Emerald Arrow, Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness’s young adult program, offers young adults ages 18-29 opportunities to explore capacities, build confidence and develop healthy connections to self and others in an immersive wilderness environment. This summer, Emerald Arrow at Blue Ridge welcomes Bob Hennen, LCMHC, LCAS to the team as a Primary Therapist. Working alongside Primary Therapist Anne Wilzbacher, LMHC, Bob will support young adults and their families throughout their wilderness experience, facilitating individual and group therapy and preparing students to embrace emerging adulthood in lasting, sustainable ways. 

Anne shares, “Emerald Arrow is approaching 4 years of supporting young adults and their families, and I am so grateful for all that has evolved and developed in that time. We are now in a place to expand our services and reach more young adults and their families. We are so excited that Bob has joined the clinical team. He brings extensive and unique clinical experience which will only enhance the work we do with young adults. I look forward to witnessing all that Bob will be contributing to make EA more rich in the quality of work that we provide. The experience is truly unique and deeply integrating for the students that are here.”

Bob specializes in the treatment of young adults with substance use and mental health concerns, especially those with multiple treatment attempts, persistent mental health conditions, ambivalence around substance use, and strained family relationships. He has extensive experience working with individuals grappling with identity development, healing from trauma, or who seek a deeper understanding of themselves. Bob draws from techniques and theories ranging from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Reality Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, Harm Reduction and Developmental Therapy. He joins the Emerald Arrow team with 9 years of experience facilitating group therapy, psychodrama techniques and relapse prevention therapy within groups. 

Bob describes his therapeutic approach: “My approach is a relational one — I meet people truly where they are, and I have a profound belief that all people are totally capable of healing, however that may look for them. I hold high expectations for the depth and extent of work that my clients are capable of doing and I tend to push people in a compassionate way towards personal growth.”

Prior to Emerald Arrow, Bob worked as both a therapist and as a clinical director in outpatient and residential substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment programs. In addition to young adult treatment, he also has experience in the assessment and treatment of impaired medical and legal professionals, as well as individuals with severe persistent mental health conditions with co-occurring substance use.   

“I was drawn to wilderness therapy because of the emotional, spiritual and physical healing that can take place in the wilderness. Because of my own personal connection to this environment, bringing my clinical expertise to this field makes perfect sense,” explains Bob.

Emerald Arrow: A Bold Path is a Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness program for young adults. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Emerald Arrow provides a safe, holistic, and clinically sophisticated environment for struggling young adults to reflect upon themselves, their family systems and their futures, and to work through challenges in an immersive wilderness environment.