Adam Gorman

Q: Why do you work in wilderness therapy?
A: During my youth I was on a very destructive path and fell into a spiral of alcohol and drug addiction. What I know now is that I was trying to bring things from the world to fill the hole in my soul. No matter how hard I tried I could never fill the gap. It wasn’t until I was placed in a wilderness therapy program that I was able to begin patching the hole in my soul. I felt the healing of the wilderness and during my stay I began to see clearly for the first time the destructive and selfish lifestyle I had been living. I continue to work in wilderness therapy because I want to return the gift that was so freely given to me at my time of need. Wilderness therapy enables me to give back to the youth and be a witness to a heart and soul coming alive after a period of long hibernation.

Q: What do you think Open Sky students need?
A: Our students need to take a step back from the world to observe themselves and the way they interact with their environment. Experience has taught me external behavior is a symptom of internal turmoil, and to only talk about surface level behavior is the equivalent of putting a bandage on a deep cut. The work at Open Sky is not about simply addressing the destructive behaviors that lead to their placement at Open Sky, rather it's about exploring the student's inner emotions. Open Sky students also need to exercise their bodies. The endorphins released during physical activity support emotional health. Students also need to have fun while in the wilderness – laughing also releases endorphins and supports health and wellbeing.

Q: Why do you think wilderness therapy works?
A: I believe that wilderness therapy works because it provides an opportunity for self exploration with minimal distractions. The distractions of the modern world, including cell phones, instant messaging, email, iPods, and hundreds of televisions channels often serve as roadblocks to self exploration. Undertaking a massive lifestyle change in the modern world is like “trying to fix a flat tire with the car moving.” Wilderness therapy brings the car to a standstill so that a person can really experience themselves. The solitude provided by the desert and mountains allows for time and space to build a foundation supportive of a healthy transition into adulthood.

Q: What are some of the unique talents you bring to Open Sky?
A: Some of the unique gifts that are helpful to my students include: 1) nearly six years of continuous sobriety that began at age 17; 2) my own experience as a student in a wilderness therapy program; 3) experience with maintaining sobriety throughout college; and, 4) my ability to live and communicate the benefits of an emotionally healthy lifestyle.

Q: What do you do for fun?
A: I love to ski and whenever I can I take full advantage of the Colorado mountains. I also go to see live music whenever possible. Traveling has fueled my thirst for adventure and I try and see different parts of the world whenever I can.

Q: Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?
A: The people who have been my greatest inspiration are my parents. Through all the struggles of my youth they were a living example of unconditional love. They recognized that their son needed help and they were humble enough to realize they were too close to the situation to alone help me in the way I needed. My parents were strong enough to let me walk my own path and learn the lessons that I could not discover in the shelter of home.

Q: What are some of the defining moments in my life?
A: Some of the defining moments and experiences of my life include: 1) feeling the unconditional love of my family; 2) experiencing failed attempts at staying sober, which enabled me to experience first hand the depths of active addiction; 3) my spiritual awakening that lead to my sobriety; 4) regaining the trust of my family and friends through my recovery, and, 5) excelling in college after having such difficulties academically in high school.

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