September 03, 2013
The Origin of the Second Nature Wilderness Program
15 years ago, after five years of working at a competitor (now out of business), I was clear that wilderness treatment could be done more effectively, more clinically, and with more customer service orientation. I approached the best therapists I knew, Devan Glissmeyer, Vaughn Heath, and Brad Reedy (he joined 8 months after the initial startup), began writing policy and procedure, and we launched Second Nature in July, 1998. Caroline Wolf was an original partner, doing admissions and marketing for us and we all felt we could change the way wilderness was being done and forge a new trail for this type of treatment.
Wilderness treatment at that point was much more rudimentary, the wilderness part was effective, as it is today, however the clinical integration was not present, nor was the passage of information to referral sources and even parents. Changes we made included mandatory calls to educational consultants to upload information about clinical progress, and more clinical calls to parents, including family therapy components. We hired primarily Ph.D candidates, with expertise in family therapy, individual therapy, and group therapy. We provided additional training on the job, often requiring a year of working with another therapist before taking on a caseload and group supervision. We required therapists to carry cell phones and be available to families 24/7, knowing that wilderness treatment can sometimes raise anxiety in parents.
Our staff were similarly trained, with not only field work instruction and on the job training, but also clinical training, with clinical presentation in staff training, and with the opportunity to sit in on and contribute to therapy sessions with students and their families. This integration of field and therapeutic components proved to be a very effective combination for intervention with students.
Second Nature is known as the program that prepares students most effectively for boarding schools and other aftercare, our treatment and recommendations are oriented around the need for aftercare to stabilize progress in students and families. We have many competitors now who have copied Elements of our programming, however our outcome studies (Matt Hoag) and reports from boarding schools indicate that we are the best at this and other components (clinical intervention and customer service).
We are always working to improve our program, we welcome feedback and search out ways to more effectively meet the needs of our students and families and referral sources. Please pass on any thoughts you have to your favorite staff at one of our four small owner operated programs. The Picture in this story is from years ago, and shows many leaders in our field today. I am proud that they all participated in this movement that started here at Second Nature.