All right, I think I am finally ready to talk about this. The second half of 2021 was a very weird time for me. The shock waves from the pandemic coupled with an almost mid-twenties crisis left me feeling super dissatisfied with where I was in life. I remember having all this pent-up energy and angst and just desperately wanting a change of some sort. The mind-numbing cycle of school and work added to this restlessness; my body was craving something different, so I decided to listen. Next thing I knew I was applying to jobs in other states and ended up getting offered a position as a wilderness therapy guide in North Carolina. I think in my head I wanted this to be a long-term thing, so I made plans to eventually move out there. But I knew in my heart I was just looking for a temporary change, a palate cleanse before moving on with my education. And that is what ended up happening.
In this post, I want to go into greater detail on what it was honestly like having this type of nontraditional job and also analyze what to expect if anyone reading this plans to go down a similar path. There are pros and cons, many of which I had no idea existed until I was actually in the role. I mistakenly didn’t do much research on what the job would entail either, so there were many “what the heck have I gotten myself into” moments. Because of that, I hope to provide straightforward, realistic feedback for whoever is considering this line of work. So, let’s get into it! (By the way, I do not have any pictures of me in action as a wilderness therapy guide, so please enjoy photos of me around this time in my life when I was not in the field).
What is Wilderness Therapy exactly?
For anyone who doesn’t know, wilderness therapy is a controversial treatment method generally used for adolescents with a variety of behavioral, substance abuse, and mental health issues. The purpose is to take groups of these at-risk individuals into the backcountry and provide them with the tools necessary to regulate their emotions under the supervision of guides and therapists. These kids often learn various survival skills like tree/plant identification, fire starting, and bow drilling as part of their treatment as well. Depending on the program they might even be offered equine therapy, adventure therapy (fishing, rock climbing), and ways to continue their education while away from school (reading, science, and history lessons). However, the basis of their rehabilitation encompasses time spent in nature. For days and weeks at a time, these kids are rigorously backpacking involuntarily often without prior outdoor experience. The bottom line, programs like these are extremely intense and are not meant to be pleasant or comfortable (for you or the kid).
As far as the job description goes for a wilderness therapy guide, most programs require guides to commit to a “one week on/one week off” or a “two weeks on/two weeks off” schedule. This is not only from a convenience standpoint, as guides will be monitoring the kids nearly 24/7, but also as an opportunity to build proper rapport with the kids as well. This is a very important part of the job. Guides spend the most time with the kids (way more than the therapists do) and also keep the group under control. It’s essential to establish a relationship with each of the kids to make the shift run smoothly.
Guides also often need to be First Aid/CPR certified as well as trained in CPI (crisis prevention institute) techniques. Because most kids have problems managing their behavior and anger, they can be a risk to themselves or others at times. It is not uncommon for guides to intervene and physically restrain a kid if they are a danger to themselves or the group. (As a side note, a Wilderness First Responder Certification was not required for the program I worked for, but this may be different for other programs. I also only needed a high school diploma, however, I think other programs require an undergraduate degree.)
The nitty-gritty on babysitting teenagers in the woods
Daily tasks while on a shift in the field revolve around two important components: safety and supervision. Safety is the main reason why the wilderness therapy guide position exists. A guide’s main role is to supervise the group members at all times. This includes being able to monitor them visually as well as auditorily. This is difficult, especially if the staff-to-client ratio surpasses 1:3 (one guide for every three kids). A typical day involved me having eyes and ears on the kids all the time as well as tending to their immediate needs or crises. I was also responsible for cooking or preparing three meals a day for the entire group. At the end of the day, it was my job to get them ready for bed as well as check on them a few times during the night if it was my turn (staff members rotate night checks duty throughout the shift).
This all sounds easier said than done, but in reality, the job demands can be very mentally taxing and frustrating. Most of my time was spent keeping the kids in line and making sure they didn’t try to kill each other. If anyone knows what Enneagram is, I am personality type 9 which means I avoid conflict or situations where I have to be assertive like my life depends on it. So, it was exhausting always reprimanding the kids and having to go beyond my comfort level to maintain homeostasis within the group. Imagine being a babysitter for ten screaming teenagers in the woods while it's raining and trying to get them to hike from point A to point B with someone stopping every ten feet because they’re tired, upset, or having a panic attack that you have to de-escalate. That’s exactly what it felt like 85% of the time while I was employed as a guide in North Carolina.
In a nutshell, yes it was a really hard job, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some cool moments either. When one of the kids finally busted a coal on their bow drill set that they made from scratch for the first time, or when the group was all getting along, laughing, and singing Oliva Rodrigo songs in British accents, or when a kid wanted to check in alone with me and was super vulnerable, these were all the moments I loved most about working there.
The backpacking aspects of the job were also what I loved too. I cowboy camped for the first time while as a guide and it was one of the most mind-blowing experiences ever. Sleeping out under the stars, miles away from lights or civilization. This was the stuff my heart and soul ached for. The beauty of rural North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountain range is unmatched by anything else and reminds me of where I grew up. It was raw, I was feral and gross, and I loved it.
How to overextend yourself 101
So why did I leave? There were a lot of different reasons but the biggest and most surprising one was that I missed my partner like crazy when I was out there. For those who don’t know, I am in a relationship, and being away from the person I love the most for weeks at a time broke me. To put this into even more context, guides are not allowed to have their phones on them while on shift with the kids. The main point of this was so that the guides could have a paralleled experience along with the kids because they weren’t permitted to have their phones either. Therefore, I was not in contact with any of my family members or loved ones while I was working. It was tough and completely unexpected for me to feel this way, but as I talked with other staff members in a similar position as me, they experienced many of the same feelings. I’ve never been homesick in my life, but I was homesick for them.
Another reason was that this job was taking a massive toll on my mental health. As a guide, you’re kind of put in this sticky position where the kid’s needs almost always come before your own. I started to not prioritize my recovery or self-care (both on and off shift) as much as I should have which put a lot of stress on my body. As a result, I mentally and physically felt like shit all the time and would get awful migraines from not eating, drinking, or sleeping enough. It just got to a point where this job was becoming unsustainable, so I decided to quit.
I still wanted to move to North Carolina and be closer to my family, but that didn’t pan out either when something came up with my partner which required them to stay in St. Louis. So I came back to the Midwest begrudgingly, yet I’m making the most of it. If all goes as planned, I should be able to graduate college by 2025. After that, hopefully, I can start living the life I want…whatever that looks like as long as it involves my dogs and the mountains.
Is being a personal, therapeutic punching bag for you?
To wrap this up, I think being a wilderness therapy guide is a great job for someone in a transitional phase of life (maybe you just graduated high school or college, or maybe you need a career change or a “palate cleanse” like me). This line of work also better suits people following or wanting to follow a dirtbag kind of lifestyle, someone who does not like typical nine to five jobs, and someone who isn’t tied down to pets, a partner, or a family.
Keep in mind though that these types of jobs have an extremely high turnover rate. A wilderness therapy guide position is not always a good, long-term fit for everyone. If you do decide to become one, I suggest that you have a fallback plan in case it doesn’t work out. If this gives you an idea, I was hired with 11 other people. As far as I know only two are still working there and many staff members I met who also started around the time I did have already left. It was rare for someone to last a whole year; I was there for only a few months.
However, even though it’s not for everyone, if you’re seriously contemplating this type of work, definitely give it a shot. You don’t know until you try. Even though it didn’t work out for me, I don't regret the experience because I learned a lot while I was there. It was really hard, stressful, and utterly exhausting, but it was exactly what I needed at the time. A nice reset and then I was ready to move on.
I hope you enjoyed this little review and if you did, subscribe to keep up with more content!
Also, I might do another post outlining the gear I used as a guide. If that sounds interesting, let me know in the comments!
See you out on the trail!