adolescents or young adults, take a moment to search the blog for more content about questions to ask + how they work for assessment.>
Evoke Therapy Programs is thrilled to announce that Mike Mein, CMHC, NCC, and Coady Schueler, Psy.D., join the clinical team as Lead Therapists for its Nature-Based Therapeutic Program. Mikey, as he is affectionately known, is uniquely gifted at working with harder-to-reach students and brings an enormous amount of passion and dedication to his work. He started his journey at Evoke as a field guide in the early formation of the program and later was a Lead Therapist from 2014 – 2021, carrying a full caseload of students nearly year-round. After working as a primary therapist at a residential treatment program for three years, Mikey is returning to Evoke and the great outdoors, where he feels most at home. Mikey works well with impulsive, manipulative, defiant, and substance-using adolescents. He works from the model that these conspicuous behaviors tend to camouflage deeper issues often related to identity development, self-esteem, trauma, and peer and family relationships. Mikey excels at addressing these behaviors while exploring the underlying causes. His enjoyable and engaging nature matches well with the adolescent population, who often need to strike a balance of hard work, intensive therapy, and fun. Mikey is known for his high energy, creativity, and ability to build rapport. These qualities allow him to break through barriers and reach students effectively. Adolescents who are often turned off by traditional approaches appreciate his authenticity, as he provides them an opportunity to experience the process of therapy in a different light. Coady returns to the field of nature-based therapy with over thirty years of experience in the treatment field and is well-regarded for her work with adolescent girls. Dr. Schueler brings her clinical expertise to Evoke with experience in nature-based therapy, therapeutic boarding schools, mental health facilities, and private practice. Coady is an expert in working with adolescent girls who struggle with depression, anxiety, trauma, disordered eating, substance use, school avoidance, and attachment issues. In addition, she has experience conducting psychological evaluations, which has informed her diagnostically on how to best approach her work with students and formulate individualized treatment plans. Coady is recognized for her compassionate yet direct approach, and her authenticity shines through with her students and families. Dr. Schueler said, “I have worked in various settings, which include residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, therapeutic boarding schools, private practice, and nature-based therapy programs. By far, nature-based therapy is unparalleled in its efficacy with adolescents. Collectively, the tangibility, immediacy, uniqueness, structural separation, and the peer group contribute to creating an experience for the adolescent to learn about themselves in powerful ways that is difficult to replicate in other settings.” Dr. Brad Reedy, executive clinical director at Evoke, stated, “We are so excited to welcome Coady and Mikey back to the field of nature-based therapy. With decades of experience and clinical expertise, Coady offers students and their parents a compassionate, nurturing, and grounded presence.” He further stated, “Mikey has a special gift in reaching angry, depressed, substance-abusing teens. His energy is both inspiring and disarming. Parents and their sons talk about their experience with Mikey in the highest of terms, each carrying more light and self-compassion for having met and worked with him.” About Evoke Therapy Programs: Utah-based Evoke Therapy Programs offer Nature-based Therapy, Therapeutic Intensives, and Coaching Services for children, young adults, parents, families, and couples. Evoke sees clients and families through the lens of attachment theory and employs experiential therapy to promote healing.