Sky‘s the Limit Fund (STLF) Speaker Series
Sky‘s the Limit Fund
Subscribe
Sky‘s the Limit Fund (STLF) Speaker Series is an educational resource for parents seeking information about topics close to wilderness therapy. Conversations feature remarkable guest speakers with expertise in the field of outdoor behavioral healthcare.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
May 24, 2023
Defragmenting Mental Health Treatment with Integrative Psychiatry | Britta Zimmer, N.D.
Britta Zimmer, N.D., Medical Director at Pacific Quest
It’s confusing and sometimes frustrating when you’re dealing with a list of medications for psychiatric conditions and help from various medical and professional resources. What’s working and what’s not? Our guest, Dr. Britta Zimmer, a licensed Naturopathic Physician, started the Integrative Model at Pacific Quest of blending conventional psychiatry with nature-based interventions and whole person wellness. In this episode, Dr. Zimmer talks about the benefits of Integrative Psychiatry to optimize an individual’s mental health and treatment plan including the importance of incorporating nutritional supplements, mind-body practices along with a complete diet containing anti-inflammatory foods.
playlist_add
May 10, 2023
Emotional Needs and the Treatment Process of Parents and Children | Noel Koons, MS, CMHC
Noel Koons, MS, CMHC, Lead Therapist at Evoke Therapy Intensives and counselor & owner of Volition Counseling
This is an introduction to Emotional Needs 101 by Noel Koons. Noel explores the 6 emotional needs including how emotional need issues contribute to struggles leading up to treatment.
"What are Emotional Needs? Emotional needs are the essential, inner, subjective conditions that must be met for well-being. If we meet them well, we’ll experience lasting periods of peace, joy, and wholeness. When we meet our emotional needs both personally and interpersonally, we feel serenity, self-efficacy, contentment, and thriving. If we don’t meet them, we may become chronically frustrated, dysregulated, desperate, resentful, anxious, depressed, pessimistic, cynical, listless, numb, and nihilistic."
playlist_add
Apr 26, 2023
Family Therapy for the Young Adult: Walking the Road to Independence Together | Ryan Price, MA, LPC
Ryan Price, MA, LPC, MAC | Primary Therapist, Young Adults at Deschutes Wilderness Therapy
In this episode, Ryan Price discusses an alternative approach to working with young adults and their families that focuses on relational repair and healing as a means of resourcing the young adult to step boldly into adult life. This is in contrast with some approaches that reduce focus on family therapy and parental involvement in the therapy process for young adults. Parent involvement in family therapy with their young adult child does not have to feel stifling to the young adult. When done well, the reinforced secure attachment with their parents creates a solid "home base" from which the young adult can embrace independent life with confidence.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Apr 12, 2023
Breaking the Stigma: The Journey Through the Eyes of a Graduate | Samira Madden
A captivating interview with Samira Madden, a wilderness therapy graduate. Samira is a young teen and is remarkably poised, honest, and courageous. She talks about her experience at wilderness, the life lessons it has taught her, and through this, she hopes to communicate her conviction to break the stigma.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Mar 22, 2023
A Wilderness Journey: The Story of a Teen’s Road to Healing | Tami Ann
Tami Ann, mother and author of A Wilderness Journey
Tami Ann is the mother of a son who attended a life-changing wilderness therapy program followed by a therapeutic boarding school. With her son’s collaboration, she wrote a book about their family's transformative experience called A Wilderness Journey. This episode features delightful conversation with Tami Ann as she shares her inspiration to write the book - to provide healing and to provide a source of relatable information to help others - and why she created the unique components to tell the story as a hero's journey.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Mar 15, 2023
The Anxiety and Fear of Your Child Going Away for Treatment|Tony Issenmann, Ph.D., LMFT
Tony Issenmann, Ph.D., LMFT Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness
Parents are increasingly struggling with anxiety and fear about sending their struggling adolescents to treatment. Dr. Issenmann's conversation is to empower anxious and ambivalent parents about the developmental model and research that show out-of-home treatment is often necessary for the life-changing results. Through this, he provides suggestions on what parents can do to navigate through the tough decision.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Mar 8, 2023
Parenting Neurodiverse Girls | Sarah James, MA, LCMHC, LCAS
Sarah James, MA, LCMHC, LCAS at Trails Carolina
What is neurodiversity? In this episode, Sarah gives an overview of what neurodiversity is and how parenting can be different. She discusses how to recognize potential neurodiversity in your child and how and why neurodiversity often gets overlooked in females. Sarah also talks about the pros and cons of formal diagnosis, the unique needs of neurodiverse adolescents and strategies for addressing these needs.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Feb 22, 2023
It’s Okay to be Vulnerable as a Parent | Casie Fariello, Co-Founder & CEO of Other Parents Like Me
In this episode, Casie Fariello, discusses the vulnerability of being a parent - uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure, guilt and acceptance and overcoming societal “norms”. Through her own experience as a wilderness therapy alumni parent and what she's learned as the Co-Founder & CEO of OPLM, she talks about managing expectations, how to be vulnerable with your children, and the importance of self-care especially during difficult times.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Feb 8, 2023
Part 2: The Path to Success | STLF Coaches, Heather Menzie May, MA, LPC and Stephanie Smith, LCSW, LAC
STLF Coaches, Heather Menzie May, MA, LPC and Stephanie Smith, LCSW, LAC
This episode is Part 2 of a panel discussion featuring our Sky's the Limit Fund Coaches. Heather and Stephanie will talk about the transition home and take a deeper dive into what progression may look like, a discussion about falling back to an old pattern for the youth and parents, what happens when there's a crisis, and holding boundaries.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Jan 31, 2023
Part 1: Key Transition Strategies After Wilderness Therapy | STLF Coaches- Lauren Lollini, MA, LCPC, Mackenzie Keefe, MSW, MS and Robin Wolthausen
STLF Coaches- Lauren Lollini, MA, LCPC, Mackenzie Keefe, MSW, MS and Robin Wolthausen
This episode features a panel discussion with the Sky's the Limit Fund Coaches. Take a deeper dive into their process as coaches to help parents and young adults with transition after wilderness therapy. They'll discuss the key strategies for setting up a path to success and how these strategies may be different for a young adult.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Jan 11, 2023
Responding vs. Reacting: You Don’t Have to be Calm All of the Time | Lindsay Myrick, LCPC
Lindsay Myrick, LCPC, Assistant Clinical Director and Primary Therapist at blueFire Wilderness Therapy
You may have heard it before when someone says, "just calm down". It's not that easy when you're in the thick of things. Lindsay Myrick dives into what the "Window of Tolerance" means to help us understand our emotions and why it's okay if we're not calm all the time. She also discusses the importance of mindfulness practice and simple ownership to help us appropriately respond rather than react to our children.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Dec 13, 2022
The Stigma of Mental Health: When Parents are Seeking Treatment for their Child | Amanda Mojave, LPC Primary Therapist, Trails Carolina
Amanda Mojave, LPC Primary Therapist at Trails Carolina
A deep conversation with Amanda Mojave, LPC about how the stigma of mental health affects parents who are seeking treatment for their child. She offers healthy advice to help parents navigate during this difficult time.
View full episode page
playlist_add
Dec 5, 2022
The Incredible Influence of Parents When Your Child is Misusing Substances | Brenda Zane and Cathy Cioth
Brenda Zane, Founder of Hopestream Community and podcast host of Hopestream Cathy Cioth, Co-Founder of Hopestream Community
Parents often feel helpless when their child starts to experiment with substances and life feels out of control, but research shows they are one of the most influential factors in helping a teen or young adult make healthier choices and be open to accepting help - if they know what to do. Brenda Zane and Cathy Cioth discuss the "Invitation to Change" approach that parents can put into action.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Aug 10, 2022
Engaging Siblings in Family Work | Leah Madamba, MS, NCC, LCMHC
Leah Madamba, MS, NCC, LCMHC, Family Services Director, at Trails Carolina
Siblings are our longest standing relationships; in 1998, 83% of the adult population in the U.S. had at least one sibling in their family. Leah Madamba sheds some light on the importance of this relationship and engaging them in family work.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Jul 20, 2022
The Power of Your Words: Growing Our Communication Alongside Our Child | Jason McKeown, MS, LMFT, BC-TMH, CPE
Jason McKeown, MS, LMFT, BC-TMH, CPE , is the CEO of SUWS of the Carolinas
Communication is a challenge in many families. We don't always realize how powerful our words are. This is an informative conversation with Jason McKeown about how to talk WITH your child versus talking AT your child. Jason gives us a fresh perspective as well as some helful reminders.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
May 16, 2022
Head and the Heart: How to Step into Vulnerable & Interdependent Relationships | Liz Deardorff, LCSW
Liz Deardorff, LCSW is a Family Therapist of Nest Family Services at Deschutes Wilderness Therapy
An incredibly informative conversation about defining co-dependence, enmeshment and interdependence.
- When do we parent from the head versus the heart
- How our attachment needs and trauma responses get in the way of speaking from the heart
- How to bravely step into vulnerability with your child
- How heart focus v. head focus allows us to step into healthy interdependence with our child versus rescuing, enabling, and enmenshment: the “fix it” behavior
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Mar 29, 2022
Over Stressed? Taking the Trauma Out of Wilderness Therapy | Steve Sawyer, LCSW, CSAC
Steve Sawyer, LCSW, CSAC Chief Clinical Consultant | Co-Founder of New Vision Wilderness in Wisconsin, Deschutes Wilderness in Bend Oregon, and First Light Wilderness in Georgia
An informative discussion with Steve Sawyer about stress and trauma. His conversation helps us understand extensive stress and differentiates going from Trauma Informed to Trauma Responsive treatment.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Mar 14, 2022
How to Strengthen a Father Son Relationship | Chris Tarver, LCSW
Chris Tarver, LCSW Executive Director at WinGate Wilderness Therapy
What happens when sons can't live up to their perception of who their father is? Chris Tarver discusses the importance and misperceptions of the father-son relationship and what to do to help improve the relationship.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Feb 28, 2022
The Wilderness Experience from the Field | David Chandler, Field Director at SUWS of the Carolinas
David Chandler, Field Director at SUWS of the Carolinas
A birds-eye conversation with David Chandler about a typical day in wilderness for youth and young adults and the work of the field guides. He shares how his passion for nature and adventure helps his well-being as well as providing support to families through wilderness therapy.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Feb 15, 2022
Conversation vs Consequence | Greg Burnham, MS, LMFT
Greg Burnham, MS, LMFT Clinical Director and Primary Therapist at outBack Therapeutic Expeditions
Much of what we hear about parenting has to do with consequences and boundaries. So our go to as parents when our children make choices we don’t agree with is to apply consequences. The opposite of that is that we avoid and don’t do anything. Greg invites us to think about conversations by analyzing our emotions and belief systems regarding consequences.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Feb 1, 2022
Finding You: An Experiential Approach to Helping Parents Heal | Travis Slagle M.A., LMHC, LPC, NCC
Travis Slagle M.A., LMHC, LPC, Clinical Director at Evoke Therapy Intensives
Travis Slagle, Clinical Director at Evoke Intensives, discusses the role of experiential therapy for parents. A conversation with Travis helps us understand the importance of parents engaging in their own therapy to increase positive outcomes in their child's treatment.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Jan 6, 2022
How to Survive Wilderness Therapy as a Parent | Andy Goldstrom
Andy Goldstrom, Certified Parent Coach at Parents Journey Coaching and host of podcast, The Wilderness Therapt & Residential Treatment Journey
A conversation with Andy Goldstrom about his family's experience and a discussion about what should you expect while your child is away at wilderness therapy and what should you consider doing as parents when your child is away. Andy provides helpful tools that helped him throughout his family's journey.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Dec 3, 2021
How Does Wilderness Therapy Save Ones’ Sense of Self | Trina Grater, MA, LCMHC
Trina Grater, MA, LCMHC, Assistant Clinical Director & Therapist of Evoke Therapy
Group milieu, nomadic model, expressive arts, rites of passage, relational approach all contribute to the efficacy of wilderness therapy saving a sense of Self for young people today. These components will be explored, examples from over a decade of on-the-ground experience referenced, and literature cited.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Oct 21, 2021
How Can I Establish Boundaries When My Young Adult Child is Struggling? | Mariah Loftin, MA, LPC
Mariah Loftin, MA, LP, Clinical Director & Senior Clinical Therapist - Young Adults Group at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy
Many parents struggle with effective ways to set and maintain boundaries as their children transition from adolescence to young adulthood, especially when a young adult is struggling with mental health or other life challenges. In this episode, Senior Clinical Therapist, Mariah Loftin offers tangible strategies for establishing healthy boundaries that will help young adults launch into a life of independence.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Sep 8, 2021
Launched & Unraveled: The Young Adult Phenomena | Joanna Lilley, MA, NCC & Chris Blakenship, LCSW
Joanna Lilley, M.A. Owner and Founder of Lilley Consulting Chris Blankenship, LCSW, Senior Clinical Therapist - Transition Age Young Adults Group (18-20) at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy
Joanna Lilley, M.A. and Chris Blankenship, LCSW work with parents to understand and address the myriad reasons why young adults are so often unprepared for independent adulthood. They place added emphasis on the difficulty of leaving home in the tumultuous and unpredictable environment that COVID has created. Joanna and Chris explore alternate ways of preparing young adults to better address the stress, anxiety, and empowerment that can come from life as an adult working towards independence.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
Sep 8, 2021
Addressing Controversies: A Look at Wilderness Therapy in Context | Will White, DA, LCSW, LADC
Will White, DA, LCSW, LADC, Co-Founder and Program Advisor of Summit Achievement
Will White, a 30 year professional in wilderness therapy, author of "Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy" and the host of the weekly podcast, Stories from the Field, takes a deep look at the current controversies surrounding wilderness therapy, talk about the evolution of and changes to the practice of wilderness therapy, and where it's is headed in the future.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
May 28, 2021
Belonging: How Do We Know Who Belongs in Wilderness | Tracy Hopkins, MSW,CPDC
Tracy Hopkins, MSW, CPDC, Director of Engagement & Belonging at outBack Therapeutic Wilderness
In this episode, Tracy Hopkins shares her own experiences of belonging and provides insight on the what to look for in wilderness.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
May 28, 2021
Taking Care of the Mothership: The Power of Self-care | Brenda Zane
Brenda Zane, Founder of Hopestream Community and podcast host of Hopestream
A conversation about getting healthy for moms in particular when your family is in crisis. Brenda Zane tells her experience as a mother of a child with substance abuse and discusses the importance of self-care as she shares ideas to help cope and seek support.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add
May 27, 2021
Raising Heroes: Fostering Resilience in Your Child and Yourself | Brad M. Reedy, Ph.D.
Brad M. Reedy, Ph.D., Owner & Executive Clinical Director of Evoke Therapy Programs
Dr. Brad Reedy discusses the importance of finding one's self through parenting and its relevance in fostering resilience.
View full episode webpage
playlist_add