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...
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Sep 29, 2026 · 46:20
Can stepping into the wild help us navigate grief, find healing, and truly reconnect with who we are? In this moving episode, Will sits down with Dr. Christy McConnell, author of…
Sep 22, 2026 · 42:05
What if addiction recovery isn't simply about stopping drugs or alcohol, but about learning new ways to solve problems, face uncertainty, and build a life worth living? In this…
Sep 15, 2026 · 43:43
What happens when young people step away from their phones, leave behind an increasingly automated world, and enter experiences that require them to be fully present? In this…
Sep 8, 2026 · 56:39
What happens when caring for someone you love begins to pull you under too? In this episode of Stories from the Field, Will speaks with journalist and author Virginia Eubanks…
Sep 1, 2026 · 50:52
What makes nature-based psychotherapy different from simply taking therapy outdoors? In this episode Will speaks with licensed mental health counselor Lindsay Cray, founder of…
Aug 25, 2026 · 40:34
Why do we associate adventure and transformation with young people when adults may need them just as much? In this solo episode of Stories from the Field , host Will White…
Aug 18, 2026 · 44:28
How much time in nature do we need to improve our mental health? And how can we track and quantify our exposure to it? In this episode, Will speaks with NatureQuant co-founder…
Aug 11, 2026 · 45:19
What does it truly mean to practice ecotherapy? In this episode Will welcomes ecotherapist and founder of Natureza Therapy and Natureza Coaching Collective , Laura Marques Brown,…
Aug 4, 2026 · 47:11
What happens after a young person returns home from wilderness therapy or residential treatment and begins to struggle? In this episode, Will sits down with Charles Elias,…
Jul 28, 2026 · 50:56
Can outdoor behavioral healthcare (aka wilderness therapy) evolve beyond crisis intervention and become a model for prevention, community, and long-term wellbeing? In this…
Jul 21, 2026 · 49:14
Can psychotherapy become more effective when it moves beyond the therapy office? In this episode, Will sits down with Atlanta psychotherapist Josh Wayne, LMSW, MPH , to explore…
Jul 14, 2026 · 47:14
What happens when a neurodiverse young adult isn't ready for college or independent living—but has outgrown living at home? In this episode, Will sits down with David Chandler,…
Jul 7, 2026 · 50:46
What is a therapeutic boarding school, and how can it help teenagers facing anxiety, depression, trauma, school refusal, and other mental health challenges? In this episode Will…
Jun 30, 2026 · 39:07
Can spending time with trees become a pathway to healing? In this episode Will sits down with Regan Stacey, founder of the Forest Therapy School, to explore the growing practice…
Jun 23, 2026 · 42:37
Can meeting the Dalai Lama influence a young person's mental health and well-being? In this episode, Will White sits down with Ryan McGinty, Executive Director of Red Mountain…
Jun 16, 2026 · 43:44
What happens when a therapist who has spent years working with autistic individuals suddenly becomes the parent of an autistic child? In this episode Will talks with Damon Bryan,…
Jun 9, 2026 · 40:43
How does a program built around relationships, adventure, and the outdoors evolve over ten years while staying true to its mission? In this episode, Will sits down with Foster…
Jun 2, 2026 · 42:22
What happens when a generation grows up more connected to screens than to the natural world? In this episode, Will sits down with outdoor educator and Wildward Institute founder…
May 26, 2026 · 50:56
What if wilderness therapy has been helping people heal for a long time—but the field never fully understood why it works? In this episode Will sits down with Rob Meltzer,…
May 19, 2026 · 45:43
What happens when a clinician decides that traditional residential treatment isn't enough for adolescent girls struggling with trauma? In this episode Will talks with Kami Black,…
May 12, 2026 · 52:20
Thirty years later… What happens when one of the earliest outdoor behavioral healthcare programs refuses to follow the trends of the field? In this episode Will sits down with…
May 5, 2026 · 38:32
What happens when a field built on healing becomes shaped by money? In this episode, Will revisits a 2020 exploration of the business of wilderness therapy—tracing its evolution…
Apr 21, 2026 · 1:09:22
How did wilderness therapy become outdoor behavioral healthcare—and who made that shift possible? In this re-released and historically significant episode Will sits down with Dr.…
Apr 14, 2026 · 56:15
Who really built wilderness therapy—and how did a lawyer with no formal clinical training help shape one of the most influential models in outdoor mental health treatment? In…
Apr 7, 2026 · 37:36
Wilderness therapy didn't start with therapists—it evolved with the help of an ex-con who found his heart of service to others in recovery. In this episode Will shares the…
Mar 25, 2026 · 58:46
How did wilderness therapy survive the crises of the early 1990s — and why did some of its earliest leaders continue to believe in the work even as the field faced national…
Mar 17, 2026 · 23:55
How and why did wilderness therapy ignite in the American West? In this episode of Stories from the Field Will explores the life and influence of Larry Dean Olsen, one of the key…
Mar 4, 2026 · 31:15
Outward Bound is not about therapy. It began during World War II as a response to a fear that young sailors were not resilient enough to survive the sinking of their ships.…
Feb 24, 2026 · 35:48
What happened to the hundreds of therapeutic camps that once shaped mental health treatment for young people in the outdoors? Long before the term "wilderness therapy" was…
Feb 10, 2026 · 48:11
In a moment when wilderness therapy is often framed as either a miracle or a menace, what gets lost when we stop listening for the full human story? In this special episode of…
Feb 3, 2026 · 48:49
How do you live well, stay engaged, and protect your mental health when the future of the planet feels so uncertain? Listen to this episode of Stories from the Field where our…
Jan 27, 2026 · 45:43
Wilderness therapy isn't dying. It's growing. In this milestone 300th episode of Stories from the Field, host Dr. Will White sits down with guest host Jake Weld to reflect on…
Jan 20, 2026 · 27:32
What do Outward Bound and many wilderness therapy programs have in common? Their shared roots trace back to a movement that believed the outdoors wasn't just a place to learn…
Jan 13, 2026 · 22:19
How did an early twentieth-century psychiatric institution help shape what would later become wilderness therapy? In this episode, our host Dr. Will White continues Season 26's…
Jan 7, 2026 · 27:49
Where did wilderness therapy actually begin—and why is it so hard to define? In the opening episode of Season 26 of Stories from the Field, host Dr. Will White launches a…
Dec 23, 2025 · 44:21
Does wilderness therapy create an altered state similar to psychedelic-assisted therapy? And what can both approaches teach us about trauma, embodiment, and lasting change?In…
Dec 16, 2025 · 40:57
What do decades of practice in wilderness therapy reveal about ethics, transport, and change? In this episode, Will talks with Paula Leslie—former Aspen Achievement Academy field…
Dec 9, 2025 · 23:33
What is the most controversial program in the history of wilderness therapy? Some might say it's the very program podcast host Will White was compelled to attend as a teenager.…
Dec 2, 2025 · 58:02
How can parents grow alongside a struggling teen or young adult without getting pulled into their anxiety, shutdown, or refusal? In this episode, Will welcomes back Krissy…
Nov 25, 2025 · 46:59
What happens when a wilderness guide, therapist, and seasoned mentor decides that traditional treatment programs no longer fit the needs of young adults? In this episode, Will…
Nov 11, 2025 · 52:13
What if "consulting" in mental health meant more than just placement? In this episode Will speaks with Amanda Thomas, founder of Cobalt Family Consulting , about how she and her…
Nov 4, 2025 · 51:47
What do wilderness therapy outcomes really tell us? In this episode, Will talks with researchers Dr. Joanna Bettmann Schaefer and Dr. Laura Mills, two leading researchers…
Oct 28, 2025 · 45:45
Dr. Patricia Hasbach of Northwest Ecotherapy joins Will to explore how clinicians can bring the healing power of nature into their therapeutic work. Drawing from her new book ,…
Oct 21, 2025 · 1:03:59
Why are so many young people struggling—and are adults partly to blame? Dr. Will Dobud and Dr. Nevin Harper return to Stories from the Field to talk with Will about their bold…
Oct 14, 2025 · 37:22
Journalist and bestselling author Florence Williams joins Will to explore how time outdoors can transform our minds and bodies. Drawing from her acclaimed book The Nature Fix and…
Oct 7, 2025 · 38:05
In this week's episode, Will welcomes experiential educator Greg Hitchcock, who shares the story of The Trade —a paid apprenticeship and next-step program for young adults who…
Sep 23, 2025 · 44:12
In this episode Will speaks with Somerville Johnston, co-founder of Bright Shadow , a nonprofit dedicated to helping people navigate grief and loss through nature-based retreats…
Sep 16, 2025 · 42:22
In this episode, Will sits down with Chris Brown, founder of the LifeWays Wilderness Institute in Durango, Colorado. Lifeways offers a unique blend of outpatient therapy and…
Sep 2, 2025 · 43:02
In this episode, Will welcomes back Nathan Olsen—winner of the latest season of Alone. Nathan's roots in wilderness survival run deep: his father, Larry Dean Olsen, was a pioneer…
Aug 25, 2025 · 55:28
In this episode, Will reconnects with his friend Chris Robbins, founder of Soul Degree men's retreats and husband of bestselling author Mel Robbins. Chris shares his journey from…
Aug 20, 2025 · 47:53
In this episode, Will speaks with Jason Denham, founder of Awakened Shadow Coaching, about his two decades of work with boys, men and other genders in behavioral healthcare…
Aug 12, 2025 · 41:15
In this compelling follow-up to Episode 98, Enzo Narciso returns to Stories from the Field to reflect on his transformation since first sharing his journey in 2020. A former…
Aug 5, 2025 · 49:06
In this insightful episode Will talks with Dr. Jack Hinman, co-founder and executive director of Engage Transitions, shares his personal path from a chaotic childhood in Memphis…
Jul 22, 2025 · 52:15
In this episode Will speaks with Jeff Holloway, a veteran social worker and therapeutic consultant from Lumos Strategies with decades of experience in therapeutic programs for…
Jul 15, 2025 · 51:37
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Will is joined by parent coach Beth Hillman, a mother of five sons whose life was turned upside down when one of her teenagers…
Jul 8, 2025 · 38:25
In this episode, Will is joined by Chris Blankenship, founder of Autism Learning Lab and former wilderness therapy psychotherapist. Chris shares how years in the field led him to…
Jul 1, 2025 · 44:50
In this powerful episode Will welcomes Nick Mann—Marine Corps veteran, former wilderness therapy program director, and founder of Dad's Project—for an honest and inspiring…
Jun 24, 2025 · 32:09
In this episode Will speaks with Katie Baum Mettenbrink, Director of Risk Management at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS ), about the intersection of risk,…
Jun 10, 2025 · 48:04
In this episode Will speaks with Dr. Neal Christensen, psychologist, researcher, and co-owner of Elements Programs in Utah. With over two decades in the field, Dr. Christensen…
Jun 3, 2025 · 38:11
In this episode Will speaks with Haley Bezon, founder and executive director of Hearty Roots —a nonprofit nature-based wellness organization serving youth in Maine. Drawing on…
May 20, 2025 · 52:34
In this episode Will welcomes Steve Smith, founder of Experiential Consulting and a 30-year veteran in the outdoor education and risk management field. Steve shares his journey…
May 13, 2025 · 43:33
In this episode Will talks with Jessie Krebs is a wilderness survival expert, former U.S. Air Force SERE specialist, and the founder of O.W.L.S. Skills (Outdoorsy Women Learning…
May 6, 2025 · 1:14:36
In this special live episode Will welcomes his longtime friend and world-renowned adventurer Mark Synnott, a veteran big wall climber, elite alpinist, National Geographic writer,…
Apr 22, 2025 · 48:41
In this heartfelt episode, Will welcomes Dr. Jason Frishman, clinical psychologist and founder of the Journeymen Foundation , an organization dedicated to helping fathers foster…
Apr 15, 2025 · 42:37
In this powerful episode Will sits down with acclaimed author and risk management expert Ty Gagne to discuss his latest book, The Lions of Winter: Survival and Sacrifice on Mount…
Apr 8, 2025 · 38:59
In this powerful episode Will speaks with Audrey Costa, founder of Deep Rooted Wellness and Creatives , about her powerful journey from personal hardship to purposeful healing.…
Mar 31, 2025 · 58:06
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Will welcomes Jason Stout, founder of Stoutreach , to share his story of grief, healing, and the outdoors. Jason opens up about…
Mar 11, 2025 · 48:55
In this episode, Will welcomes Brandon Moffitt, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Black Mountain Academy in North Carolina. Brandon shares his journey from working in…
Mar 4, 2025 · 43:05
In this engaging conversation, Will welcomes back Katie Asmus, founder of the Somatic Nature Therapy Institute, to discuss the evolution of her work integrating nature-based…
Feb 18, 2025 · 43:37
In this episode Will talks with Dr. Anita Tucker and Dr. Christine Norton about the transformation of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Center into the newly established…
Feb 11, 2025 · 27:05
Want to listen to an outdoor therapy session? In this episode Will embarks on a personal experiment inspired by Reid Hoffman's new book, Superagency . After reading about AI's…
Feb 4, 2025 · 43:23
What can ancient myths teach us about group dynamics, leadership, and mental health? In this episode Will sits down with Brant Evans (pen name Brant Elwood), co-author of Gods,…
Jan 21, 2025 · 46:29
In this Will speaks with Derek Daley, the incoming president of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP), about the transformative implications of…
Jan 14, 2025 · 48:51
In this episode Will talks with John Tobias, founder of Red Cedar Transitions. John shares his journey from working at Boulder Outdoor Survival School to Aspen Achievement…
Jan 7, 2025 · 1:08:09
In this episode Will talks with John Karren, co-founder of Elements Programs . John reflects on how Elements has evolved over its 17-year history, moving from a strictly nomadic…
Dec 17, 2024 · 32:32
In this special episode Will takes a deep dive into the Netflix documentary Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare , which explores the infamous Challenger Foundation—a adolescent wilderness…
Dec 10, 2024 · 44:02
In this episode Will reconnects with Mod Barefoot Maves, who last appeared on the podcast just before the pandemic in February 2020. Mod shares the remarkable evolution of the…
Dec 3, 2024 · 49:45
In this episode Will reconnects with Andrew Taylor, founder of Pure Life Adventure in Costa Rica and the podcast's very first guest in 2018. Andrew shares the significant…
Nov 19, 2024 · 49:16
In this episode Will engages in a profound conversation with Danny Frazer, co-founder of the former Open Sky Wilderness Therapy program and founder of Gain the Ridge Consulting .…
Nov 12, 2024 · 38:35
In this episode Will reconnects with Nichol Ernst, CEO of Summit Achievement , an adolsecent residential treatment program in Maine. Nichol shares his journey from starting as a…
Nov 5, 2024 · 48:49
In the milestone 250th episode, Will reconnects with Matt Nannis, founder of PIVOTPoint , an experiential adventure program based in Western North Carolina. Since their last…
Oct 29, 2024 · 40:06
In this episode Will reconnects with Bill Brown, co-founder of Confluence Behavioral Health in Vermont. Since their last conversation in 2019, Confluence has evolved…
Oct 15, 2024 · 49:03
In this episode Will reconnects with Derek Daley, co-founder of Legacy Outdoor Adventures and a seasoned professional with over 25 years in wilderness therapy. Derek shares how…
Oct 8, 2024 · 24:08
In the opening episode of Season 21, host Will White delves into the significant transformations occurring within the wilderness therapy field for adolescents and young adults,…
Sep 30, 2024 · 42:41
In this episode Will sits down with Dr. Alison LaFollette, the Clinical Director of Mountain Valley Treatment Center . Alison shares her journey from conducting…
Sep 17, 2024 · 46:28
In this episode Will talks with Hayley Caddes, co-founder of Not Therapy Coaching , about her powerful personal journey through wilderness therapy and an all-girls therapeutic…
Sep 10, 2024 · 45:16
In this powerful episode Will speaks with JD and his mother, Amber, as they recount their powerful journey through wilderness therapy. JD opens up about the struggles that led…
Sep 3, 2024 · 35:18
In this deeply moving episode Will sits down with Melissa and Graham Squier, founders of the Harlan Serenity Foundation. This foundation, created in memory of their late son,…
Aug 20, 2024 · 53:35
In this episode Will talks with Dr. Denise Mitten, a pioneering figure in outdoor education, adventure, and wilderness therapy. Denise shares her journey from her early days in…
Aug 13, 2024 · 42:56
In this episode Will talks with Sheldon Nelson, founder of Crossroads Discovery and a veteran of the wilderness therapy field. Sheldon discusses the inspiration behind Crossroads…
Aug 6, 2024 · 44:12
In this episode, Will talks with Andy Benckart, a former wilderness therapy participant whose transformative journey has led him to pursue a master's degree in social work. Andy…
Jul 23, 2024 · 41:26
In this episode Will talks with Ciara Fanlo, founder of Homing Instinct , to discuss her transformative journey from a "troubled teen" to a dedicated mentor for adolescents.…
Jul 9, 2024 · 42:44
In this episode Will welcomes Kim Sacksteder and Nick Magle-Haberek from Adventure-Therapist.com to share their story. Discover how they have expanded their training and…
Jun 18, 2024 · 42:10
In this week's episode Will sits down with Zack Shaffer, executive director of Mountain Valley Treatment Center , to discuss their recent hike up Mount Moosilauke. They recount…
Jun 11, 2024 · 52:30
In this episode, Will welcomes David Segal and Bonnie Dyck from the Human Nature Counselling Society . They dive deep into their journeys into nature-based therapy, sharing how…
Jun 4, 2024 · 52:15
In this episode, Will talks with Colin MacDonald, co-founder of Not Therapy Coaching . Colin shares his journey from being a wilderness therapy client and therapeutic boarding…
May 28, 2024 · 46:16
In this episode Will talks with Dr. Patrick McMillon and Alex White from Westminster University in Utah. They discuss the Graduate Certificate in Adventure Therapy, a program…
May 21, 2024 · 41:49
In this timely episode, Jessica Miller from the Salt Lake Tribune shares insights from her investigative article on the closures of wilderness therapy programs for teens in Utah.…
May 7, 2024 · 47:28
In this episode Will chats with David Wynn, LCMHC, an outdoor mental health provider from Blue Ridge Treks. David shares his transformative journey from a river guide and camp…
Apr 30, 2024 · 50:46
In this compelling episode, Will engages with Cash Lambert about his groundbreaking new book, "Surf Therapy: The Evidence-Based Science for Physical, Mental, and Emotional…
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