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| Call 414.526.5747 |
| We are passionate about what we do! |
Therapeutic Outdoor Programs
| © 2009 New Vision Wilderness, LLC 2363 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 phone 414.526.5747 fax 414.744.6288 info@newvisionwilderness.com |
| Inspiring Change...By Nature. |
About New Vision Wilderness.
New Vision Wilderness Program History
NVW was founded in February of 2007 and is the first wilderness based therapy intervention offered
in the State of Wisconsin. Drew Hornbeck and Steve Sawyer created NVW based upon an observed
need to offer an innovative therapeutic option for at-risk youth and hard to reach client populations
throughout the state.
The Integration of Adventure Therapy and Psychotherapy
Prior to NVW; Drew and Steve had operated independent programs for five years that were both
centered on their individual therapeutic modalities. Drew was owner of Midwest Outdoor
Experience, an adventure-therapy based intervention. In addition Drew was a key experiential
programming staff at Rogers Memorial Hospital. Steve was the director of one of Milwaukee’s largest
outpatient clinics and had operated Eagle Vision Wilderness program which offered intensive
psychotherapy within the wilderness setting.
Upon Drew and Steve meeting it was clear that both therapeutic modalities could unite to offer an
intensive intervention. This combination meshed the power of experiential therapy with intensive
mental health intervention that includes various cutting edge techniques in psychotherapy.
Steve and Drew are respected as authorities in their fields of psychotherapy/adventure therapy and
can often be seen presenting at both state and national conferences. NVW is the culmination of
both Drew and Steve’s career experiences, which total over two decades of intervention with the
most difficult to reach client populations.
New Vision Wilderness Program History
NVW was founded in February of 2007 and is the first wilderness based therapy intervention offered
in the State of Wisconsin. Drew Hornbeck and Steve Sawyer created NVW based upon an observed
need to offer an innovative therapeutic option for at-risk youth and hard to reach client populations
throughout the state.
The Integration of Adventure Therapy and Psychotherapy
Prior to NVW; Drew and Steve had operated independent programs for five years that were both
centered on their individual therapeutic modalities. Drew was owner of Midwest Outdoor
Experience, an adventure-therapy based intervention. In addition Drew was a key experiential
programming staff at Rogers Memorial Hospital. Steve was the director of one of Milwaukee’s largest
outpatient clinics and had operated Eagle Vision Wilderness program which offered intensive
psychotherapy within the wilderness setting.
Upon Drew and Steve meeting it was clear that both therapeutic modalities could unite to offer an
intensive intervention. This combination meshed the power of experiential therapy with intensive
mental health intervention that includes various cutting edge techniques in psychotherapy.
Steve and Drew are respected as authorities in their fields of psychotherapy/adventure therapy and
can often be seen presenting at both state and national conferences. NVW is the culmination of
both Drew and Steve’s career experiences, which total over two decades of intervention with the
most difficult to reach client populations.
Challenging the Wisconsin Therapy Frontier
Wilderness Therapy interventions may be new to the
therapeutic community within Wisconsin but have been
operating and in existence on both coasts for many years.
Drew has worked for wilderness programs in Alaska
(Ravens Way), Montana (Aspen),and Colorado (Monarch Family
Healing Center) and has been immersed in the wilderness
therapy world for most of his career.
NVW currently maintains the highest standards for wilderness
therapy available in the nation. NVW maintains a regiment of policy, programming and protocols that
meet or exceed the State of Utah wilderness program certification standards. In addition, all
psychotherapy is offered by Wisconsin certified staff.
Wilderness Therapy interventions may be new to the
therapeutic community within Wisconsin but have been
operating and in existence on both coasts for many years.
Drew has worked for wilderness programs in Alaska
(Ravens Way), Montana (Aspen),and Colorado (Monarch Family
Healing Center) and has been immersed in the wilderness
therapy world for most of his career.
NVW currently maintains the highest standards for wilderness
therapy available in the nation. NVW maintains a regiment of policy, programming and protocols that
meet or exceed the State of Utah wilderness program certification standards. In addition, all
psychotherapy is offered by Wisconsin certified staff.
Our Philosophy: Emotional Safety and Comfort Zone Expansion
Emotional Safety
At the national level there are wilderness programs that have distorted the reputation of wilderness
based intervention. NVW does not support a “boot camp” or “break them down” philosophy. NVW
holds a strong stance against these types of interventions in their program because they can harm
emotional safety.
NVW offers a “build them up” philosophy based in focusing on strengths and encouraging growth in
those areas. We are a CHOICE based program, where client choice is the dictating factor on the
increasing level of challenge. We utilize both adventure therapy and psychotherapy to create the
change in participants, and do not solely rely on a physical challenge regime or “in your face”
approach as the catalyst for change.
Comfort Zone Expansion
NVW also does not support a “shock” approach for creating change. Participants that are shocked are
more difficult to reach in the psychotherapy process due to the rise in defense mechanisms.
Therefore we slowly expand upon each client’s individual emotional tolerance. Our program model
includes pre-workshop days designed to slowly introduce clients to the wilderness setting. This
includes introductions to equipment, the elements, and our staff in an effort to slowly work clients
into the therapeutic regime we offer.
Emotional Safety
At the national level there are wilderness programs that have distorted the reputation of wilderness
based intervention. NVW does not support a “boot camp” or “break them down” philosophy. NVW
holds a strong stance against these types of interventions in their program because they can harm
emotional safety.
NVW offers a “build them up” philosophy based in focusing on strengths and encouraging growth in
those areas. We are a CHOICE based program, where client choice is the dictating factor on the
increasing level of challenge. We utilize both adventure therapy and psychotherapy to create the
change in participants, and do not solely rely on a physical challenge regime or “in your face”
approach as the catalyst for change.
Comfort Zone Expansion
NVW also does not support a “shock” approach for creating change. Participants that are shocked are
more difficult to reach in the psychotherapy process due to the rise in defense mechanisms.
Therefore we slowly expand upon each client’s individual emotional tolerance. Our program model
includes pre-workshop days designed to slowly introduce clients to the wilderness setting. This
includes introductions to equipment, the elements, and our staff in an effort to slowly work clients
into the therapeutic regime we offer.
Safety Comes First!
NVW takes both physical and emotional safety seriously and enforces
strict guidelines to protect our clientele. We require that Wilderness
First Responderstaff are present and available in the field while clients
are present.
Other safety measures NVW enforces are:
-Intensive Intake and Screening Process
-Pre and Post Program Client Reviews
-Intensive Supervision Via a Maximum 5 to 1 Client to Staff Ratio
-Single Sex Programming and Individual Client Tents
-Staff Communication Via High Powered Communication Radios
-Community Connection Via Multiple Cell Phone Access Sites
-Emergency Transportation via Access to an All Terrain Vehicle and Snowmobile
NVW takes both physical and emotional safety seriously and enforces
strict guidelines to protect our clientele. We require that Wilderness
First Responderstaff are present and available in the field while clients
are present.
Other safety measures NVW enforces are:
-Intensive Intake and Screening Process
-Pre and Post Program Client Reviews
-Intensive Supervision Via a Maximum 5 to 1 Client to Staff Ratio
-Single Sex Programming and Individual Client Tents
-Staff Communication Via High Powered Communication Radios
-Community Connection Via Multiple Cell Phone Access Sites
-Emergency Transportation via Access to an All Terrain Vehicle and Snowmobile
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| Offering alternatives to traditional therapy. |
8 of 10 teens would recommend an NVW experience to others. |