Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness considers family participation in the program to be an integral component of students’ long-term success, embracing a whole-family approach when supporting and assessing clients. Blue Ridge is thrilled to welcome Reese Wells, MA, to their growing team of Family Therapists as the company continues to foster and grow this pillar of service.

Reese’s wide array of education and experience makes him an ideal member of the Blue Ridge community: from his undergraduate studies in Environmental Science and Mathematics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in conjunction with his graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Appalachian State University to his practice as a Therapeutic Field Instructor in a Wilderness Therapy program in the Utah Desert and his 200-hour Yoga Teacher certification, Reese provides quality, knowledgeable support to his clients. He will be an indispensable addition to Blue Ridge’s carefully cultivated team of clinicians.

Reese hopes to provide parents at Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness meaningful support as they experience the parallel process of change while their child is in the woods. His therapeutic approach is grounded in mindfulness, holism, and present-moment awareness; he believes that change is experienced through self-insight and actualization. Reese values self-efficacy, community, and the powerful experiences that wilderness provides. 

Support and guidance for not just Blue Ridge students, but their whole families, helps to create a long-term, sustainable process of healing wherein families feel prepared for the future after transitioning from the program. While clients in the wilderness are supported by weekly Therapist visits and 24/7 contact with Field Instructors, their families don’t always have similar access to support while they juggle their many duties (and support other family members) at home. Reese and the Blue Ridge Family therapists’ role is to offer parents and caregivers support and guidance during their journey in the program, providing the time and space for parents to process and share their feelings, reflect upon their family dynamics, and receive more in-depth information about their child’s experience.

About Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness
Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness (BRTW) founded in 2002 as a licensed wilderness therapy program that offers clinically driven wilderness therapy programs encompassing advanced therapeutic skills, a highly flexible nomadic wilderness therapy model, licensed wilderness therapy assessment and multiple treatment options for struggling teens ages 13-18 as well as young adults ages 18-30 in their Emerald Arrow program. Their individualized approach, family support, and commitment to service translate to an unparalleled experience and better outcomes for adolescents and families.