{"podcast":{"title":"Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors","slug":"stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882","podcast_index_feed_id":7027882,"rss_url":"https://rss.libsyn.com/shows/131706/destinations/803158.xml","website_url":"http://storiesfromthefield.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/d/e/2/a/de2a85da199a6759d959afa2a1bf1c87/StoriesFromTheField.jpg","author":"Will White","episode_count":319,"summary":"Stories from the Field: Mental Health in the Outdoors is an authoritative and enlightening podcast that explores the vast landscape of mental health therapies in outdoor settings. Hosted by seasoned mental health professional Dr. Will White, the podcast offers deep insights into outdoor therapies like Adventure Therapy, Eco-Therapy, Wilderness Therapy, and Experiential Therapy, among others. Dr. White engages with a diverse range of guests, including leading researchers, practitioners, authors, executive directors, guide staff, mental health clinicians, and critics, helping to shed light on the nuances of these unique therapy practices. In addition to exploring the modern implications of these evolving therapeutic modalities, he delves into their rich history, providing a holistic perspective for listeners. With over 30 years of experience at the juncture of mental health and outdoor environments, Dr. White's expertise is unparalleled. As a co-founder of the pioneering Summit Achievement, an adventure therapy program based in Maine, he has been a guiding force in the field since the 1990s. His scholarly contributions include the book \"Stories from the Field: A History of Wildernes…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-14T20:19:22.737142+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882"},"episode":{"title":"299: The Most Controversial Wilderness Program? Part 2: Scouting, Faith, and the Roots of the Field","slug":"299-the-most-controversial-wilderness-program-part-2-scouting-faith-and-the-roots-of-the-field","published_at":"2026-01-20T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882/299-the-most-controversial-wilderness-program-part-2-scouting-faith-and-the-roots-of-the-field","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882","url":"https://storiesfromthefield.libsyn.com/299-the-most-controversial-wilderness-program-part-2-scouting-faith-and-the-roots-of-the-field","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/storiesfromthefield/BSA-2.mp3?dest-id=803158","summary":"What do Outward Bound and many wilderness therapy programs have in common? Their shared roots trace back to a movement that believed the outdoors wasn't just a place to learn skills, but a place to shape moral character, spiritual values, and a young person's sense of purpose. In Part 2 of this series, Stories from the Field host Will White continues his historical exploration of the influence of the Boy Scouts of America on the early development of many wilderness therapy programs. Drawing on research from his doctoral dissertation, his book, and hundreds of podcast interviews, Will traces how Scouting's emphasis on outdoor living, moral formation, spiritual belief, and structured authority shaped the cultural assumptions that later informed outdoor education and wilderness therapy models. The episode also acknowledges the tensions, exclusions, and harms that emerged over time, offering listeners deeper context for where the field came from—and why it has continued to evolve. This podcast is supported by White Mountain Adventure Institute ( wmai.org) , offering adventure inspired retreats for men and facilitated by Will White.","meta_description":"What do Outward Bound and many wilderness therapy programs have in common? Their shared roots trace back to a movement that believed the outdoors wasn't j…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1652,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882/episodes/299-the-most-controversial-wilderness-program-part-2-scouting-faith-and-the-roots-of-the-field/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882/299-the-most-controversial-wilderness-program-part-2-scouting-faith-and-the-roots-of-the-field.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}