outBACK Therapeutic Expeditions is pleased to announce the addition of Derek Cragun, LCSW, to the clinical team at outBACK. He brings with him over 12 years of working with adolescents and families in both wilderness and residential treatment settings and officially joined on November 1, 2020.

Derek holds a Master’s in Social Work, is a licensed clinical social worker, and his expansive work experience includes both private pay behavioral/mental healthcare facilities and nonprofit entities.  As a licensed clinician, Derek’s therapeutic approach has been shaped by the belief that the students he works with are driven by a need to be seen, heard, understood, and to connect.  When asked about what he believed to be the driving force of the behaviors exhibited by the students he works with, Derek shared “Through a combination of adverse experiences, biological differences that create barriers to being understood, unmet personal needs, and a lack of tools and resources, they slowly fragment themselves into versions of themselves that are no longer whole and authentic.”

Derek is also formally trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Internal-Family Systems, Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, and Emotion-Focused Therapy. The students Derek works well with have a history of:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Post-Traumatic Stress
• Learning Deficits / Academic Struggles
• Attention Deficits
• Struggles with relationships
• Autism level 1
• Social (pragmatic) communication deficits
• Academic trauma
• Interpersonal trauma (bullying, physical/sexual abuse) 
• Family trauma (divorce, sibling conflict, major transitions)
• Grief/Loss 
• Cognitive rigidity
• Numbing behaviors (Excessive tech use/gaming, substance use)
• Suicidal ideation/Attempts 

“I am so grateful that Derek has joined our clinical team”, shared Greg Burnham, LMFT, Clinical Director at outBACK Therapeutic Expeditions. “He is someone I have collaborated with as my students transitioned from my group at outBACK to his therapeutic care within a residential setting. I have been able to cultivate a professional relationship with him regarding the continuum of care for the students we serve and am incredibly excited to transition into working alongside him as one of the clinicians here at outBACK and as the latest outBACK family member.”

About outBACK Therapeutic Expeditions

outBACK Therapeutic Expeditions is a highly effective, clinically informed treatment program dedicated to bringing families BACK together. Utilizing the wilderness as an alternative to traditional treatment settings, we guide students (13-17) and families in their process of reconnecting to Self, re-engaging with Family, and recommitting to Purpose. outBACK provides an innovative clinical structure designed to yield the highest clinical value for students and their families by providing access to multiple therapists for each student; Primary Therapists who oversee treatment plan and Associate Therapists who are in the group daily. outBACK is a licensed wilderness therapy program in the state of Utah and helps teens with various areas of difficulties such as depression, anxiety, trauma, family conflict, engagement in dangerous behaviors, neurodiversity, ASD level I, electronic and gaming addiction and more.

For more information, contact the following members of the outBACK team:
Greg Burnham, Clinical Director | greg@outbacktreatment.com
Tracy Hopkins, Business Development Director | tracy@outbacktreatment.com