168: Patrick Hawkins, Founder of Triple Divide Lodge

Patrick Hawkins is the founder of Triple Divide Lodge in Montana. Triple Divide Lodge is a 90-day program that combines residential treatment and wilderness therapy expeditions for boys ages 14-19. Patrick founded the program in 2021 and shares how this substance abuse treatment program works and how it differs from other wilderness programs. Patrick talks about what inspired him to work in wilderness therapy, including his over 25 years of working at the first-of-its-kind Wilderness Treatment Center. He shares the influences on the Triple Divide model, including Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School. Patrick reflects on how the field is changing, controversies related to the field, and what advice he has for people interested in working in wilderness therapy.   Patricks's bio from the Triple Divide Lodge website: Patrick Hawkins is a Licensed Addictions Counselor with over 25 years of experience. During his career, he has worked with over 5,000 young men in primary treatment. Since 1995, he has been dedicated to working with adolescents and young adults. With a national reputation, Patrick has presented at multiple conferences and is considered a leader in treating young men, especially in an outdoor/experiential type setting. He has led 50+ expeditions accumulating over 1,100 days in the backcountry guiding hundreds of clients on their journeys through the wilderness and into recovery. Patrick brings all this experience to the young men in treatment daily while also imparting it to the entire team.