The Surgeon General of the United States issued an alarming report in early December 2021 which stated that the increase in emergency room visits for suicide attempts by adolescent girls in the US in early 2021 rose by 51% when compared to the same period in 2019.  Shockingly, the figure rose by 4% for boys. Any increase in these outcomes is cause for concern, and the social challenges facing our female adolescents today are particularly alarming. There are numerous opportunities for improvement in the way society recognizes and addresses mental health problems in children and young adult ..read more

Summary Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness (BRTW) seeks a full-time Recruiter to oversee the recruitment, hiring, and training of Field Instructors (direct-care staff). The Recruiter will ensure that all candidates are carefully assessed prior to hire, and that those hired are well-prepared for their role in supporting students in the program. This position requires a diverse skill set, including strong organizational skills, familiarity with wilderness therapy, and an innate ability to connect with others easily. Primary Responsibilities: Oversee recruitment, assessment, and hiring of potent ..read more

Q: Tell us about your background and how you came to become a Primary Therapist for young adults at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness. A: My first exposure to this industry started with being a field counselor at Eckerd Youth Alternatives, where I worked with adolescent boys who were in the adjudicated system. The program allowed the boys to attend wilderness therapy instead of going to a detention center. I took that position right after college, so it was my first experience in this line of work. But I was open to the possibilities, and had established a connection to the outdoors throughout ..read more

Q: Tell us about yourself— what’s your background and what brought you to Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness? When I was a teenager, I was really struck with the questions of, “why are we alive?”, “what is the meaning of life?”, and “why are we here?”. I was more of an existentially focused teenager, open to the big questions, and trying to discover what was the purpose of my existence. That line of thinking piqued my curiosity in the liberal arts, philosophy, and psychology. I had a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in history, but I wanted to study philosophy. So I did a post-baccalaureate ..read more

Q: Can you tell us about who you are and what your background is?  A: I’m Elizabeth Seib, and I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. You’ll hear some people call me Lizzy. Before becoming a Blue Ridge Primary Therapist for adolescent girls, I spent several years working as a Family Therapist for our Family Program. I attended Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia and earned my Masters in Family Therapy. Following graduation, I did in-home therapy for families in the court system. I would see them three times a week in their home. So that’s the first exposure I had to fami ..read more

Q: Tell us about yourself. What’s your background? A: My name’s Tim Riewald. I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and the Primary Therapist in Group 1. I’ve been with Blue Ridge since 2011. I started here as a field instructor and I worked in that position for about three and a half years. Then, I decided to go back to graduate school at Appalachian State University for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I worked with adolescent boys during my first year as a Field Instructor, and I decided that I wanted to pursue this as a career path— and as my life’s calling— and I haven’t look ..read more

It is Wednesday evening in Clayton, Georgia. We are seated around a crackling fire as the sun dips behind the rolling hills. Cater has bow-drilled for us, built the flames until we feel heat licking up our legs. Everyone’s eyes are closed, focus on our individual breaths. I can hear the pop and hiss of escaping steam from the firewood, the rhythmic inhales and exhales of the parents who have traveled here to participate in our three-day Parent Workshop. Our breathwork is coming to a close. I ring a chime. Eyes begin to open. “Now,” I say. “Take a look around and make eye contact with those i ..read more

Academic success in unusual times: Is your teen struggling with virtual learning? When schools shut down in the spring, students took a break from the hustle of attending classes and extracurriculars every day. Some went home thinking that they’d be back together in a month or two- but as 2020 draws to a close, about half of the students in the U.S. haven’t stepped foot in a school since March. Millions of students are instead enrolled in virtual classes- and they’re failing. Even for those students attending classes in person, keeping up in school can be difficult right now. Plummeting g ..read more

Each year, winter arrives with its short days and blustery winds and shows students at Blue Ridge Wilderness that they are capable of much more than they may have known. At first glance, the weather and terrain might be daunting, but with the proper gear, nutrition, and staff support, students at Blue Ridge bundle up, move their bodies, eat warm meals, and experience what it’s like to thrive- no matter what the environment.  During the winter, students become accustomed to the cold- their bodies calibrate, and so do their minds. This process alone is one huge step on their path to increas ..read more

Tips for Helping Your Teen Explore a Healthy Relationship with Social Media Teens in this age have an intricate network of information and social connection at their disposal, adding complexity to their lives that didn’t exist even 10 years ago. Many parents feel alienated by their adolescent’s social media habits. It’s difficult to ask your kid about their day and hear a short “fine” or “good”. Maybe their mouths are moving, but their eyes are glued to a screen. What do we do when we have no idea what our kids are doing on their devices for hours every day?  As adults, the willpower to s ..read more