In this episode of The Observatory, Dr. Madolyn Liebing joins the show to discuss the wilderness as an active participant in recovery that naturally facilitates healing, balance, and health. Dr. Madolyn is a renowned Wilderness Psychologist, Therapist, and Outdoor Behavioral Health Eagle Award Recipient. She is also the clinical director at Juniper Canyon Treatment Center and Legacy Treatment Center. Hear what drew Dr. Madolyn to nature, how she got into wilderness therapy treatment, and the results of the initial wilderness therapy experiment. She also talks about how humanity has moved away from nature and the five areas in which wilderness therapy treatment develops.
 
Timestamps

[01:32] Dr. Madolyn Liebing’s background information
[07:00] How Dr. Madolyn got into thewilderness therapy treatment
[11:30] The origin of the Aspen Achievement Academy 
[14:21] The results of the original experiment of wilderness therapy 
[16:30] What Dr. Madolyn did during her time out from the practice 
[21:07] The average length of the wilderness therapy treatment
[22:39] The inspiration behind Dr. Maddy’s passion for nature and its healing methods 
[26:28] What drew Dr. Maddy to nature
[29:29] How humanity has moved away from nature 
[33:17] The initial signs that show the treatment is working 
[34:57] The different types of trauma and different ways to treat them 
[42:36] The Right Of Passage (ROP) experiment 
[43:08] The five areas that the wilderness therapy treatment develops
[48:05] The importance of ceremonies and rituals in our lives
[53:00] The Clan of the Hand
[01:03:20] What the future holds for Dr. Maddy

Notable quotes:

• “Nature is one of the most amazing healing containers to spend time in.” - LaRae Wright.
• “Nature is so healing. Finding yourself in those challenging places is where a lot of that healing takes place.” - Scott.
• “Ceremonies and rituals are important in our lives because they can create an opening, an envelope, or a closing depending on what you are doing.” - Dr. Madolyn Liebing.
• “No one should stop you from loving. You should love no matter what.” - Dr. Madolyn Liebing.

Relevant links:

• Legacy Treatment Center: https://legacyoutdooradventures.com/
• Juniper Canyon Treatment Center: https://junipercanyonrecovery.com/

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