program. Whole health treatment includes a client’s emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.  Supporting the mind, body, and spirit connection is essential for long-term, sustainable growth and transformation.  Our family support includes an interactive Parent Portal for parents who have children in our wilderness therapy programs, weekly webinars, parent support groups, parent workshops, alumni mentors, and parent and family intensives.  

Our philosophy is based on a deep respect for our participants; our expertise is not in providing advice, but creating an experience that evokes a self-discovery of an enduring source of truth—oneself.

Our dedicated and experienced staff are ready to provide information and solutions.  Give us a call.

Location: Saint George, UT 

Legacy Outdoor Adventures is a wilderness therapy program for young adult and older adolescent males struggling with substance abuse, emotional and behavioral issues, and lack of motivation and purpose. We integrate adventure therapy with a powerful wilderness experience to guide our clients on a journey of self-discovery and transition to responsible manhood.The Legacy experience is based on a high degree of individualized attention and personalized treatment, including a high staff-to-client ratio; a therapist, substance abuse counselor and staff mentor assigned to work individually with every client, and mature and experienced field guides who role model a healthy recovery lifestyle. Legacy integrates engaging adventure therapy with the power of wilderness therapy by carrying out a weekly adventure within the context of the wilderness expedition. At the core of Legacy’s ideology is the “Legacy Way of Being,” which is grounded in having a heart at peace, and embraces recovery, honorable manhood, and self-awareness. The Legacy experience helps each young man identify and develop his strengths, guides each on his own hero’s journey, and cultivates in each responsible individual agency.

HIGHLY SPECIALIZED WILDERNESS PROGRAMMING

New Vision is known across the country for implementing leading edge therapies that address the full body and mind. Therapies center around healing the effects of early childhood stress, particularly amongst adopted children. Focused attention is given to creating regulation by alleviating anxiety through evidence-based interventions and attunement based therapies. We employ masters level, licensed clinicians that spend three days a week in the field directly with the client. We call this clinical immersion. Therapist caseloads are very small versus our peers (typically around six). We believe all of this, combined with being one of the more affordable programs, provides true value to the families we are dedicated to serving.

New Vision Wilderness (NVW) is an Intermediate Level of Care Program for those who require an immediate intervention and intensive treatment. Our programs specialize in treating issues of adoption, trauma, anxiety and addiction. We serve adolescents aged 12-17 in the north woods of Wisconsin.

HIGHLY SPECIALIZED WILDERNESS PROGRAMMING

New Vision is known across the country for implementing leading edge therapies that address the full body and mind. Therapies center around healing the effects of early childhood stress, particularly amongst adopted children. Focused attention is given to creating regulation by alleviating anxiety through evidence-based interventions and attunement based therapies. We employ Masters-level, licensed clinicians who spend three days a week in the field directly with their client. We call this clinical immersion. Therapist caseloads are very small versus our peers (typically around six). We believe all of this, combined with being one of the more affordable programs, provides true value to the families we are dedicated to serving.

Our Wilderness Therapy includes:

Access to Lead Therapist at least 3 days per week

Adventure Education experiences year-round including canoeing, rock climbing, dog sledding, ice fishing, and maple syrup harvesting

Automatic enrollment in the New Vision Wilderness Academy

Bi-weekly family treatment sessions with goal development, along with a family and parent training program

Clearly defined and categorized diagnosis

Therapeutic activities with an intricate and intensive examination, assessment, and interventions that focus on the individual and family dynamics

Group and individual therapy with at least 3 individual clinical sessions per week for the duration of stay

Thorough intake assessment

Continuing care plan recommendations

OBH Council Member Since:  2007

Populations Served:  Adolescents 13 – 17 and young adults 18 – 28

Program Offered:  Average stay of 9 to 10 weeks; expedition-based treatment in Utah and/or Colorado, with single-gender adolescent groups and coeducational young adult groups

Licensing:  Licensed as an Outdoor Youth Program in the State of Utah and as a Residential Child Care Facility in the State of Colorado

At Open Sky, we assist teens, young adults and families struggling with difficult challenges and life circumstances. We provide a life-changing opportunity to discover and create a healthy life that is an intelligent and authentic expression of one’s true nature.

There is no better place than in nature to heal, grow and learn. Combined with a community of peers, led by professional guides, therapists, and doctors, our students’ immersion in the wilderness makes for an extraordinary setting in which to gain insight into one’s past, learn about oneself, and find hope and motivation for one’s future.

Continue reading “Open Sky Wilderness Therapy” »

Population Served: Youth ages 13-17

Licensing and Accreditation: State of Utah, Office of Licensing, Department of Human Services, AdvancedEd, NATSAP

Established in 2001, Outback Therapeutic Expeditions utilizes a unique philosophy of wilderness therapy with a focus on unparalleled staff training, customer care, and adherence to a warm, nurturing, no-resistance therapeutic program.

Outback incorporates their teachings into their everyday lives — not only to promote well-being in staff, but to also set a positive example for students. At Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, it is felt that the best way to earn respect from teens is by practicing what you preach while challenging the students to initiate positive change in themselves.

Outback’s programs place an emphasis on healthy relationships, increased self-efficacy, and an improved sense of autonomy through skill enhancement.

OBH Council Founding Member

RedCliff Ascent is one of the founding members of the OBH Council. RedCliff Ascent has always recognized that “…a rising tide lifts all boats…” RedCliff is committed to the latest research and best practice initiatives.

OBH Council Member Since: 1996

Populations Served: Adolescents 13-17 and adults 18+, single gender & coeducational

Program Offered: Trekking and expedition-based treatment in the remote back country of Southwest Utah. We provide a competency and strength based developmental model of therapy and intervention based on CBT, Experiential Therapy, Family Therapy and Interpersonal Skills Development.

Licensing and Accreditation: State of Utah, Office of Licensing, Department of Human Services.

Established in 1993, Redcliff Ascent is a therapeutic wilderness program for adolescents and young adults whose emotional and behavioral development and growth are stalled. They lack the coping mechanisms, competencies and discipline that are necessary to manage their lives at an age appropriate level. Continue reading “Redcliff Ascent” »

OBH Member since: 2015

Population Served: Adolescents 13-17

Program Offered: Second Nature serves troubled teens and their families through group and individualized therapy in a wilderness setting. Student groups are single sexed and operate on rolling admissions. Students focus on an individualized treatment plan in the field while parents work with the therapist weekly over the phone; supplemented by parent support groups and workshops.

Licensing and Accreditation: Utah Dept. of Human Services, AdvancED

Established in 1998, Second Nature has led the field in wilderness treatment for adolescents and their families. Making use of individual, group, and milieu therapy, with wilderness as the primary intervention, our treatment team assists clients in re-establishing healthy relationships, family functioning, and a healthier life path.

Summit Achievement’s mission is to foster lasting change for students and families using residential treatment, classroom academics, and outdoor adventures in an evidence-based and clinically-driven community

OBH Council Member Since:  2000

Populations Served:  Ages 13-19 single gender and coed groups.

Program Offered:  Summit Achievement is a six to ten week adventure-based therapeutic wilderness program, offering an expedition model with a residential campus where students attend school 3 days per week. Summit Traverse is a flexible-length therapeutic boarding school designed to help prepare students who are transitioning from wilderness programs to more traditional environments offering school 5 days per week and off-campus activities.

Licensing and Accreditation:  State of Maine Department of Health & Human Services Residential facility, Alcohol and Drug Treatment Providers, Mental Health Providers, Association for Experiential Education Accreditation as an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Program.

Summit Achievement is a licensed residential treatment center in the beautiful White Mountains Region of Maine.   As an intentionally small, owner-operated program, we serve adolescent boys and girls, ages 13-20, experiencing difficulties with their family, school and/or personal lives.  Common issues may include depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor impulse control, academic difficulties, family conflict, social challenges (NLD/ASD), defiance, grief/loss, adoption, identity issues, and substance abuse.  Summit Achievement offers two programs: Achievement and Traverse.
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Through the wilderness we empower families to discover their strengths by providing a safe and consistent environment to restore hope and foster growth.

OBH Council Member Since: 2014

Programs Offered: Four distinct programs fall under the SUWS umbrella. SUWS—single gender groups for adolescent males and females ages 14-17; Seasons—coed groups for pre-adolescents ages 10-13; Phoenix Outdoor—substance abuse treatment and assessment for adolescents ages 14-17; Approach—wilderness program for students who are on the Autism Spectrum, have Pervasive Development Disorders and/or Non-verbal Learning Disorders; Family Program—Parent Workshops, weekly skills webinars;  phone calls with the student’s therapist and interactive online portal.

Licensing & Accreditation: Licensed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; Accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and AdvancED.

Nestled in the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina, SUWS provides a healing haven for at-risk youth struggling with destructive behavior patterns and psychological disorders. SUWS therapists and staff use the wilderness, positive peer culture, and evidenced-based therapeutic methods to challenge the student’s limiting belief systems.  Away from the distractions of modern life, students learn new skills, master personal responsibility, and improve their self-esteem.  SUWS of the Carolinas also works from a Family Systems approach by advocating for the existence of healthy boundaries and consistent structure within the home environment.

Continue reading “SUWS Carolinas” »

OBH Council Member Since: 2014

Populations Served:  Aspiro Groups take Adolescents 13-17 and Adults 18-28; single gender groups for our adolescent boys and girls groups, mixed gender groups for our adult groups; Aspiro Vantage Point groups take Adolescents 13-17 and Adults 18-28; mixed gender groups for our Vantage Point adolescent and adult groups.

Program Offered:   Each program utilizes a hybrid of traditional clinical modalities including wilderness therapy, adventure therapy, family systems, experiential therapy, and experiential education.  Students are immersed in therapeutic outdoor experiences seven days a week with round the clock supervision by highly trained outdoor field guides.  Aspiro uses a base camp model. Base camp consists of 120 remote acres in Mount Pleasant, Utah.  Participants return to base camp two days each week to resupply for the following week.

Licensing and Accreditation:  Licensed by the State of Utah, Department of Human Services, as an Outdoor Youth Treatment Program.  Accredited by the Center for Outdoor Ethics, National Association of Outdoor Wilderness Camps, and the Association of Challenge Course Technology.

Continue reading “The Aspiro Group” »

OBH Council Member Since: 2014

Populations Served: Adolescents ages 10-17 in single gender groups.

Program Offered: Wilderness therapy integrating expeditions with campus programing designed to practice transitioning back to settings that mirror regular adolescent life. Average length of stay of 60-90 days.

Licensing: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Service Regulation

Founded: 2008

Designed for struggling adolescents ages 10 to 17, Trails Carolina is a comprehensive therapeutic wilderness program set amid the tranquil North Carolina Mountains. Developed specifically to address the “whole child”, our proven methods and clinical therapies help change troubling behavior, guide adolescents up new paths of self-awareness, lead families toward reunification and healing, and re-engage students in an appreciation of academic challenge and learning.
Continue reading “Trails Carolina” »

True North Wilderness program, a therapeutic wilderness program located in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont. True North has been offering clinically sophisticated assessment, intervention and transition support for adolescents ages 14-18 and young adults ages 18-22 for over a decade.True North Wilderness program provides a small and supportive group experience as well as a comprehensive integrated parent program with full time dedicated parent therapists, a parent curriculum and an on site parent workshop. True North operates a base camp model from October to May on our expansive, 250-acre winter campus which includes an indoor sports arena, culinary arts venue, yoga studio, classroom space, extensive snowshoeing trails and heated indoor sleeping quarters. From May through October, True North’s program model is expeditionary with students backpacking through the stunning Green Mountain National Forest and Vermont State Forest areas and participating in a variety of adventure based activities including rock climbing, canoeing, and fly fishing. True North’s developmental model promotes maturity, personal insight and responsibility, interpersonal skills and self-confidence while providing a safe and caring environment to address challenges and concerns.

WinGate Wilderness Therapy is a premier wilderness therapy program for troubled teens and young adults, which offer hope and healing. WinGate is designed for troubled teens and young adults, offering two distinctly separate wilderness programs addressing the needs of two very different age groups.