ATIC
Adventure Therapy International Committee
The Adventure Therapy International Committee (ATIC) is responsible for the oversight of the triennial International Adventure Therapy Conference (IATC) and the publication of associated proceedings. ATIC also provides advocacy and resources to assist in developing national Adventure Therapy networks.
Mission:
The Adventure Therapy International Committee aims to promote and support professional practice, research and the development of Adventure Therapy worldwide.
ATIC recognizes the term ‘adventure therapy’ has regional or national interpretations and definitions for practice. Adventure therapy, within this organization, is inclusive of international programs and practitioners utilising outdoor, adventure and experiential methodologies to meet developmental and therapeutic ends. ATIC is comprised of 1- 2 representatives from IATC participating nations.
Current ATIC membership is as follows:
Paul Stolz (Australia) is a family and narrative therapist and has a long history of applied and experiential learning. He initiated and managed the Gippsland Wilderness Program from 1992-2000. He was the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship for his work in this program in 2000. Amongst other things he was the Executive Officer for the Victorian Outdoor Education Association 2002 and is currently CEO to Typo Station. Paul has presented at numerous conferences, both national and international (including 1 IATC and 2IATC), on narrative practice and bush adventure therapy, and currently holds the Chair position of the Adventure Therapy International Committee. Among a busy work schedule, Paul is also passionate about fly-fishing. Contact email:
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Dr. Anita Pryor (Australia) is a Research and Policy Officer for Anglicare, Tasmania’s Social Action Research Centre (SARC); an Associate Member of the NICHE Research Group (Nature in Community Health and Environment) of Deakin University’s School of Health and Social Development; an Associate Member of the Centre for Family Research and Evaluation (CFRE); a Member of the Australian Association of Bush Adventure Therapy (AABAT); Australian representative of the Adventure Therapy International Congress (ATIC); and Private consultant. Her consulting is in the area of research, evaluation, strategic planning, and a use of therapeutic experiential practices that include bush adventure therapy, and accessing nature for wellbeing (Wild@heart Adventures). Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Nevin J. Harper (Canada) is the National Research Coordinator for Outward Bound Canada and lecturer in the Centre for Sport & Exercise Education at Camosun College, Victoria, British Columbia. Research and teaching interests include experiential learning, wilderness leadership and the role ‘contact with nature’ holds in educational and health contexts. He was a 3IATC host committee member, founder of the Canadian Adventure Therapy Symposiums, Co-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning on Adventure & Outdoor Therapy, Editorial Board Member of Ecopsychology, and has published and presented on wilderness therapy, outdoor education and human-nature relationships internationally. He has been an experiential educator and wilderness guide in educational, social service & youth justice fields since 1991. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Christine Lynn Norton, LCSW (USA) is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Texas State University-San Marcos, received her PhD in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. She has an MA in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and an MSc in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University-Mankato. Dr. Norton has over 15 years experience working in a variety of practice settings including therapeutic wilderness programs, juvenile justice, youth and family counseling, schools, and youth mentoring and educational empowerment programs. Her areas of practice and research expertise are in innovative interventions that promote effective treatment in child and adolescent mental health, positive youth development, and youth empowerment, with a special focus on adventure/wilderness therapy and environmental social work interventions. Research Scientist with the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Collaborative, and has published in Clinical Social Work Journal, Journal of Social Work Practice, International Social Welfare Journal, Ecopsychology and Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Alexander Rose, MA (Spain) has a professional background related to experiential learning and outdoor skills, focusing his intervention mostly to adolescents, orphans and offenders, coordinating and teaching at the Outdoor School from the Catholic University in Valencia and as lecturer at different universities. Since 2007 his emphasis has been towards Adventure therapy, having presented at several conferences, currently finalizing an introductory manual in Spanish and developing the basis of a Wilderness Therapy programs for adolescents. He holds a Master’s Degree in Addictive conducts, and Bachelors in Psychology, Sport Sciences and in Primary School Teaching. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Christian M. Itin (USA) is President-elect of the Association for Experiential Education, Associate Professor of Social Work, Humboldt State University, Arcata CA, USA, and Editor/Co-editor of proceedings of the 1st and 4th International Adventure Therapy conferences. He has over 25 years experience in adventure-based practice and adventure therapy. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Chris Jansen, MEd (New Zealand) has an extensive range of training and facilitation experience both in New Zealand and also in Singapore, Australia and the United States. He currently lectures in Outdoor and Experiential Education at the University of Canterbury and is co-director of Project Adventure New Zealand (www.panz.org.nz). He has worked as a counsellor with the Department of C.Y.F.S. "AIKI" programme working with adolescent offenders and their families and in substance abuse treatment programmes in Atlanta, Georgia and Hong Kong. Chris taught physical education for 6 years at Mangere College in Manukau prior to which he worked as a youth worker with Te Ora Hou in Christchurch. He has an M.Ed. in Counselling and is a registered teacher and member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Luk Peeters (Belgium) has been working experientially in the outdoors since 1985. He studied educational sciences and is a Gestalt trainer, supervisor and therapist with a specialisation in Existential Psychotherapy. As well as being a practicing psychotherapist and group trainer he is currently a staff member of a training program in Emotion Focused Therapy and specialisation studies in Group Psychotherapy. He has presented at several international conferences and is the author of articles addressing the use of adventure in supporting psychotherapeutic processes. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Kaye Richards (UK) was the convener for 5IATC on behalf of BACP. She is Research Facilitator at BACP where she is active in a range of counselling and psychotherapy research projects and initiatives (http://www.bacp.co.uk/research/). She is an experienced outdoor educator, having lectured in outdoor education in higher education for a number of years, and developed adventure therapy practice in the UK. She was editor of the Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning and currently sits on the editorial board of the journal. She has edited and written numerous publications and is co-author of the recently published BACP systematic review titled ‘The impact of clinical supervision on counsellors and therapists, their practice and their clients’ (2007). Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gábor Szabó (Hungary) is a psychologist, outdoor trainer and counsellor, adventure therapist, couple- and family therapist, videotrainer and continues to pursue his interest in social constructivism and humanistic approaches. He has written a range of articles based on sensation seeking and anxiety, and therapeutic adventure and has presented at a number of international conferences. He delivered several adventure therapy programs for disabled kids and their families, works with couples and families in the woods and recently finished up the first Hungarian adventure therapy self awareness program for adults. While doing all this Gábor loves to watch birds. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Irvin Torralba (Philippines) is an adventure programmer based in Hong Kong SAR China - originally from Cebu Philippines. Has been a facilitator for a Ropes Course Challenge Program under Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. - Kool Adventure Camp in Cebu, Philippines (1999-2005); Outdoor Education Instructor in Bradford Woods - Indiana University's Outdoor Education Center, Martinsville Indiana USA (2006); Treasure Island Group in Lantau, Hong Kong (2007); and Horizons Unlimited Ltd. in Christchurch New Zealand (2011). At present works as Program Coordinator under Treasure Island Group in Hong Kong. Over the years Irvin has worked with youth at risk, adaptive adventure, corporate training and community building and empowerment. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Jiri Kirchner (Czech Republic) is president of the European Science and Art Corporation. He graduated from Charles' University, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Prague and defended his Ph. D. thesis about adventure sports and its influence on psychological state. He was Guarantor of the bachelor degree in Outdoor Activities at J. E. Purkyně University in Ústínad Labem (Czech Rep.) and coordinator of Experiential Education and Outdoor Studies Summer School (EEOSSS), is the main secretary of the Czech Sport Psychologists Association and European Science and Art Publishing Editorial Board Head. He was working for Ostrava 2015 – Candidate for the European Capital of Culture as Project Coordinator. Jiri's specialization is experiential education, adventure therapy, stamina and music psychology, curriculum development, outdoor sports, music, management and marketing of creative industries. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Steve Johnson M.Sc. (UK), is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and the UK Mindfulness Trainer’s Network where he recently helped develop national guidelines for mindfulness teachers and those who offer teacher training. An Ecotherapist and Humanistic Psychology practitioner, he has a BSc(Hons) in Integrated Therapy and an MSc which examined the role of environment in improving health. He taught at Salford, Lancaster and Manchester Metropolitan Universities and is now researching the role of nature and mindfulness in the Faculty of Health and Well-Being at the University of Cumbria. He is a member of the Mountain Leader Training Association and Institute of Outdoor Learning. A mountain leader for over thirty years, former military medic and an emergency care practitioner, Steve is Casualty Care coordinator of a Lake District mountain rescue team and a medic on adventure races. He is also a TRiM (trauma risk management) assessor for Mountain Rescue and the Police. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jufer M. Villanueva M.ed. (Philippines) is a licensed Electrical Engineer and has been a Professional Field Instructor at Bradford Woods, Indiana University's Outdoor Center, USA (2002,2004). Jufer was also the Children, Youth and Family Sector–Technical and Culture Facilitator for the US Peace Corps –Philippines (2008-2011). At present, he works in partnership with TREAD (Training & Development Consultants Inc.), Cebu City. In his desire to bring Adventure Education to People-with-Disabilities, Jufer completed his Masters Degree in Special Education. He is also a trained Inclusion Assessor from State University of New York-Cortland. Currently, he is also a volunteer consultant on adaptive adventure activities and sports to GP Rehab, a center for children with different types of disabilities in his hometown of Dumaguete City, Philippines. Contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Anat Raphael is an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist working in a model that integrates nature, arts and conventional Psychotherapy with Individuals and Groups. She has been lecturing
on Adventure therapy at the Interdisciplinary Wilderness Therapy Program in Hakkibutzim College and the Out-door facilitator program in Oranim College. In 2009 Anat founded and
co-directed ‘Space in Nature’, a project that devises long-term nature based workshops aimed at groups from deprived communities, including a two-year leadership program aimed at creating social change in municipalities in the periphery. Anat has been specializing in treating Trauma and PTSD in an integrative model that involves outdoor therapeutic work in Abarbanel medical centre with families of mentally ill patients, and in a trauma centre, with families suffering from prolonged anxiety due to the continues unstable security situation as a result of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict; is involved in an Israeli and Palestinian organization ‘Psychoactive’ – mental health professionals for human rights and has initiated a unique training on trauma that included outdoor awareness and activities. Before becoming a psychotherapist she worked for many years as a nature guide and later as a Theatre director in London and Italy. Her Artistic experience is constantly enriching her therapeutic approach. Contact email:
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Jasper (Taiwan) – biographical information to follow
Anthony Cheng (Hong Kong) – biographical information to follow
