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Does therapy in the wilderness change lives?

Posted by Stephen C. Schultz
Submitted by Jason


This is a message sent to RedCliff Ascent by a former student. I’ll simply let the pictures and the message speak for themselves.




“I just wanted to write to you and let you know that looking back at the experience that I had gone through there, although challenging at times, in looking back at the whole experience I believe that it was beneficial to me.  To this day I enjoy the knowledge of being able to start a fire with the bow drill, and knowing how to survive in a challenging environment.  The most memorable staff member was a lady by the name of White Winds, an older lady with the longest and whitest hair I have ever seen.  I have a box of all of the clothes in my basement and every time that I open the box I am engulfed with the smell of 99 days of fire and wilderness. 



While reading the first page of the website I noticed a quote from a former student, who said,

 ‘I don't think that I can explain it to anyone.’ 

I can't agree with them more. I have tried to explain to my friends and family what it was like out there and I seem to find that no one can grasp the whole experience.  Some of my friend’s still can't forgive my mother for taking me away from them my senior year of high school but thank god she did.  A couple of weeks after I was enrolled 5 of my friends were arrested and I would have been with them. 



I am now a senior at Western Connecticut State University and am ready to graduate and go on with my life.  I really don't know why I am writing this but I felt it necessary to express at least a little bit of what it did for me.  Thank you for your time and I hope the program is doing for others what it did for me.

All the best - Jason”
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Anonymous said…
I am so happy to hear that I was part of your wilderness experience. My life was also change by the wilderness and every time I think something is difficult in life I just say to myself, "You made it that hill you can do this." White Winds
June 26, 2015 at 12:09 PM
Stephen C. Schultz said…
Thanks for the comment White Winds! Much appreciated. You have definitely influenced the lives of many for the better.
June 26, 2015 at 2:47 PM
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