From left: Ellen Barr, Jesse Mogler and Rachel Feerick departed last week as the second-to-last Alaska Crossings guide team of the 2012 season – which was also the final girls-only group of the year.
For a group of three Midwesterners, the wilds of Alaska are about to become home again for 41 days as part of the Alaska Island Community Services’ Alaska Crossings program.
Rachel Feerick of Wisconsin, Jesse Mogler of Iowa, and Ellen Barr of Minnesota, have signed on for the next-to-last outing of 2012 as field guides for the organization and will be working with a group of nine adolescent participants from across Alaska.
All three have previously worked in the field for the wilderness-based behavioral health program.
Feerick, who has worked in residential treatment in Chicago, Ill., said she was drawn to AICS for its ability to put her in a natural environment and allow her to continue on her career.
“I worked in the city, in Chicago, and I missed being outside in the wilderness,” Feerick said. “So, I wanted to put them together, my program work and the outdoors, along with my love of working with kids.”
As an outdoor guide in New Mexico, Mogler has also worked with youth in a natural setting – and sees Crossings as a way to not only help youth in need, but to learn more about his craft.
“I was guiding whitewater down in New Mexico and was looking for the next step in learning to guide,” he said. “Crossings is pretty unique in what it does, so I’m here to help and also learn skills. It feels great and awesome to help these kids.”
Barr, who graduated from George Washington University with a degree in psychology, said it was her goal to get away from the metropolitan rush and find a job in a smaller place.
“I lived and worked in Washington, D.C., so I decided I wanted to do something completely different, the polar opposite of the big city,” Barr said. “So, I started looking for jobs in small-town Alaska. I found Crossings and applied and moved up here. Coming here and working with kids, I can see how my educational background can be applied in real life.”
Chris Hatton, the manager for outing No. 14 of the program, said a lot goes into the behind-the-scenes planning to assist the guides. That preparation begins long before the guides ever arrive in Wrangell.
“We spend a lot of time here in the guide nest prepping for them to get here,” Hatton said. “In every part of the office, which includes travel, intake, clinical and case management, we have been getting ready for them. We get really busy before they get here and, hopefully, when they show up, they can roll right out of here.”
While the guides do not engage in any true clinical therapy while in the field, they perform mentoring, coaching, teaching of coping skills and help shape behavior in the program participants.
The clinical side of treatment is the purview of AICS clinician Lee Burgess, who added that the guides will spend the entirety of their time with the youth involved in the program, and that this group in particular is exceedingly ready for the adventure.
“It’s clear that they believe in what they’re doing out in the field with the kids,” Burgess said. “With this particular group, as we’re getting ready to head out, our spirits are high and we get very excited on program start date.”
Program No. 14 will be the final girls’ program of the 2012 season. Program No. 15, which will be the final of the season, will depart for a 42-day session on Oct. 30.
Reader Comments(0)