Support

BJ Hopper

An educational consultant is a skilled professional who provides counseling to help students and families choose a school, college or other program that is a good personal match: one that will foster a particular student’s academic, social, and emotional growth. Educational consultants provide the student and family with individual attention, firsthand knowledge of hundreds of educational opportunities, and the time to explore all of the options.

Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness

Since 2002, our program has helped young people and their families to thrive. We strive to
provide a superior, integrated wilderness experience to help all individuals and families define
their values and overcome their struggles. Our techniques combine the healing wilderness
environment with evidence-based therapeutic approaches that teach individuals and families the
skills needed to be aware of and act on their values. Located in the North Georgia and Western
North Carolina mountains, Blue Ridge’s licensed treatment program provides sophisticated
clinical treatment in an immersive nomadic wilderness model. Removed from the distractions of
daily home life, students experience the abundance of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains,
where they live 24/7 in nature with other students and our supportive field staff. Here, teens and
young adults rediscover their resilience, unearth ways to align with their values, and explore
practices that lead to health. Foundational transformation for families occurs through utilizing
individualized clinical treatment, together with intensive family-focused support, and whole-body
health and wellness. Each therapist individualizes the wilderness therapy experience while Field
Instructors integrate clinical recommendations into daily initiatives to establish positive group
culture and opportunities for growth.

Bob Casanova

Dr. Bob Casanova is a nationally respected educational consultant who specializes in providing recommendations for the educational placement of children, adolescents, and young adults with special needs of an emotional, psychological, and/or psychiatric nature. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Bob credits his clinical training and experience in determining a student’s needs and then developing appropriate recommendations. He travels extensively throughout the year and has personally toured over three hundred schools and programs.

Bold Ascents LLC

Bold Ascents is a mentoring program for adolescents and young adults, ages 10-24, transitioning from treatment programs. This ninety-day program creates a safe, empowering space where individuals feel seen, heard, and inspired to forge their unique path forward. Mentorship involves daily communication and crisis intervention, helping adolescents and young adults navigate daily challenges and celebrate successes, while further developing skills gained during treatment.

Based in Philadelphia, Bold Ascents supports clients nationwide, with in-person visits for local clients and optional home visits outside the area. The program’s commitment goes beyond ensuring mere survival; it fosters an environment where young people can truly thrive as they return home. Parents are kept updated through weekly emails summarizing daily contacts with clients. Bold Ascents supports individuals transitioning from treatment, as well as those who haven’t been to treatment but need extra support in their home environment to establish a strong foundation for success.

Owner and mentor Ethan Gordon brings over ten years of diverse experience in the mental health field. His expertise, honed through collaborations with leading clinicians and professionals, offers youth a wealth of knowledge and tailored support, fostering empowerment, accountability, and opportunity for a bold future.