In the Spring of 2020, after 15 years of operating with single-gender adolescent groups and all-gender young adult groups, True North introduced an all-gender adolescent group, one of the first of its kind in the field of wilderness therapy. While True North has always had an inclusive approach, and has worked with many students to find the right fit within the previous group structure, it was clear that adolescents … [Read more...]
True North is Hiring Guides!
Join the guide team at True North! This is a great opportunity to work with an amazing team and to connect passions for the outdoors, healthy living, and working with young people. The average starting pay is $1719 per shift. Benefits include: health insurance, SIMPLE IRA, opportunity to earn up to $450/year towards qualified health and wellness activities, and the opportunity to earn up to $600/year of student … [Read more...]
Announcing an all gender adolescent group
Good news seems to be a precious commodity these days and we are thrilled to share an exciting new development at True North. Please join us in welcoming Margo Kelly, MSW, MEd to the True North Clinical Team. Margo will be opening a brand new ALL gender adolescent group, the first of its kind at True North. This group is appropriate for any adolescent student who fits a traditional True North profile and may … [Read more...]
“Success is Subjective” Podcast Features Owner/Co-Founder Ty Maves
True North Owner and Co-Founder Ty Maves was excited to reconnect with Joanna Lilley, host of a new podcast called Success is Subjective to share a bit of his story and some thoughts about emerging adulthood. Joanna is the owner and founder of Lilley Consulting, a firm that is dedicated to all things related to emerging adulthood. She works with families to identify therapeutic resources, gap year programs, and to … [Read more...]
COVID-19 Response Plan: March 6, 2020
FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUE NORTH'S COVID-19 RESPONSE, PLEASE REFER TO THE COVID-19 UPDATE PAGE. The administrative team at True North has been paying close attention to news and reports on the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff, and families is top priority just as it always is and would be regarding any situation that might arise. We are … [Read more...]
The Magic (and Science) of Nature
Why Wilderness? “In every walk in nature one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir The thing that separates wilderness therapy from all other modalities is the fully immersive experience in a wilderness setting. It is fair to ask the question, why wilderness? I first encountered this question at age 22 when I was applying to wilderness therapy companies to work as a field guide - … [Read more...]
Understanding Substance, Video Game, and Technology Use from the Inside Out
For the last several decades we’ve been having a conversation about the link between problematic substance use and adolescents. More recently this conversation has increasingly been expanded to include harmful video game and technology use. There is an equally well-established dialogue between adolescents and their parents, schools, and society at large about the risks associated with these behaviors. Adults offer up … [Read more...]
Skills: Building Traps
Outdoor living skills, such as learning how to make traps, are an integral part of the wilderness therapy experience at True North. Our students learn how to make two types of traps, the Paiute Deadfall and the Figure Four. They make a total of four traps and learn how to set them up with flat rocks they find near their campsites. Each trap comes with its own unique set of mechanical challenges, from harvesting trees … [Read more...]
Skills: Making Fire
The successful completion of True North, like all life adventures, requires the acquisition of new skills and expertise. While the word “therapy” often suggests emotional or cognitive work, the Wilderness requires the acquisition of a set of physical skills as well. These physical skills relate closely to the social and emotional work that takes place at True North. An essential skill at True North is the art of … [Read more...]
“I just want my child to be happy.”
“I just want my child to be happy.” We hear this often from the families that we work with. It is a wish that on the surface, seems heartfelt and harmless. What parent doesn’t want their child to be happy? This is especially true for parents who have children struggling with anxiety, depression, or other personal challenges. For many parents who have been living with the pain of watching their child struggle to … [Read more...]
Summer Team Announcements
The summer is upon us in the world of Wilderness Therapy, and True North is thrilled to welcome the following individuals to our team: Ally Barnett, MSW, joins the clinical team as a course leader (student therapist) starting in late May. She has been working as a therapist in nearby Burlington and became acquainted with True North through a former course leader there. In preparation for running her … [Read more...]
What to Expect at a Hiring Seminar
True North students are continuously learning more about themselves and experiencing new challenges in the wilderness. They live in small groups where they are working to build community, learn leadership skills, and understand their own therapeutic process. Their personal and group experiences may seem daunting and stressful at times. But the students are not alone in their journey. They are supported throughout … [Read more...]
The Journey of Guides to Therapists
On Wednesday mornings before a shift, the air is electric but the guides are sometimes a bit sleepy. The night before a week long Wednesday-to-Wednesday shift often lacks the same uninterrupted rest as other nights. The potential pleasures and pitfalls of a new dramatic week often loom heavy in the mind on a Tuesday evening, and each guide must prepare themselves with their own rituals and habits. Before they took … [Read more...]
Gearing Up: Winter in Vermont
“Dressed like onions” might sound funny when you think about our students and staff in the cold Vermont winters, but the phrase is actually an important principle in the year round outdoor-active community. The idea is to simply layer up when you are cold and layer down when you are warm to always find the most comfortable temperature for the activity you are doing. Whether it’s sitting around the campfire journaling … [Read more...]
True North joins with other professionals to help kids in need
Professional conferences are a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues from near and far, to learn and explore new ideas through professional development, and to contribute to the advancement of the industry through presentations highlighting current research and best practices. At the most recent IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association) conference in Washington DC, True North was delighted to … [Read more...]
Braving the Wilderness: An Argument for Wilderness Therapy
In her 2017 book Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, writes, “What all wilderness metaphors have in common are the notions of solitude, vulnerability, and emotional, spiritual, or physical quest. Belonging so fully to yourself that you’re willing to stand alone is a wilderness – an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It … [Read more...]
True North Attends Northeast NATSAP Conference in Maine
On September 26-27th True North attended the 2017 NATSAP Northeast Regional Conference. This conference has been thriving at the Colony Hotel in Kennebunkport, ME for the past several years. After all, who doesn’t enjoy continuing education with a side of lobster? The conference has been so well attended that it has outgrown the venue, and will move to a bigger location in Cape Cod, MA in 2018. True North was proud … [Read more...]
What to expect when you call an admissions counselor
As parents explore the True North website, they may feel overwhelmed with all of the information and confounded about how to make the best decision for their child. They may worry that calling an admissions counselor might confuse and overwhelm them further, or that they will just get a canned sales pitch. When a parent or student calls an admissions counselor at True North, they can expect to find someone who … [Read more...]