Expanse has a short, but significant story to tell. As 2021comes to a close, Expanse wants to share what they have observed and learned over the past year, working alongside young adults, 18 and over, in their therapeutic journey. 

Recent statistics reveal that 50% of 18-30-year-olds in the U.S. are living with their parents, which has a lot of significance for Expanse team, as it impacts  the young adults client’s experience in the wilderness. This year, Expanse leader John Cohen and his field team met some extraordinary young minds, struggling with their mental health and identity development, in addition to the obvious stressors of the current world and their place in it. Just as G.I. Gurdjieff wrote of the individual formative journey and the connections along the way in Meetings with Remarkable Men, Expanse connected with a small but special number of 25-29-year-old adults, who added to the overall experience and dynamic in our young adult groups. 

As the calendar flips into 2022, the trend of having older young adults at Expanse continues. These remarkable young adults add just the right amount of perspective to their therapeutic recipe, while 18+ young adults are served by the mixed, developed narratives.  And so the entire group’s thoughtful and therapeutic experience is expanded. 

As the Expanse team tracks these young adults via post-Wingate coaching and communication, whether at their transition program or back to campus, they continue to observe how these encounters provide a holistic connection. Young adults at Expanse know how to be a cyber community, and it is significant to see these groups experience the “Wingate community” and gain the knowledge that adulthood is hard but feels better when honesty and accountability are pushed and practiced in a committed peer group.

Expanse’s ability to seamlessly incorporate the perspectives of more experienced young adults with those of the emerging young adult provides a unique and dynamic therapeutic environment in which each student is elevated and provided the most opportunity for growth. Expanse groups offer a launching pad for young and barely-less young adults to assist each other in creating a healthier appreciation of community.

WinGate Wilderness Therapy is located in southern Utah, in the Grand Staircase National Monument. The program provides personalized treatment for teens, ages 13-17; and young adults, ages 18-28, through their young adult program Expanse Wilderness. WinGate passionately provides the best clinical service and highest quality of care in treating those who are struggling and need support. WinGate specializes in treating a range of issues, including (but not limited to): depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment, failure to launch, substance abuse, and mal-coping mechanisms. WinGate believes that establishing a respectful, and caring relationship with clients, allows for dynamic and lasting growth.