Member Spotlight: David

As an associate professor, I teach a range of classes to masters and doctoral level counseling students. My research and scholarship focuses mainly on Adventure Therapy. As the director of the Adventure Therapy Lab, I conduct research, workshops, and trainings to advance Adventure Therapy. I've been very fortunate to integrate Adventure Therapy in a variety of ways while at the University of Arkansas, including helping students develop a program that used sports and adventure therapy to promote character development in Senegalese Youth and I lead an Adventure Therapy and Leadership study abroad program to New Zealand. 

The most important thing about me is that I've been married to my wife Amy for almost 20 years and have two amazing kids, Mack (15 y/o son) and Abigail (11 y/o daughter). We LOVE doing outdoors stuff together. Our favorite place to spend time as a family is the Buffalo National River where we love to float the river, hike, and camp. We have also been very fortunate to have traveled and hiked all over the world, including destinations like New Zealand, Italy, and Switzerland. 

My path to Adventure Therapy was similar to many in our field. I loved being outdoors growing up. After college, I became a high school special education teacher and found that my students really responded to experiential learning in the form of various activities. My first formal introduction to adventure therapy was Jim Cain's Racoon Circles. I downloaded the PDF online and used the different games to teach social skills lessons. My students responded to it really positively. I was also working on a masters in counseling at the University of North Texas at the time and one of my professors (Dr. Stephen Farmer) encouraged me in my pursuit of adventure therapy and helped me integrate it with clients I was seeing at an inner-city community agency during my internship experiences. After completing my masters degree, I decided to do a PhD in counseling at University of North Texas. During my time there, my advisor encouraged me to seek out formal training in adventure therapy, so I spent 2 weeks with Project Adventure at Moraine Farm. My first formal training with with Nate Folan. It was incredible! It was actually a technical skills intensive, but I learned so much about facilitation from him. Nate is still my hero and someone I always try to learn under any chance I get. The other course I did was an introduction to adventure based counseling with Tara Flippo which was also incredible! At the time, we were still able to stay at the farm, so after learning, we would all continue to process the day and have fun. I love Tara's SEL in Action book and highly recommend it to anyone working in schools. After those trainings, I took every chance I could get to facilitate adventure therapy groups or work on ropes courses. While at PA, someone told me about a guy named Dick Hammond who ran Leadership On the Move and had a challenge course near Denton, TX where I was studying. I connected with Dick and continued my journey of learning. I completed my dissertation on using adventure therapy with high school students and then worked as a high school counselor for a few years. During this time I integrated adventure therapy and experiential learning into many aspects of my work as a school counselor. In 2015, my mentor wanted to apply for a faculty postition she knew about and so I made my way into academia. I chose University of Arkansas because of how beautiful the campus and area are, the excitement of the leadership for having adventure therapy at their campus, and supportive faculty. Since being at the University of Arkansas, I have established the Adventure Therapy Lab, developed an Introduction to Adventure Therapy course, developed and led an adventure therapy study abroad to New Zealand, and am currently co-teaching an undergraduate course about the power of nature and adventure for improving wellbeing. 

COVID seemed to push education and counseling into a more isolated space. Students could learn while sitting alone in their room, watching a video, and answering some questions. Clients didn't need to leave their house for counseling.  Experiential education invites students back into relationship and connection. It's an opportunity to reconnect and reengage with learning that can be fun and lifegiving!

My family - they make so many sacrifices for me to be able to advance adventure therapy through international travel, overnight trips in the wilderness, and conference presentations. Not to mention the late nights and stress that comes along with trying to produce research. 

My students - particularly Cian Brown and Danny McCarty. They were doctoral students who have gone on to be amazing teachers and researchers of adventure therapy and experiential education. They get me excited about what we are doing!

Malcom Creagh - a counselor in New Zealand who teaches my students about adventure therapy during our study abroad. He is an amazing clinician and friend. He can do it all!

Nate Folan - all the reasons mentioned earlier. 

Merry Moiseichik - she is a recreation and sports management professor at the University of Arkansas. She has opened so many doors for me to be able to do the things I do at Arkansas. Most of what I have accomplished would not have been possible without her. She is a well of information and the most humble person I know. She's tough!

Bald eagles on the Buffalo River. Any student who has spent days on the river with me knows this is my favorite site in the world!

Hanging out with my family. Preferably outside. But more than likely at a drumline competition for my son or a volleyball tournament for my daughter. They inspire me!

9 years. Anita Tucker brought me in. She was amazingly gracious when I took my first academic job at the University of Arkansas. I met Patrick McMillion at my first pre-conference and have remained close with him. He's my favorite person (non-student) to see at TAPG conferences. 

The AEE Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group (TAPG)!!!! I love the trainings, workshops, and people. 

I had breakfast with Nate Folan one morning at AEE in Minneapolis. Best breakfast ever! 

Also connecting with Patrick McMillion was very meaningful. TAPG has people from all sorts of mental health backgrounds. We all work well together and we all see things a bit differently. Patrick is in counselor education, as I am, so it was nice to meet a kindred spirit. 

I feel like it adds a level of credibility to who I am and what I do. I love presenting places and having CCAT at the end of my name. I love saying I am a certified clinical adventure therapist. I met a guy in my area not long ago and told him about the CCAT and now he is one as well. I was SO excited when he sent me the news he had been approved.