Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors
Stories from the Field: Mental Health in the Outdoors is an authoritative and enlightening podcast that explores the vast landscape of mental health therapies in outdoor settings. Hosted by seasoned mental health professional Dr. Will White, the podcast offers deep insights into outdoor therapies like Adventure Therapy, Eco-Therapy, Wilderness Therapy, and Experiential Therapy, among others.
Dr. White engages with a diverse range of guests, including leading researchers, practitioners, authors, executive directors, guide staff, mental health clinicians, and critics, helping to shed light on the nuances of these unique therapy practices. In addition to exploring the modern implications of these evolving therapeutic modalities, he delves into their rich history, providing a holistic perspective for listeners.
With over 30 years of experience at the juncture of mental health and outdoor environments, Dr. White's expertise is unparalleled. As a co-founder of the pioneering Summit Achievement, an adventure therapy program based in Maine, he has been a guiding force in the field since the 1990s. His scholarly contributions include the book "Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy" and a chapter in "Adventure Therapy: Theories, Research, and Practice." His doctorate work, "Stories from the Elders: Chronicles and Narratives from the Early Years of Wilderness Therapy," traced the origins and evolution of this specialized field.
To connect with Dr. White, visit storiesfromthefield.com. Listen to this immersive podcast to understand the power and potential of outdoor therapies in addressing mental health concerns.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 45 minutes
- Episodes
- 282
- Years Active
- 2018 - 2025
102: Patrick McMillion, Clinical Director of Adventure Works of DeKalb
Patrick McMillion is the Clinical Director of Adventure Works of Dekalb which is a non-profit adventure therapy program located in Illinois. Patrick began his journey into the field at the age of 3 w…
101: Kimberly Beck, Founder of Relational Rewilding
Kimberly Beck is the founder of Relational Rewilding in CO. Kimberly shares that she was obsessed with animals and nature as a child. Her passion grew into facilitating the relationship between peopl…
100: Dr. Will White, Co-founder of Summit Achievement and host of Stories from the Field
In celebration of the 100th episode of Stories from the Field, Dr. Will White, tells his story about how he became involved in wilderness therapy and how the Stories from the Field podcast, book, and…
99: Dr. Maurie Lung, Founder of Life Adventures Counseling and Consulting
Dr. Maurie Lung is one of the foremost leaders in the field of adventure therapy and is the founder of Life Adventures Counseling and Consulting. She has over 25 years of experience as an adventure t…
98: Vicenzo Narciso, Undergraduate Student at San Diego Mesa College and Former Wilderness Therapy Student
Vicenzo Narciso grew up in Seattle, Washington, and struggled as a teenager in following rules at home and school. He also began using substances and regularly skipped school. Early one morning two i…
97: Hansen Hundahl, Undergraduate Student at Plymouth State University and former wilderness therapy student
Hansen Hundahl is an undergraduate student at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H. When Hansen was a high school freshman he was struggling with his parent's divorce, substance use, and learni…
96: Dr. Lee Gillis: Honors the legacy of Karl Rohnke, Defines adventure/wilderness therapy, Honored by APA
Dr. Lee Gillis is a psychology professor at Georgia College. Lee shares stories about his friend and mentor, Karl Rohnke, who passed away last week. Karl impacted the field in many ways including wri…
95: Chris Squier: Family Services Coordinator at Black Mountain Academy and former wilderness therapy student
Chris Squier is the Family Services Coordinator at Black Mountain Academy in N.C. As a teen, Chris was transported from Florida to New York and attended Adirondack Leadership Expeditions due to behav…
94: Connor Boyle, Founder of Revival Wilderness Therapy and former wilderness therapy student
Connor Boyle is the founder of Revival Wilderness Therapy located in New Hampshire. Connor shares his story of having a successful law career in Boston while suffering from anxiety/depression combine…
93: Nick Slovak, Executive Director of Green Hill Recovery and former wilderness therapy student
Nick Slovak is the Executive Director of Green Hill Recovery located in North Carolina. When Nick was a teen he experienced several challenges including his father dying on Nick's 15th birthday. Nick…
92: The Business of Wilderness Therapy: Part 2- Q and A
This episode is a follow up to Ep. 91: The Business of Wilderness Therapy. We crowdsourced questions related to the business of wilderness therapy from listeners and others to ask questions about the…
91: The Business of Wilderness Therapy: Part 1
Have you ever thought about starting a wilderness therapy program? Have you ever wondered how and why the field of wilderness therapy went from being primarily dominated by non-profit programs to cur…
Episode 90: Miriam Miller, Field Guide at Trails Carolina and former wilderness therapy student
Miriam Miller is a new field guide at Trails Carolina and former wilderness therapy student. Miriam grew up in South Carolina and faced many challenges during her childhood. By the time she got to co…
Episode 89: Emma Stein, Undergraduate Student at University of New Hampshire and Former Wilderness Therapy Student
Emma Stein is an undergraduate student in Outdoor Education at the University of New Hampshire. When Emma was young she suffered a great deal of loss as her father died when she was 9 and her mother…
Episode 88: Kaiumati Roche, Co-owner of Sojourn Consulting and former wilderness therapy student
Kaiumati Roche is co-founder of Sojourn Consulting which supports and consults companies and individuals in Experiential Education and Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare. Kai shares his story of struggli…
Episode 87: Tom Whalen, Undergraduate student at Plymouth State University and former wilderness therapy student
Tom Whalen is an undergraduate student at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H. Tom grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, and really struggled high school. Tom shares how outpatient and inpatient…
Episode 86: Sarah Stusek: Filmmaker, Author and Former Wilderness Therapy Student
Sarah Stusek of Stusek Studios has worked in the film and television industry since childhood. When she was 17 years old she was brought to a wilderness therapy program in Montana called Three Rivers…
Episode 85: Bryce Bauer, Relationship Coach and Former Wilderness Therapy Student
Bryce Bauer is a relationship coach in Utah. Bryce shares his story of mental health and substance abuse challenges as a teen and young adult which eventually led to a traumatic car accident. After a…
Episode 84: Judith Sadora, Therapist at Evoke Cascades
Judith Sadora, Therapist at Evoke Cascades. Judith shares her story of being the first black woman therapist in a program that is part of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council, and perhaps, the f…
Episode 83: Wilderness Therapy and the Five Pandemics
This episode will delve into the history of wilderness therapy and how the field responded to five pandemics (crisis) during its long evolution. Will White will share the story of how different natio…