Jesse Quam on Wilderness Therapy, Phone Detox, and Helping Families Find the Right Treatment

In this episode of Finding New Waters, B Reeves and CEO Justin McClendon sit down with Jesse Quam, an educational consultant and therapist based in Black Mountain, North Carolina.Jesse shares how a friend’s wilderness job in Utah “changed my life,” what it actually means when people say “wilderness,” and why getting outside and away from technology can reset the nervous system and the family system. He breaks down how therapeutic wilderness evolved from early programs like BYU 480, why outcome data matters, and what he believes will bring wilderness back in a big way as phone use and modern distractions keep climbing.Jesse also pulls the curtain back on what a therapeutic educational consultant does: how the first call works, why the whole family has to join the process, and how he helps families make the right “chess moves” across a full year of treatment and aftercare.Subscribe for more recovery conversations from Finding New Waters.Like the video, leave a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share this episode with someone who needs hope.CHAPTERS[01:00:35] Introductions: B Reeves, Justin McClendon, Jesse Quam[01:01:57] Jesse’s background: pastor’s kid, Chicago, Utah wilderness, Boston College[01:03:35] Educational consulting: visiting 305 programs, supporting families through the year[01:04:48] What “wilderness” actually means in this field[01:05:40] BYU 480 and the roots of wilderness programs[01:06:31] Safety, outcomes, and what the data says[01:07:49] Why wilderness programs declined and why they may come back[01:10:47] Phones, modern life, and why a detox matters[01:17:35] What Jesse does when a family calls: first call process[01:19:40] Family system buy-in, boundaries, and using leverage when needed[01:22:54] What changed over 30 years: internal kids, isolation, social skills, fentanyl risk[01:27:02] Community connection and longevity[01:30:30] Outward Bound influence and experiential learning[01:34:46] Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Outward Bound story[01:35:35] Wrap-up and closingGUEST AND ORGANIZATION LINKSJesse Quam and Dr. John Huie (Quam & Huie: Educational Consultants)http://johnhuie.com/about-us/RESOURCES MENTIONEDOutward Boundhttps://www.outwardbound.org/NOLShttps://www.nols.edu/Montreat Collegehttps://www.montreat.edu/Boston College School of Social Workhttps://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/ssw.htmlThe Carter Centerhttps://www.cartercenter.org/🎙️ Watch & ListenWebsite: www.findingnewwaters.comSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NOV2g85KExFWU5mTz5GjwApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-new-waters/id1684075608YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjfAIXtiOgy1XFcwAduXgXwYouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuJOc6yLcjibGGAKgLYPCN47etJCY89mn#FindingNewWatersPodcast #NewWatersRecovery #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #WildernessTherapy #TherapeuticWilderness #OutdoorTherapy #FamilySystems #TeenRecovery #YoungAdultRecovery #MentalHealth #DigitalDetox #PhoneAddiction #ExperientialTherapy #OutwardBound