{"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":"310: How Venture Capital Grew Wilderness Therapy… and Then Ran Away","slug":"310-how-venture-capital-grew-wilderness-therapy-and-then-ran-away","published_at":"2026-05-05T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882/310-how-venture-capital-grew-wilderness-therapy-and-then-ran-away","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/stories-from-the-field-mental-health-and-the-outdoors-7027882","url":"https://storiesfromthefield.libsyn.com/310-how-venture-capital-grew-wilderness-therapy-and-then-ran-away","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/storiesfromthefield/business-of-WT-2020-and-2026.mp3?dest-id=803158","summary":"What happens when a field built on healing becomes shaped by money? In this episode, Will revisits a 2020 exploration of the business of wilderness therapy—tracing its evolution from nonprofit, mission-driven roots to a rapidly expanding, privately funded industry. From early non-profits programs to the rise of private-pay models in the 1980s and the explosive growth fueled by outside investment, this episode examines how financial forces didn't just support wilderness therapy—they fundamentally shaped its direction, priorities, and structure. And what happens when that money leaves? In a candid reflection recorded in 2026, Will revisits his earlier assumptions and confronts what's changed: the collapse of programs tied to venture capital, the shrinking of industry organizations, and the loss of research funding that once legitimized the field. As closures in recent years have come faster and more abruptly than in past downturns, this episode asks a difficult question—can a field rooted in care and connection survive the realities of a risk-averse, profit-driven system? This podcast is supported by White Mountain Adventure Institute ( wmai.org) , offering adventure inspired retreats and coaching for men and facilitated by Will White.","meta_description":"What happens when a field built on healing becomes shaped by money? In this episode, Will revisits a 2020 exploration of the business of wilderness therap…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2312,"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/310-how-venture-capital-grew-wilderness-therapy-and-then-ran-away/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-7027882/310-how-venture-capital-grew-wilderness-therapy-and-then-ran-away.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}