Compassion, Patience & Nature at the Core of Second Nature Cascades

by RENEE PATRICK Cascade Business News Feature Writer

To many Central Oregonians, the role of nature in their day-to-day lives plays a significant role in choosing to live in our community. The mountains, weather patterns and endless sky are closely tied to our activities, jobs and state of mind. For the last six years, local company Second Nature Cascades has been tapping into our regional landscape as a means of therapeutic intervention in the lives of teenagers and young adults, and as a result, the healing nature of the wilderness has touched hundreds of lives.

Partners in business and life, J and Willow Huffine opened Second Nature Cascades in the fall of 2005. A national program with two locations in Utah and one in Georgia, Central Oregon was a natural choice for a fourth location. When deciding to own and operate the local branch of the business, the couple were not only thrilled to be in a place that was so livable with access to the particular quality of staff they desired, but the high desert also provided access to the unique and remarkable landscape that is the foundation of the business.

Both of the Huffines have an extensive background in therapeutic programs and Ph.Ds in psychology; Both have worked for other wilderness therapy programs in the past, and Willow is an RN who has worked in the mental health field for many years. The business was built around the premise that troubled teens and their families deserve quality clinical treatment combined with sensitivity and compassion in a natural setting – away from the rigors and stresses of contemporary life.

A core element to the impact wilderness therapy can have on the lives of teenagers and young adults is the quality and compassion of the field staff that work with the students from day to day. A love of the outdoors is essential as the year-round program integrates hiking, camping and bow-drilling fires as part of the daily program.

“We hire 35 or so full time staff,” commented Jon Baker, field director for Second Nature Cascades. “For our small business, that is a big number.” Nationally recognized as a leader in wilderness therapy, staff at the company enjoy some of the most generous salaries and benefits of outdoor professionals. A field staff position involves direct care with the students in the program, and often more important than a background in therapy, are the qualities of patience, compassion and a desire to help others.

“We provide a lot of training for the staff; they don’t necessarily need to have specific related degrees. Nearly all the staff have a bachelors degree, but those degrees vary,” said Baker. “But a higher number do come in with a psychology or outdoor recreation degree.”

The program works with adolescents struggling with a variety of mental health diagnoses, behavioral problems, developmental issues, learning disabilities, substance abuse/dependence, school problems and relational difficulties. Spending extended time in a wilderness setting often offers the young adults the time and space to address these issues in a healthy and productive manner.

Second Nature maintains strong working relationships with the Lakeview Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Deschutes and Lake County Sheriffs office to ensure the wellbeing of the students and staff, and proper use of the land. The program is licensed by the State of Oregon which maintains a close oversight of the business. “We are required to operate under strict guidelines,” said Baker.

The program felt the effects of the recent economic downturn, and much like the rest of the business community in the area, was forced to downsize the staffing numbers in the fall of 2008. “We had lower student numbers, and had to lay off staff for the first and only time in the history of the business,” Baker commented. “After a series of other cuts we finally started to see an increase of students in the spring of 2009 to where we were able to hire back most of the staff that were laid off and were able to hire new staff. Everyone that wanted to come back was able to.

“We have learned from that time, it all comes back to staff and planning ahead for when we need people the most. That has been the evolution of the program, we have to be strategic in the hiring and how we manage the schedule, and the last few years the work has been fairly consistent.”

On an average week, the program operates with 25 students, 12 staff and three therapists. The high staff numbers allow for close interaction in the treatment and wellbeing of the students. A close relationship with the parents and families of the students facilitates healing and growth that sets Second Nature apart from other wilderness programs.

Second Nature Cascades primarily works with teens from 13-17, but has recently opened an adult program. “We have seen a demand for a young adult programs and those services, so we started a 18 to mid-20s recovery program,” said Baker.

“We are always working toward expanding and adding more groups,” he continued. “We have to be mindful of a lot of little things, there are many decisions and changes that have been made that allow us to survive the ups and downs of the economy. We still experience the downturn; people are still conservative in their spending and that has made us more mindful of how we run the business.

“It has been really important for us to find the right balance between how to run the program and how to run the humanist side (of working with clients), of how we manage our staff and field instructors that respects the business and respects them.”