March 2nd, 2023
March 2nd, 2023
Understanding and Responding to Your Teen’s Defiant Behavior
August 30th, 2022
Back to School: Addressing Refusal and Motivation Issues
The complexities of being a young person today are unprecedented, and many adolescents face challenges with school refusal, truancy, and motivation issues. In this blog, Senior Clinical Therapist Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC explores some of the underlying reasons adolescents might refuse to attend school; how to have fruitful conversations with your child around these topics; […]
August 23rd, 2022
Back to School: Creating a Supportive and Structured Environment for Adolescents
It’s that time of year: school is starting again! As their children navigate the start of the school year, parents may grapple with how to set their kids up for success: academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. In this blog, Senior Clinical Therapist Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC shares tips for parents seeking to create a supportive […]
March 25th, 2020
How to Take Care of Yourself in the Midst of a Pandemic
In an effort to “flatten the curve” and halt the spread of COVID-19, public health officials are asking people to shelter at home, drastically alter their daily lives, decrease physical interaction, and engage in rigorous hygiene practices. A few weeks ago, the term “social distancing” wasn’t even on our collective radar. Today, schools, businesses, and […]
February 3rd, 2020
Open Sky Celebrates Clinical Therapist Jonathan Mitchell’s 10-Year Anniversary
Open Sky is proud to celebrate Clinical Therapist for Adolescent Boys, Jonathan “Badger” Mitchell’s 10-year anniversary at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. For the past decade, Jonathan has shared his extensive expertise serving adolescents, young adults, and families, while delivering an unmatched positivity and passion for his work. Following his undergraduate education in math and physics, Jonathan […]
December 5th, 2019
The Power of Intentional Time Alone in Wilderness
Senior Clinical Therapist, Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC (adolescent boys) addresses common questions about the “solo” experience at Open Sky, from purpose to impact, and logistics to supervision. Jonathan celebrates his 10-year Open Sky anniversary this month. He has facilitated more than 1000 solos over the course of his tenure at Open Sky. Question: What […]
January 30th, 2019
Step Into Your Potential: A Conversation with Adolescent Boys Senior Therapist, Jonathan Mitchell, MA, LPC
Q: What led you to choose a career in wilderness therapy as opposed to working in a more traditional setting? A: I began in this industry as a field guide in 2001. To be honest, the reason I took the job was that I couldn’t find work living in Bend, Oregon at the time. But […]
August 13th, 2018
The “Yes” Within the “No”: How to Parent So Your Teen Trusts You
The Infamous Hair-Cut At dinner one night, a friend of mine and I were speaking about our teenage years and how much we pushed the envelope of our parents’ rules and boundaries. She lightheartedly recounted a vignette of what occurred years before when her son came home after smoking marijuana for the first time […]
November 14th, 2017
Parenting the Healthy, Independent Teen: Pitfalls and Tools (Part II)
In Part I of Parenting the Healthy, Independent Teen: Pitfalls and Tools, I discussed how parents can listen so that their teens share more with them, as well as how to accept feelings, not behavior. Now, we move on to a few other critical points I have found in my work with teenage boys, and […]
February 28th, 2017
Parenting the Healthy, Independent Teen: Pitfalls and Tools (Part I)
When I was a teenager, I had an insatiable desire to “fight.” Nearly any directive or request that came from adults, authority figures, or anyone who seemingly had “more power” than I, was met with an indelible resistance wrought with righteousness. For example, the more I saw my parents squirm when I listened to music […]