Testimonials

“Dear Mark, 

I’m writing this at 3:30 am because I can’t sleep. I’m too happy to sleep. We had yet another wonderful Skype session with our daughter today (actually, strictly speaking, it was yesterday). She’s about to move up to Phase 4 at the boarding school and is home with us now for 9 days a month. Her graduation date is projected to be in late March of 2020, after which she’ll be attending university in the summer session through graduation with her BA in Physical Therapy. She has straight As at the boarding school and nailed the SAT on her first try. 

She was finally diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at the boarding school—both conditions were totally missed by the public school system. When I contacted you, I thought my daughter was about to die. Now, one year later, she emanates a sense of peace, happiness, and centeredness that I have never felt from her before. She is, if not totally healed, completely engaged in the process. Aren’t we all? 

I’m writing to thank you for your role in all of this. I was lost and desperate to save my child. You were the lifeline in a sea of chaos (cheesy metaphor but it fits) for me and my family. 

I cannot express how grateful we are. We feel like we have awakened from a nightmare. There is still work to be done for all of us but there is time and a safe space in which to do it, and that is all a family can ask for. Thank you for all of your help and guidance. Without you, my daughter would not be here; happy and healthy and planning for her future. As for me, you have preserved the biggest piece of my heart.”  

– Parent

“Working with Mark helped me find the direction I needed in a time where I thought my life was over. Before meeting him, I didn’t think there were any options that would get me the help I needed. Mark opened my family’s eyes to a world that ultimately saved my life. He listened to my concerns and considered what was truly best for me when it came to placing me in a wilderness therapy program. He made me feel like I was taking the right steps towards bettering my life when not many people could offer that kind of comfort.

He has continued to follow up with me over the years and is always around to offer advice, long after I have left the wilderness therapy world. I am grateful that Mark was there to give my parents hope and point us towards the right treatment for me. Without his invaluable advice, I doubt I ever would’ve gotten the proper help I needed, and I never would have made it to where I am today.”

– Former Client

“Mark was a beacon of hope when we felt lost at sea.  Our 17-year-old daughter had been struggling with anxiety for over a year and had reached the point where she was basically no longer attending school.  We had exhausted our local alternatives including working with a therapist and counselors at school.  We frankly had no idea what to do next.  Seeing our daughter suffering and being unable to help was simply awful.  Someone suggested we visit with Mark and consider wilderness therapy and it was the best suggestion we could have received. 

Mark listened to our story, visited with our daughter and her therapist, and came back with two recommendations of programs for her to choose from.  He visits all of the programs and knows the people well.  When our daughter picked a program Mark made sure she worked with a specific therapist there and she was terrific.  I know they don’t all turn out this way, but ours is a wonderful success story.  Our daughter completed the programs, graduated from high school, and is thriving in college.  More importantly, she learned the skills she will need to take care of herself on an ongoing basis and we thank Mark for making it all happen.”

– Parent

"We felt like your school recommendations were honest and each school truly showed just like you had described. The entire idea of sending our son away for the remainder of his high school career was overwhelming. You helped walk us through this process and your knowledge, advice, and guidance made this process possible. We were so overwhelmed and the schools were not at all what we had pictured for our son.

Your caring nature and careful guidance were so valuable to us and helped us take the steps we needed to. The follow-up phone calls and checking in with the school made us feel much better. We never felt like we were facing this process alone! Your recommendation to visit each school was absolutely the very best advice we were given during this entire process. That is simply a must!”

– Parent