Foundation House, an extended care recovery program for young men located in Portland, Maine, is eager to announce that residents and staff will be embarking on an international expedition to Patagonia in January 2022. International travel has always been a vital part of the Foundation House program, offering a therapeutic and educational experience without comparison. This three-week adventure to ‘The Last Wilderness’ will broaden the horizons for residents, promote inclusivity and connection, and show all that is possible in recovery.

In past years residents have summited Mount Kilimanjaro, traversed the battlefields of Europe, provided hurricane relief in St. John, and engaged in the ancient Hindu festival of Holi in India. The connection, perspective, and growth that results from these trips continue to be remarkable. In the upcoming trip to Patagonia, residents will traverse across the Fault Line Trek, providing essential trail maintenance and gaining afirst-hand education into the impacts of climate change. This trip will be led by Foundation House’s Director of Programming Dan Schmader and the Founder and Executive Director Patrick Babcock. Additionally, Foundation House staff clinicians and alumni and the experienced local guides at Patagonia Adventure Expeditions will participate. Following the trek, residents will be immersed in the local gaucho lifestyle, staying on a working ranch and participating in community activities. This trip is designed to smash the idea that recovery is boring and plant the seeds for a lifetime of healthy connection and mindful actions.  
 
Program Director Dan Schmader has been organizing this expedition over the past few months and has the first-hand experience of the value of these international trips. On what makes this trip important, Dan remarks, “it offers all of the benefits of adventure therapy and countless opportunities for connection. Residents learn to live with discomfort, embrace a challenge, and appreciate the little successes along the way. The lessons of the trip are the same skills for lasting, successful recovery.” On why Patagonia offers a unique environment for therapeutic and personal growth, Dan states, “there will be no WIFI, phone service, or any of the everyday distractions people rely on for superficial connection and distraction. This trip requires residents to be fully present, connecting to each other and the natural world around them.”
 
Foundation House has an adventurous spirit at the core of the program, continuously emboldened to create a more diverse and accessible world for the young men of the program. In Patagonia, residents will reach new heights, learn about the environment, and forge their own path to lasting recovery.

Foundation House  
Founded in 2002, Foundation House is an extended care treatment program for young men, ages 17-35, located in Portland, Maine. The comprehensive program transcends the outdated attachment to institutional barriers, offering a path built upon empowering trust, diverse clinical services and authentic connection. For more information regarding Foundation House, visit www.foundationhouse.com or call 207-791-2000.