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 is 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 is 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.
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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.
Quality Staff create Quality Interventions
Expedition Coordination
Drew is our Executive Director and over sees the managerial portions of the program. He is the expedition supervisor that
coordinates the expedition; utilizing over a decade of field operations experience. In addition he supervises and trains all of our
Field Staff.
Our Field Staff are all required to possess a related bachelor’s degree and extensive experience in working with at-risk youth in
an adventure-based setting. All field staff are certified in 1st Aid and CPR, additionally we require one Wilderness First
Responder and Medication Administration trained staff in the field at all times. Our Field Staff have intensive experience leading
expeditions for youth in the wilderness settings.
Clinical Intervention
Steve supervises the psychotherapy programming for each of the client’s wilderness experience. His experience is extensive
and offers over a decade of work in the therapy world in multiple settings including outpatient, in-home and residential care
settings. Steve supervises and trains all Masters prepared therapy staff.
Our therapy staff are all highly experienced with at-risk youth populations and come Masters degree prepared.
Expedition Coordination
Drew is our Executive Director and over sees the managerial portions of the program. He is the expedition supervisor that
coordinates the expedition; utilizing over a decade of field operations experience. In addition he supervises and trains all of our
Field Staff.
Our Field Staff are all required to possess a related bachelor’s degree and extensive experience in working with at-risk youth in
an adventure-based setting. All field staff are certified in 1st Aid and CPR, additionally we require one Wilderness First
Responder and Medication Administration trained staff in the field at all times. Our Field Staff have intensive experience leading
expeditions for youth in the wilderness settings.
Clinical Intervention
Steve supervises the psychotherapy programming for each of the client’s wilderness experience. His experience is extensive
and offers over a decade of work in the therapy world in multiple settings including outpatient, in-home and residential care
settings. Steve supervises and trains all Masters prepared therapy staff.
Our therapy staff are all highly experienced with at-risk youth populations and come Masters degree prepared.
Safety Comes First!
NVW takes both physical and emotional safety seriously and enforces strict guidelines to protect our clientele. We require that
Wilderness First Responder staff 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 Responder staff 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
© 2008 New Vision Wilderness, LLC 2363 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207 phone 414.526.5747 fax 414.744.6288 info@newvisionwilderness.com |