Previous to joining Open Sky in October 2017, Aiden spent four years mentoring adolescent girls in Bellingham, WA while attending Western Washington University. She graduated with a BS in Psychology with a focus on adolescent development and social psychology. Additionally, she spent two years with an adventure program for adolescents and young adults in British Columbia, guiding 8-day backpacking trips hiking sea to summit.

Aiden was drawn to work in wilderness therapy because of how it combines healing and adventure in ways she has personally experienced, with her passion for mental and emotional work. She was attracted to Open Sky specifically because of its acknowledgment of the importance of our 4 innate needs (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual). She has experienced each of these as equally important in my own personal journey.

As a senior guide, Aiden valued the opportunity to learn from the students and to witness the growth over the course of their stays. The moments when she was able to sit in the hard, scary places of difficult and painful emotions with the students have been life-changing for her. Aiden considers it a gift to have a job in which she is asked to live out of her heart. She also greatly valued the opportunity to experience simple life with the students. She believes there are great moments that would otherwise be missed were she not able to live with the students in their day to day struggles and successes.

Aiden then moved into the role of Pharmacy Coordinator and now serves as the Psychiatric Assistant, supporting medical/psychiatric staff and families.

In her free time, Aiden (whose name means “Little Fire”) loves adventuring, road-tripping, and visiting far-off friends. When in Durango, you can find her in a coffee shop, book in hand, snuggled up on a couch.