LIFEWAYS TEAM

Nick McDermed

Nick is a wilderness therapist in his heart and soul, and he cannot imagine separating personal growth from the natural world. He grew up backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and his time outside as a young one helped him cope with the struggles and challenges of adolescence and young adulthood. In 2013, he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. This was a time of adventure and healing, and it inspired him to help others do the same. Since then he has grown from an outdoor trip leader at a summer camp to a fully licensed wilderness therapist in Colorado and Utah. In between, he has devoted himself to working with people – from an orphanage in Brazil to a secondary school in Thailand. His desires to forge relationships and be of service have led him to the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, where his personal story keeps him passionate about guiding adolescents across the threshold into adulthood.

Treatment approach:

Nick spent several years as a lead therapist at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. The majority of his therapeutic experience involves helping adolescent males navigate the transition to adulthood. Family therapy is an essential part of his background, and he incorporates systems work into all of his facilitation. Nick believes that humans are basically good, and that we all act out because we are in pain – not because we are broken. He prioritizes human connection, and believes that relationship is the number one building block of any therapeutic alliance. Before any work occurs, he focuses on building trust. Nick utilizes holistic healing methods, with the understanding that the most effective way to heal trauma is through the body – ideally in conjunction with the natural world. He shows his heart in his work, and often finds himself laughing and crying alongside his clients. While he brings compassion to his clients, he will push them to dig deeper. He draws on the latest neurological research, and uses techniques in somatic experiencing, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. His ultimate goal is to stimulate awareness and insight in his clients – this will empower them to thrive on their own, making healthy choices and taking accountability for their actions.

Credentials and Training:

Nick holds a Master’s degree from Naropa University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy. His academic research focused on the neurobiological effects of screen overuse in adolescents, and he is a certified researcher through the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Office of Extramural Research. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in both Colorado and Utah, and he holds a certificate in post-traumatic growth therapy.

Nick has attended several 10-day long Vipassana meditation retreats, and his practice remains a core part of how he relates to himself, the world, and others who inhabit it. Music is also a huge part of his life: writing songs, playing music, listening to music, talking about music…singing and dancing are some of the oldest ways humans grieve, praise, and connect. He is also passionate about sports – just ask him the stats of any Boston sports team. In the winter, he loves to snowboard; in the summer, he is often in or alongside the water. But the outdoor activity he returns to the most is backpacking. He grew up on the trail, and when he hikes nowadays, it is the ultimate grounding experience. His mission is to share the healing power of nature with the world. With it, we can all come closer to ourselves and each other.

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Nick McDermed

Nick McDermed

Nick is a wilderness therapist in his heart and soul, and he cannot imagine separating personal growth from the natural world. He grew up backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and his time outside as a young one helped him cope with the struggles and challenges of adolescence and young adulthood. In 2013, he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. This was a time of adventure and healing, and it inspired him to help others do the same. Since then he has grown from an outdoor trip leader at a summer camp to a fully licensed wilderness therapist in Colorado and Utah. In between, he has devoted himself to working with people – from an orphanage in Brazil to a secondary school in Thailand. His desires to forge relationships and be of service have led him to the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, where his personal story keeps him passionate about guiding adolescents across the threshold into adulthood.

Treatment approach:

Nick spent several years as a lead therapist at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. The majority of his therapeutic experience involves helping adolescent males navigate the transition to adulthood. Family therapy is an essential part of his background, and he incorporates systems work into all of his facilitation. Nick believes that humans are basically good, and that we all act out because we are in pain – not because we are broken. He prioritizes human connection, and believes that relationship is the number one building block of any therapeutic alliance. Before any work occurs, he focuses on building trust. Nick utilizes holistic healing methods, with the understanding that the most effective way to heal trauma is through the body – ideally in conjunction with the natural world. He shows his heart in his work, and often finds himself laughing and crying alongside his clients. While he brings compassion to his clients, he will push them to dig deeper. He draws on the latest neurological research, and uses techniques in somatic experiencing, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. His ultimate goal is to stimulate awareness and insight in his clients – this will empower them to thrive on their own, making healthy choices and taking accountability for their actions.

Credentials and Training:

Nick holds a Master’s degree from Naropa University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy. His academic research focused on the neurobiological effects of screen overuse in adolescents, and he is a certified researcher through the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Office of Extramural Research. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in both Colorado and Utah, and he holds a certificate in post-traumatic growth therapy.

Nick has attended several 10-day long Vipassana meditation retreats, and his practice remains a core part of how he relates to himself, the world, and others who inhabit it. Music is also a huge part of his life: writing songs, playing music, listening to music, talking about music…singing and dancing are some of the oldest ways humans grieve, praise, and connect. He is also passionate about sports – just ask him the stats of any Boston sports team. In the winter, he loves to snowboard; in the summer, he is often in or alongside the water. But the outdoor activity he returns to the most is backpacking. He grew up on the trail, and when he hikes nowadays, it is the ultimate grounding experience. His mission is to share the healing power of nature with the world. With it, we can all come closer to ourselves and each other.