Wilderness Therapy Ventures

In the Spotlight

Alaska/Canada Jobs more

Providing challenge and change through remote wilderness adventures, Alaska Crossings offers 49-day experiential programs for youth (ages 12-18) with behavioral health issues. Field guides play an essential role in mentoring and guiding participants through physically and mentally demanding land and water-based expeditions. These adventures provide the framework for the field team to deliver a curriculum of behavior modification, social and life skill development and mentorship to elicit positive change in each client. Staff must work the entire forty-nine days, so experience and familiarity with backcountry travel is essential. In general, February is the only training month, so potential guides should be available to begin work at that time. Most guides will also need to make an initial one year commitment. Benefits include $125-$295 per day, pro-deal purchases, medical clinic discounts and retirement after one year. Qualifications differ for each guide level; however, all applicants should ideally have experience working with youth (especially those with behavioral issues), and be skilled in alpine environments, canoeing, mountaineering, multi-day backcountry tripping, and WFR/CPR certified. Flexibility, adaptability and strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. If you have what it takes to be the change, email your resume and cover letter to Lucy Robinson or call 907.874.2371 for more information.

• Do you have what it takes to venture to rugged remote environments while mentoring and guiding 12 to 18 year-olds? Alaska Crossings field guides lead 49-day therapeutic wilderness expeditions in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska and on the Stikine River in British Columbia, Canada.

Hawaii Jobs more

Come explore Hawaii in a different way! Based in a camp-like setting on an 8-acre working, organic farm on the Big Island of Hawaii, Pacific Quest facilitates an environment for teens and young adults to recognize a desire for change. In addition to working with a counseling and treatment team to achieve weekly outcomes, a typical day consists of working the land while learning about permaculture, sustainability, basic living skills and Hawaiian life, with outings once a week. The treatment team consists of four to five Field Instructors: 1-2 Leads, a Health & Safety Instructor, a Support Instructor and/or an Apprentice. Each staff member will work eight-days on, six-days off from Thursday to Thursday. Compensation includes a salary as well as room and board during the working period (on your week off, accommodations are not provided). At minimum, applicants must have a bachelor's degree preferably in psychology, farming or outdoor education. If you can make a one-year commitment and have experience and enthusiasm for working with teens in an outdoor therapeutic setting, email your cover letter and resume to Human Resources.

• Blending a wilderness therapy model on an organic farm, Pacific Quest facilitates an environment for students to recognize a want for change while learning about permaculture, sustainability, basic living skills and Hawaiian life.

Nevada Jobs more

Do you have an intense desire to help troubled youth along with a passion for being in the outdoors to the point where seven days in a remote wilderness area sounds like heaven? Eagle Quest is now recruiting Field Specialists to empower disadvantaged youth in becoming happy, healthy and productive citizens. You will empower your group to reflect on life without adverse distractions in remote areas of southern Nevada. You will provide intense physical activity and outdoor skill development through backpacking, hiking, climbing, knot tying, orienteering and first-aid skills. You will teach a rigorous academic curriculum in writing and reading through journals, creative writing, stories and articles. You will assist students to shed their old identity and begin to build a new one by teaching lessons in choice, accountability, teamwork, trust, responsibility, decision-making, self discipline, leadership and more. This is a full-time position paid at $200 per day for days in the field; and a one-year, or longer, commitment is preferred. Applicants must have a love for working with troubled, disadvantaged youth. A bachelor's degree or higher in a human services related field (education, counseling, recreation therapy, psychology, social work, criminal justice) is required; a military background is helpful. EagleQuestofNevada.com

• The field staff at Eagle Quest drive its success, and they're always looking for the right people to join their team. People who are talented, smart, committed to excellence. Is that you? Explore the opportunities and discover why Eagle Quest is the right career choice.

New York Jobs more

Are you willing to challenge yourself physically and emotionally? Flexible and adaptable to changing situations? Comfortable in a wilderness setting? Eager to guide students down a path of increased self awareness? As a character development wilderness program for troubled teens, Adirondack Leadership Expeditions (ALE) promotes personal growth through a focus on insight-oriented experiences. Seasonal and year-round Wilderness Field Instructors assist the lead instructor in carrying out therapeutic outcomes for each student while using primitive survival skills, 4-5 day backpacking expeditions and outdoor experiential education techniques as tools for emotional and spiritual growth for their group. Instructing for ALE is not only a wonderful opportunity to help change the lives of teenagers, but also a chance to challenge your self and grow. Field instructors work 8-day shifts, with 6 days off in between, spending 24 hours a day with the students while on shift. In addition to a competitive wage and outdoor gear pro deals, you'll have continuous opportunities for personal and professional growth. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; detailed information can be obtained by connecting with Patricia Williams.

• While helping to change lives in a beautiful Adirondack mountain setting, wilderness field instructors with Adirondack Leadership Expeditions also have a chance to professionally and personally learn and grow in new ways.

North Carolina Jobs more

With three unique programs in North Carolina, SUWS of the Carolinas, Phoenix Outdoor and SUWS Seasons empower at-risk students to rediscover their strengths while preparing them to become more self-reliant, sustain meaningful relationships and possess a higher level of personal integrity. Using the outdoors as an alternative to conventional treatment environments, wilderness field instructors co-lead groups of adolescents in the backcountry, accounting for 24-hour safety and supervision. Duties include teaching primitive outdoor skills, facilitating therapeutic activities and treatment goals and empowering students to take responsibility for their actions and make healthy choices. Positions are offered year-round, during the summer or seasonally, and most staff works an 8-day on, 6-day off rotation (although there is flexibility in scheduling). Competitive wages start at $116 per day, with benefits that include a $300 signing bonus, health insurance, paid time off, 401k and prodeal purchases. Applicants must be at least 21 and have comfort in the backcountry and working with adolescents. A college degree in the outdoor or psychology field is a plus; WFR or WFA is recommended but not required. To begin the application process, email your cover letter and resume to Taylor Woods or call 828.668.7590.

• Teach primitive outdoor skills in the Pisgah National Forest. Facilitate wilderness therapy activities. Empower students to make healthy choices and become more self-reliant. This and so much more working as a wilderness field instructor for SUWS of the Carolinas, Phoenix Outdoor or SUWS Seasons.

Set amid the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Trails Carolina a challenging therapeutic wilderness program designed to promote positive change, fostering feelings of accomplishment and self worth while developing new patterns of behavior for youth and adolescents ages 10-17. A dynamic combination of therapeutic strategies includes a complete equine program, academic classes and backcountry living. The integration of experiential activities offers opportunities for peak experiences, key psychological moments of self-actualization and breakthrough insight. Field Instructors are responsible for ensuring the safety of their group, providing positive role modeling, teaching backpacking/backcountry living and wilderness survival skills, and promoting a positive environment for growth to take place. An 8-day-on, 6-day-off work schedule is required. Pay starts at $145 a day and progresses up to $160 a day. After 90 days you will have the option of full health insurance, which includes vision and dental from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, able to pass a physical exam/drug screen at the time of employment and be CPR/first certified (preference given to those with Wilderness First Responder certification). If you are motivated, creative, passionate, and want to help change lives, email your resume to employment@trailscarolina.com.

• At Trails Carolina, equine therapy is a key component to the trails way of working with adolescents. Horses are dynamic, powerful creatures, able to innately sense emotions and instinctively react to their environment. Youth are naturally drawn to these beautiful animals, quickly becoming engaged and invested in the therapeutic process.

Utah Jobs more

Ready to begin your journey with a new wilderness therapy organization while shaping the lives of adolescents in the outdoors? With a field area located in Utah's spectacular Manti-La Sal National Forest and the San Rafael Swell region, Elements Wilderness Program is looking for dedicated, hard working, passionate, caring, and eager-to-be-challenged mentor instructors. With the help of the great outdoors and a licensed therapist, you will support, endure, join, and guide students through a safe, stable and healthy environment for each to find a safer, healthier and enriching life. You will live, eat, and work together as a group and also help process and guide the students to more appropriate decisions in their life. While in the field, you will teach outdoor living skills, use problem solving techniques to maneuver through environmental challenges and lead daily personal reflective activities. A commitment of six months to one year is preferred (8-day-on, 6-day-off shift); the pay rate begins at $127/day, with most mentors earning $145-$165/day. By joining Elements in its infancy stage, you will have the unique opportunity to help structure and mold both the program and organization while developing your professional skills in the outdoor field. ElementsWilderness.com

• Elements Wilderness Program mentor instructors blend the four key elements of community, nature, well-being and therapy into every wilderness experience for students seeking a better way of life.

Camping. Backpacking. Bow drill fires. Oh yeah, and teenagers. All in southern Utah's spectacular backcountry. With RedCliff Ascent you'll make your living helping troubled teens and conquering yourself while you do it. You'll get paid for being outside with a whole bunch of people who love the outdoors as much as you do. RedCliff is unlike anything you've ever experienced. It's work without walls, without limits. This job makes you better, stronger—more sure of who you are and what you want. It's an experience you'll never forget. If you're tough enough to take it, call 'em. They're not in the office. Prospective field instructors must attend a 1-week training session in the field, which are scheduled just about every month. WildernessWork.com

• Few roles are more fulfilling in life than the role of mentor, and few jobs offer the wide range of opportunities which RedCliff offers to its field staff. Hiking, camping, backpacking, beautiful scenery and dynamic interpersonal relationships all come with the job. Add to this the chance to tone up the physique and improve your level of self confidence and personal character, and you have a job that is hard to beat.

Looking for an office with a view, a meaningful career in the outdoor industry, and being part of a community that cares? Share your outdoor passion and skills with Second Nature Entrada in the Red Rocks of Southern Utah! As a year-round licensed therapeutic wilderness program, Entrada uses the wilderness to assist adolescent and adult clients in their journey toward healthy behaviors and rewarding relationships. Working in a group with three to four other staff members, Field Instructors keep eight to ten clients safe while backpacking in the high desert of Southern Utah. In addition to implementing the Entrada program philosophy, other responsibilities include role modeling as well as teaching backpacking, communication, and wilderness survival skills. Instructors work a rotating schedule of eight days on and six days off, and a 1-year commitment is necessary. Pay starts at $127/day and progresses up to $195/day, plus bonuses. Benefits include full health and dental insurance, medical and professional training stipends and a variety of professional gear deals. First aid and CPR certification is required (although WFR, EMT or WEMT certification is preferred). Detailed info and application materials are available online. Prospective field instructors must attend a week-long training session in the field, which is generally scheduled every month. SNEntrada.com

• Wilderness field instructors for Second Nature Entrada become teachers and positive role models for adolescents and adults looking to build their confidence and self-esteem in the Red Rocks of Southern Utah.

As one of the industry's most sophisticated wilderness therapy programs, Second Nature Uintas provides insight, direction and hope to troubled teens and their families. With the aid of the wilderness, licensed therapists and experienced staff, adolescents from the ages of 13-17 embark on a journey to make healthy choices and rewarding relationships. Field Instructors work eight days on, six days off. The eight-day shift is spent in the Uinta Mountains and high desert of Utah, hiking and camping with students and helping to keep them physically and emotionally safe. Pay starts at $127/day, with benefits that include full health and dental insurance, performance bonuses, participation in a 401k plan and a variety of professional gear deals. Applicants must be at least 19 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, current CPR and first aid certification, and make a minimum commitment of one year. Prospective field instructors must attend a week-long training session in the field, which is generally scheduled every month. Adolescents.SNWP.com

• Did you know? Second Nature Uintas is a dog-friendly company, which allows Field Instructors to take a select number of well-mannered dogs to the field. Dogs are required to have certain certifications and go through a trial period.

Be a part of an incredible adventure with a brand new wilderness therapy company in Utah's pristine red rock territory. With a stunning landscape of southern Utah providing a powerful backdrop for life-changing experiences, WinGate Wilderness Therapy is always looking for top quality individuals to work as field staff members. Commonly known as Wind Walkers to the students, you will use the principles from your in-depth training on the trail by modeling it, living it and teaching it to them. By using the wilderness and primitive living skills as metaphors, you will enable an environment that invites change out of each student as opposed to telling him or her that they need to change. You will also have the opportunity to walk a path that promotes growth in your own life. Preference will be given to those who have wilderness first responder certification and can commit to one year. Compensation starts at $105/day, with the opportunity to make up to $195/day (daily rates will gladly be matched if you are coming from another company with wilderness experience). Health and dental benefits are also provided after 90 days. If you're looking for a unique opportunity to build something great, check out Wingate. WinGateWildernessTherapy.com

• WinGate Wilderness Therapy uses the wilderness and primitive living skills as metaphors to enable change of heart in the students.

Blending the best of ancient cultural systems with a wilderness therapy program, Outback Therapeutic Expeditions provides a powerful setting for real change in troubled teens. The elements of a wilderness experience, individualized treatment, family counseling, and peer interaction combine to help students turn negative habits and behaviors into positive change. Wilderness Field Guides empower adolescents by focusing on their self-esteem, team building and positive decision-making skills. They act as mentors in building relationships of trust as well as teachers of primitive and survival skills. Guides work an eight days-on/six-days-off schedule. Pay starts at $127/day and progresses up to $190/day. Health benefits kick in after 90 days. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and CPR/first aid certified (WFR preferred); preference is given to those with at least six months of experience working with teens. If you are a person who can establish relationships fast, enjoy working with teenagers, loves adventure, is outgoing, active, and can work well in a team environment, check out OutbackTreatment.com. Watch the online video, and if you are interested in applying for the most rewarding job you will ever have, email your resume along with three work-related references and a cover letter to Sara Troutman or call 801.319.3981 for further information.

• Working for OutbackTherapeutic Expeditions is not just a job, it's a journey. It is an experience that will challenge and reward you in countless ways as you touch the lives of the students in your care. It is emotionally, physically and mentally challenging—and will probably become the most memorable and most fulfilling job you'll ever have.

Multi-State Jobs more

Outward Bound At-Risk Expeditions offers unique wilderness and adventure-based programs for youth, families, schools, professional organizations and communities throughout Alabama and Florida, and is committed to targeting the factors that put today's youth at-risk for crime, violence and substance abuse. Outward Bound is seeking new and experienced wilderness instructors, educators, field supervisors and support staff who are at least 21 years or older, with a desire to make a difference with struggling teens. A 12-day new staff training and orientation program provides experienced and entry level instructors the necessary skills to begin working with Outward Bound's At-Risk Youth Expeditions right away! The next new staff training session is scheduled from August 30th to September 10th in Fairhope, Alabama. After participation in new staff training, a 9-12 week instructor practicum for those seeking more experience is offered. Full-time wilderness instructors typically instruct up to 9 courses over an 18-month period while seasonal staff may instruct anywhere from 1 to 4 courses per year. Full-time employment available to wilderness instructors can include a 6 or 9 course agreement with a great benefits package and paid travel and training! Lead instructors start at $95-$104/day; assistant instructors earn $80-$84/day. Learn more by emailing fieldjobs@outwardbound.org.

• Imagine working on a team dedicated to helping teens at a crossroads in their lives. Picture yourself leading students who come away tangibly changed, and with the hard-earned knowledge that they can do more than they thought possible. Launch your new challenge with Outward Bound At-Risk Expeditions today.

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