Clinical Team

Open Sky's clinical therapists have Master's or Doctorate level degrees with significant educational and professional history specializing in the treatment of adolescents and families.  Our current clinical team has combined for nearly 60 years of experience working in wilderness therapy.  Open Sky therapists are trained in the most current and research-proven methods, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Motivational Interviewing, and Gottman's Marital Therapy. Each Open Sky therapist attends professional conferences and trainings throughout the country to keep abreast of the latest developments in treatment methods. In addition, our clinical team, led by our Research Director, Dr. Joanna Bettmann, PhD, LCSW, regularly reviews Open Sky's latest research results and the most up to date publications to continually refine our therapeutic approach.  For those interested in becoming an Open Sky clinical therapist, check out our employment page.

Emily Demong, LCSW

Clinical & Executive Director

Emily has worked with adolescents and families in wilderness settings since 1996 as a therapist, field instructor, trainer, logistics coordinator, emergency responder, and field director. Emily earned a BA from Bates College and a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Utah.

Joanna Bettmann Schaefer, PhD, LCSW

Research Director

Joanna has worked in the wilderness therapy field since 1994 as a director, researcher, therapist, and field instructor. She earned a BA from Dartmouth College and a PhD from Smith College School for Social Work. Her dissertation research focused on attachment relationships of adolescents in a leading wilderness therapy program. As Open Sky’s Research Director, Dr. Bettmann Schaefer oversees student outcome studies and provides on-going feedback on evidence-based clinical treatments.

Paul Case, PsyD

Assistant Clinical Director, Clinical Psychologist, Adult Therapist

Paul Case, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults and their families. Paul earned his doctorate from Wheaton College in 2000. He completed his doctoral residency at Butler University, where he provided individual, group and family therapy and comprehensive psychological evaluations for young adults.

Katie Grace MacElveen, PhD

Adult Clinical Therapist

Dr. Katie Grace MacElveen received her PhD from the Union Institute & University. She has clinical experience in inpatient adolescent and adult psychiatric settings as well as private practice. She earned her undergraduate degree from Regis College in Denver and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Union Institute and University. She has taught courses in psychology and communication at Naropa University and Duke University. Katie Grace is the mother of two grown children.

Fred Peipman, PhD

Clinical Psychologist, Adolescent Therapist

Dr. Fred Peipman has worked extensively with adolescents, young adults, and their families in private practice as well as in high school, university, and mental health settings. Dr. Fred earned his PhD in counseling psychology at the University of Miami with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yale University and the University of Bridgeport, respectively. Dr. Fred has lectured nationally and internationally to parents, young people, and professionals on adolescent health risk behaviors, internet safety and awareness, and online social networking and cyber-psychology.

Heather Menzie, MA

Family Services Director & Adolescent Clinical Therapist

Heather joined the Open Sky clinical team in 2007 and works as a therapist as well as the Family Services Director. Heather received her BA in English from William & Mary and her Master's degree from Naropa University in Transpersonal Psychology, with an emphasis in Wilderness Therapy.

Rebecca Wildbear, MS, LPC

Adult Clinical Therapist

Rebecca joined the Open Sky clinical team in 2009 after more than a decade’s experience in wilderness therapy as both a therapist and clinical director for programs serving both adolescents and young adults. Rebecca has continued her quest to explore the limitless potential of human beings while educating herself in a variety of therapeutic methods and philosophies; she earned her masters degree in counseling from John’s Hopkins University in 1997.

Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC

Adolescent Clinical Therapist, Family Quest Therapist

Jonathan is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with more than 750 field days as a guide and wilderness therapist. In 2007, Jonathan earned a Masters of Arts from Naropa University in Transpersonal Psychology with an emphasis in Wilderness Therapy. He continues to expand his clinical training and earned a certificate in Gestalt Therapy from the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies in 2008.

Kirsten Bolt, MEd, LAMFT

Adolescent Clinical Therapist

Kirsten is part of the Open Sky team as a family quest therapist and a therapist for adolescent boys. She started working in wilderness therapy in 2004 as a field guide and was so drawn to the interpersonal work that she decided to return to graduate school for a degree in family therapy. After receiving her master’s degree in 2009, she came back to the world of wilderness therapy, this time as a therapist.

Mariah Loftin, MA

Assitant Clinical Therapist

Mariah Loftin is a Clinical Therapist with over 15 years of experience working in service for others. She holds an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of California-Santa Cruz and a MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Art Therapy from Naropa University.

Amy Donahue, BA

Clinical & Executive Assistant

Amy serves as the administrative backbone for the Open Sky clinical team. She handles scheduling details, mounds of paperwork, and continually answering phone calls. Amy has a BA in English Communications from Fort Lewis College in Durango and is excited to support all the logistical needs for our clinical team so as to make for the best possible experience for each family, student, and our referring professionals.

Whitney Dwyer, BA

Office Assistant

Whitney joined Open Sky in February 2011 and has become an essential component to our administrative team. Originally from Texas, she received her BA in Geography from the University of North Texas. She has worked as a substitute teacher, an archaeological technician, and a marketing director before coming to Open Sky.