BACP 5th International Adventure Therapy Conference - Adventure Therapy International Committee

The Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) is formed from representatives from different countries across the world and has emerged out of the previous four international adventure therapy conferences (IATC’s) - click here for an overview of the previous international adventure therapy conferences. The main task of ATIC is the selection and support of future international conferences and the facilitation of the publication of the proceedings from each conference. The current committee is refining the organisational structure and hopes to engage with delegates at 5IATC to expand and consolidate ways to implement and strengthen the shared international adventure therapy mission.

The original adventure therapy working party which had been liaising with conference hosts in the preceding years, was expanded at the 3IATC (Canada, 2003) to further explore the ways in which this collective group of people could form a stronger support network. Martin Ringer continued the communications until the Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) was officially formed at 4IATC (New Zealand / Aotearoa, 2006).

Current Members of the Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) include:

Dr Cathryn Carpenter (Austalia) currently teaches within the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University. Her research focuses on individual and community development utilising educational and therapeutic processes in Natural Environments. Cathryn has 25+ years of experience in the outdoor field includes commercial guiding, curriculum development and teaching in secondary and tertiary education.

John Conway (USA), LCSW, CADC, has provided individual, family, group and wilderness counseling services for over 15 years. John has been instrumental in designing and facilitating adventure-based programs serving youth and their families in his current position at OMNI Youth Services, as Coordinator of Experiential & Wilderness Therapy Services. Additionally, John has provided training in experiential and wilderness therapy, internationally.

Bonnie Dyck (Canada) MSW, RSW, is a family therapist at Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She has over 8 years experience as a therapist focusing on adventure, wilderness, experiential, narrative, solution-focused, and family systems approaches. She also has over 15 years experience in adventure-based practice and has presented at past IATC, experiential education, and mental health conferences.

Dr Nevin J. Harper (Canada), Ph.D. is a Research Fellow for the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada in the School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, British Columbia. Research and teaching interests include experiential learning, wilderness leadership and the role nature plays in educational, health and mental health contexts. 3IATC host committee member and convener of the 1st Canadian Adventure Therapy Symposium. 18 years as an outdoor educator and wilderness guide in educational, social service and youth justice fields. See www.adventuretherapy.ca

Dr. Christian M. Itin (USA) is President-elect of the Association for Experiential Education, Associate Professor of Social Work, Humboldt State University, Arcata CA, USA, and Editor/Co-editor of proceedings of the 1st and 4th International Adventure Therapy conferences. He also has over 25 years experience in adventure-based practice and adventure therapy.

Chris Jansen (New Zealand) has an extensive range of training and facilitation experience both in New Zealand and also in Singapore, Australia and the United States. He currently lectures in Outdoor and Experiential Education at the University of Canterbury and is co-director of Project Adventure New Zealand (www.panz.org.nz). He has worked as a counsellor with the Department of C.Y.F.S. "AIKI" programme working with adolescent offenders and their families and in substance abuse treatment programmes in Atlanta, Georgia and Hong Kong. Chris taught physical education for 6 years at Mangere College in Manukau prior to which he worked as a youth worker with Te Ora Hou in Christchurch. He has an M.Ed. in Counselling and is a registered teacher and member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors.

Dr Chris Loynes (UK) lectures in Outdoor Education and Personal Development at the University of Cumbria’s School of Outdoor Studies. He also consults in the UK and internationally for universities and experiential education organisations. He has recently been involved in evaluating several national projects that work in the outdoors and developing outdoor and creative arts programmes for youth and adults concerned with personal transformation. Currently he is exploring the application of outdoor and experiential approaches to raising issues of sustainability.

Luk Peters (Belguim) has been working experientially in the outdoors since 1985. He studied educational sciences and is a Gestalt trainer, supervisor and therapist with a specialisation in Existential Psychotherapy. As well as being a practicing psychotherapist and group trainer he is currently responsible for the training department of a Challenge Course company, coordinates a Gestalt Training program and is staff member of a specialisation studies in Group Psychotherapy. He has presented at several international conferences and is the author of articles addressing the use of adventure in supporting psychotherapeutic processes.

Dr Kaye Richards (UK) is the convenor for 5IATC on behalf of BACP. She is Research Facilitator at BACP where she is active in a range of counselling and psychotherapy research projects and initiatives (see http://www.bacp.co.uk/research/). She is an experienced outdoor educator, having lectured in Outdoor Education in Higher Education for a number of years, and developed adventure therapy practice in the UK. She was editor of the academic Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning and currently sits on the editorial board of the journal. She has edited and written numerous publications including: ‘Therapy within adventure’ (proceedings of 2IATC); ‘Eating disorders and adventure therapy: a feminist approach to research and practice’; ‘Self-esteem and youth development’; and she is co-author of the recently published BACP systematic review titled ‘The impact of clinical supervision on counsellors and therapists, their practice and their clients (2007).

Paul Stolz (Australia) is a family and narrative therapist and has a long history of applied and experiential learning. He initiated and managed the Gippsland Wilderness Program from 1992-2000. He was the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship for his work in this program in 2000. Amongst other things he was the Executive Officer for the Victorian Outdoor Education Association 2002 and is currently CEO to Typo Station. Paul has presented at numerous conferences, both national and international (including 1 IATC and 2IATC), on narrative practice and bush adventure therapy. Among a busy work schedule, Paul is also passionate about fly-fishing.

Gábor Szabó (Hungary) is a psychologist, outdoor trainer and counsellor, adventure therapist, family mediator and continues to pursue his interest in psychodrama, body work and autogenic-training. He has written a range of articles based on sensation seeking and anxiety, and therapeutic adventure and has presented at a number of international conferences.

The Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) aims to promote and support professional practice, research and the development of adventure therapy world wide.

Current Members of the Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) include: