Monday, May 12, 2014

West Coast Location Celebrates 1 Year 

Our West Coast team, based out of Bend, Oregon celebrates a successful first year of operation, providing top-notch adolescent and young adult programming. Our new "home base" located in beautiful Bend, OR, creates a safe and welcoming atmosphere for visitors and families. The home also creates a safe space for the L.O.F.T., Life Opportunities for Transformation, a unique transitional component for our young adult programming. The L.O.F.T. supports clients with life coaching after completion of Wilderness Immersion.

The West Coast operates under a special use permit with the Willamette and Deschutes National Forest, and includes several new field operation locations beginning May 1st. The new locations offer varied terrain, eco-variety, and is closer to base operations. The proximity to Bend allows quicker accessibility supporting clients and staff in our customized approach. Our field staff are gearing up for a busy season, and currently mapping, scouting, and planning for the best use of our permitted areas. We anticipate expanded adventure education opportunities taking full advantage of all that Central Oregon has to offer.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

New Vision Wilderness Therapy Adventure Education


North Woods Adventure Education
Exciting times are upon us at New Vision Wilderness with the arrival of spring! Spring is a great time for Adventure Education in our North Woods location, and brings with it many new and exciting challenges and adventure along the rivers, lakes and rock climbing routes throughout the state. The majority of Adventure Education trips occur within a short distance of our field area in the Chequamegon National Forest. These trips include day long and multi-day canoe expeditions, rock climbing, and caving. 

Canoeing expeditions take place primarily on the Willow flowage, Jump River, and Flambeau Rivers. These expeditions focus primarily on communication and team work, a crucial aspect of canoeing and something which many of our clients struggle with. Canoeing provides opportunities for clients to work through the challenges of communicating with their peers by navigating the winding river. Team work and leadership are two more skills which are further developed through canoeing. Clients must assess what they need to do to get where they need to go, come up with a plan of action, and utilize each others strengths and weaknesses to reach their destination. Additionally clients are taught how to perform canoe rescues, basic and advanced paddling techniques, and for some clients, even basic whitewater canoeing techniques and skills.

Rock climbing is a very exciting and empowering addition to the Adventure Education programming at New Vision Wilderness. Rock climbing trips occur across the state at locations such as Devils Lake in southern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and several different locations. Rock Climbing is an extremely challenging activity which focuses primarily on trust and empowerment. Clients must learn to first trust the person who is belaying them, trust their gear, and most importantly, themselves. Trusting the person belaying them can be related directly to the struggles they may have encountered trusting others in their lives. Trusting themselves and believing that they can scale this towering cliff and overcome their fears is very beneficial to them not only on a cognitive level but also as a part of their therapeutic journey at New Vision Wilderness.