The Crisis Facing Our Teens

Today’s teens are in crisis. A staggering 42% of high school students report chronic depression, and 22% have seriously considered suicide. They face pressures we never imagined, such as social media overload, fractured families, and a world that feels chaotic. For kids with major clinical issues, traditional therapies often fall short.

Many end up in secular wilderness programs or long-term treatment centers, costing families tens of thousands of dollars and separating them for years. The system is failing them, and the need for a better way is urgent.

Sources: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021, 2023

Why Wilderness works…

…and what’s missing.

I’ve spent my career in secular wilderness and adventure therapy, from direct care to executive leadership. I’ve witnessed firsthand how nature catalyzes profound change.

Physically, it resets sleep cycles, integrates movement, and nourishes with fresh air and good food. Mentally, it disconnects teens from addictive devices and the hyper-technological world. Socially, it builds relationships through a community model where bonds are forged daily. And practically, it empowers through hard skills like building a fire or setting up camp in the rain.

I’ve seen miracles in the wilderness—lives transformed in ways therapy rooms can’t replicate. But secular programs miss the true change agent: Jesus Christ. They lean on talk therapy when they should lean on the gospel.