At Turning Winds, it’s the people who make all the difference. Over the course of more than 20 years, we’ve built a team of some of the world’s finest academic and therapeutic professionals, all of whom share the same goal: to provide help for troubled teens and get them re-engaged with their lives, their families, and their futures.
We’d love for you to visit us in northwestern Montana to meet with our amazing staff in person. Contact us online for more information, or call us at 800-845-1380. If your call isn’t answered personally, one of us will get back to you shortly.
Being a part of the Turning Winds team is a labor of love for our approximately 50 employees, many of whom have come from points far and wide to work at our beautiful facility. They each bring with them a passion for saving lives, inspire kids, and give back. They come to be a part of a world-class team of professionals that takes a unique, multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. Working collaboratively, our team tailors a clinically driven, totally personalized treatment plan for your son or daughter that optimizes his or her physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic strengths.
So thank you for developing your program and for hiring such caring and dedicated people for the program! They all seem to work beautifully together! They have made a real difference in the life of our son and in our family!
Before retiring, John spent seventeen years as the Admissions Director for Turning Winds. He also regularly taught classes on self-care, proper equipment use, safety, and outdoor etiquette to prepare the many teens who journeyed into the backcountry. John’s greatest achievement was marrying up. John stated, “having a very supportive wife has made all the difference.” Being married for forty-nine years has been an extraordinary journey.
Also, being a scout leader and leading young men for thirty years has been a remarkable achievement. In all, John has led approximately 18 young men on the path to obtaining the Eagle Scout Award. Some other achievements include receiving the Wood Badge along with the Silver Beaver Award.
John chose to work in the mental health field because in 1993 he lost his seventeen-year-old daughter to a senseless act of violence. Since that time, he has dedicated his life to saving the lives of other teens. In a way, this was a calling for John.
Now at this stage in his life, John’s primary goal is to stay healthy. John stated that his dream was “to have my sons walk in my footsteps,” and “it has been such a blessing to work alongside my sons for so long.” Another dream of John’s was to know that his family would be okay.
John enjoys the game of football and watching his grandkids play sports. He loves visiting with his grandchildren, spending time in the garden, and backpacking. John’s favorite pastime is to backpack in the beautiful mountains surrounding the Coeur D’Alene, Idaho area. Most people have no idea that John backpacks 4-5 miles, four days per week. He also enjoys serving other people whenever he gets the chance.
One of the profound experiences that John remembers occurred years ago when he took a group of students backpacking to West Fork Lake in the Selkirk Mountains. He stated, “we all went fishing and each student caught a fish to eat for dinner that night.” However, there was one student whom he realized was cooking the heads, tails, and fins of all the fish. Puzzled by what he had seen, he asked the young man why he was eating those parts of the fish. The boy looked up at John with tears in his eyes and explained that while his grandma and grandfather were in Auschwitz that was their favorite meal. The boy wanted to experience on some level what that was like. John went on to explain that once they finished their backpacking trip, he joined the call with the young man as he called home to speak with his grandparents. He heard the young man explain that he ate those parts of the fish to honor their lives. Everyone was in tears as they shared that precious experience together. The example of this young man taught John how important it was to leave all biases and prejudices aside when working with others. To love and value everyone for who they are despite their differences. Truly, a remarkable experience that changed John’s perspective on people from that day forward.
Currently, John serves as the Chief Financial Officer as well as the Chief Marketing Officer. He also plays a vital role in the physical development of property and facilities. John oversees all of the financial elements at Turning Winds as well as all Marketing, including but not limited to, social media, web development, CRM management, and branding. John earned his BS in Psychology from Eastern Oregon University and his Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Colorado Christian University. He intends to pursue his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership when time permits.
John got involved in the mental health space as a way to give back to others and as well as to honor his sister, Vanessa who was taken hostage and murdered just two weeks prior to her eighteenth birthday in 1993. A tragic experience that no one truly ever overcomes. The value of life and creating memories is so important to John.
John’s greatest achievement is with his family. John and his wife, Kara Baisden, specialize in early childhood education where his children begin taking college classes at a young stage in life. His oldest child, at eighteen years old is currently dual enrolled at Texas A&M in the MBA Program at May’s Business School and also in the Master’s Program in Biomedical Engineering. He was the youngest student ever admitted into Texas A&M MBA Program. His oldest daughter graduated from the College of Western Idaho with her Associate’s Degree at the age of sixteen and she is preparing to go off to college on the East Coast to attend Law School. John has seven children altogether and he enjoys spending all of his spare time with them and his amazing wife. Another major achievement was being able to write and publish a children’s book, titled, “An Unlikely Journey.” John also enjoys teaching leadership development to his tribe, early in the morning as a way to speak love and life to each one of his kids. Aside from spending time with his family, John enjoys the outdoors, backpacking and camping. John hopes to backpack the Pacific Coast Trail totaling 2,600 miles someday. Something a lot of people do not know about John is that he dropped out of high school at the age of sixteen and earned his GED. He is an underdog in many ways and has immense respect for those who are generally viewed as “less than.” He is passionate about life and intentional with his time. “Life is truly short, so live it with purpose,” stated John. Something else interesting about John is that he rides a unicycle. For John’s 47th birthday, his children bought him a unicycle. He can be seen from time to time riding his unicycle right alongside his four-year-old son in the nearby subdivision.
A profound Turning Winds experience occurred in July of 2006 when the main shop at Turning Winds caught on fire and threatened to destroy the entire campus. With a dozen spot fires flaring up on the 150-acre campus that started from a propane tank explosion along with the nearby staff cabin in flames, John grabbed the fire hose from the reluctant firemen and ran inside the building to put out the fire. Together with amazing volunteers, Carl Baisden, and the forest service, they were able to prevent a wildfire from erupting and save the remainder of the campus. There were no injuries that occurred just significant damage to nearby structures. This lesson taught a valuable lesson about how important it is to act in a moment of crisis. Oftentimes, people stand by, some paralyzed, some miscalculating their potential to do good in a time of crisis. John is passionate about being, “the one,” and teaches this valuable lesson wherever he is at.
Owen Baisden oversees the day-to-day operations of Turning Winds. Owen has a breadth of knowledge and experience in working with teens and their families in many different settings and capacities. Owen has worked with teens and families for nearly 17 years, helping nearly a thousand teens who have come through our program.
This experience has allowed him to understand the “change” process and to become effective in connecting with and inspiring teens to work through their challenges and help them to build a life of purpose and well-being.
Owen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has been a director of Turning Winds for 12 years. In addition, he has worked in the trenches with the students in nearly every capacity. His favorite time now with the students is leading backpacking expeditions and other educational/recreational trips that inspire change.
When Owen is not at work he enjoys spending time with his spouse and 6 children. He loves the outdoors and enjoys fishing, hiking, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and scuba diving when he can.
As Chief Operations Officer, Carl consistent pursuit is to better himself and his team members to ensure that the best quality of treatment services and practices are utilized in all day to day operations. Carl has been working with adolescents and their families for the better part of two decades. Specializing in the fields of behavioral and mental health, Carl has worked with well over 1000 families.
Carl brings a unique set of skills and strengths to the Turning Winds organization and the families they serve. Because of his lengthy, far-reaching industry experience, Carl’s expertise and strengths include program development, organizational leadership, and a unique ability to inspire change in clients, their families, and his professional team members.
Carl’s passion for adolescent treatment stirs a consistent desire to better himself. Carl holds a strong belief that the individuals working in the ever-evolving field of adolescent treatment need to adhere to the highest level of professional and personal ethics and standards. It is this view that drives his own personal development by seeking out ongoing industry specific training and knowledge to ensure that the best treatment practices are being utilized by Turning Winds professionals.
Enoch has been working with adolescents for more than 20 years. He has been in a leadership role at Turning Winds for more than 9 years. Enoch is a certified Crisis Prevention Institute trainer and helps to train and develop all of our staff in prevention and intervention techniques.
As an avid outdoorsman and former athlete, Enoch believes strongly in incorporating experiential activities such as sports, hiking, and other team building activities to inspire growth and self-worth in adolescents. The opportunity to intervene in a struggling adolescent life by building meaningful relationships and offering strong support and structure guides Enoch’s work at Turning Winds.
Eric earned his baccalaureate from Seton Hall University graduating Magna Cum Laude. Since graduating from college he has worked in the behavioral health field for the past 12+ years;
starting as a behavioral health technician and working his way to a director position, joining the Turning Winds Team as Director of Admissions in 2018.
Eric was captured by the beauty and serenity of Turning Winds’ 150 acre campus in Northwest Montana’s wilderness, the family-system modeled philosophy, and the holistic care approach. Eric can often be heard speaking of how TW truly feels like home and our community is a family that offers our youth the opportunity to take a breath and immerse themselves in the treatment process that will challenge them to discover themselves and find a new way of life; one of purpose, joy, and success.
Eric’s work in the mental health/substance use space has coincided with his own personal recovery journey after family and friends intervened to help save his life in 2008 and he carries that gratitude and passion into his work daily, for him it truly is a calling. As Director of Admissions, Eric stands on the front lines with families and youth in crisis offering hope and guidance. From the very first phone call he works tirelessly with each family to help them navigate the life -changing decision they are pursuing for their loved one and family while comforting and educating them along the way as they prepare for their journey from tragedy to
triumph.
Eric married his best friend Ashling and they welcomed their first child, a boy Killian in December 2020. When not working Eric can most often be found with his family, out and about exploring or in the comfort of their home relaxing. He enjoys working out, the outdoors, and playing and watching hockey and lacrosse having played both competitively growing up. Rumor has it, he used to dress up as a leprechaun every year on St. Patrick’s Day and with the birth of his son the leprechaun may make a triumphant return.
Dr. Gordon is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist in practice in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He grew up in Kellogg, Idaho where he graduated from Kellogg High School. After graduation from Whitman College, he finished medical school at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in Portland, Oregon.
After a Straight Medical Internship in Philadelphia, where he was voted “Best Medical Intern”, he returned to Portland for two years of adult psychiatry and one year of child fellowship. His last two years of training were at the University of Michigan Health Sciences Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he functioned as Chief Resident in his last year. He then became a Clinical Instructor in Child Psychiatry for a year.
He has held the position of Staff Child Psychiatrist at Hawthorne Center in Northville, Michigan in charge of the Outpatient Clinic and later the Psychosomatic Unit. In Idaho, he was Medical Director at Pinecrest Hospital for one year, Child Psychiatrist at Spokane Mental Health for five years and he has been in part-time clinical practice for the past twenty-five years. He is a consultant to Seven Oaks Community Homes in Post Falls and Valley Vista Care Center in Sandpoint.
He enjoys the outdoors and loves to hike, sail and kayak. He likes getting together with friends he grew up within Kellogg and his two grown sons who live in Oregon. He particularly enjoys traveling in his small camper van especially when he can find backroads in remote campgrounds.
Tara has made a huge impact on many of the Turning Winds students as a drug and addictions counselor, leading group therapy sessions and counseling with them. She has been a drug and alcohol counselor for the past 13 years in central Oregon. Two years ago, she moved to Yaak, Montana to live on her family property.
Before coming to work at Turning Winds, Tara owned the Choices Treatment Center for two years which served adolescents, teens and adults. She has also worked for six years in the adolescent residential outpatient program at Rim Rock Trails in the Phoenix Program which was a part of the Madras Oregon Juvenile Department wrap-around team.
Tara loves to hike, fish and hunt, but she really loves spending time with her wonderful grandchildre
Danny is delighted to be a part of the Turning Winds team. As the Director of Outreach, Danny works closely with clients and referral sources throughout the country and abroad to spread the word about the kind, compassionate, and effective work his teammates provide to the adolescents whom they serve. He was drawn to Turning Winds by its mission, the genuineness of their leadership, the compassion of the staff, and the skillset of the clinical team.
With the experience of working with children, adolescents and adults alike, Danny appreciates the way in which the Turning Winds staff sees each student’s needs in the context of their own personal journey. His own self-discovery led Danny to concentrate in Human Development and Family Studies along with Personal Financial Planning while matriculating at Texas Tech University. Since 2012, he has been helping individuals and families directly or indirectly in their life journeys. He has worked in various aspects of behavioral health and education including but not limited to wilderness, primary mental health and dual diagnosis care.
As a Client Relations Specialist I have the opportunity to work directly with amazing people, both customers and employees alike to build strong relationships by providing timely and accurate communication. I enjoy working with employees to troubleshoot any concerns, onboard with employee benefits, provide solutions, and a positive experience at Turning Winds.
In addition to assisting our employees, I strive to provide excellent customer service and satisfaction with our customers (parents) by answering questions, providing meaningful guidance, updates and information surrounding the insurance process along with monthly billing. Ultimately, my desire is to provide each client with a meaningful Turning Winds experience as we work together to offer the best possible care for their child.
Over the last thirteen years I have worked in private practice managing medical and clinical billing in Idaho. After learning about Turning Winds, the story behind it, and what they stand for, I couldn’t wait to jump in and find my place with such a wonderful organization. One aspect of Turning Winds that I really appreciate is how important every child and their family is to the Turning Winds Team.
Some of my goals are to continue to push myself to learn more and continue to be contributing toward meaningful causes. I love to spend time with my family which is made up of my husband, three adult children, and two amazing grandbabies. We love to go boating, skiing and hiking, and spending time with our fur babies. My husband and I try to see/travel to as many concerts as we can a year. We are absolute music lovers from Rock to Country. Now that we are empty-nesters (sort of) we enjoy these little weekend getaways.
Teresa is instrumental in the communication, and planning areas of Turning Winds. She assists the CEO, Operation Directors, and other Staff to ensure the organized operation of all departments and aspects of the program. She performs Registrar duties with assistance of the Vice Principal upon the receipt and release of transcripts. She strives to be a bridge between the Parents, Students, and Staff. She also correlates with the CFO and his Assistant to ensure a seamless payroll system. She brings a high level of enthusiasm to the team.
Her senior year of High School, she received the Principal’s Award, and the Presidential Academic Achievement Award. After several years as an auditor and comptroller, Teresa decided to get a degree in Pharmacy. She has been a Nationally Certified Pharmacy Technician for the last 12 years, as well as Certified in Idaho and Washington. This has given her knowledge into the inner workings of the medical field. Including HIPAA Compliance, protection of PHI, Medical Billing, FDA and DEA Regulations, Patient Communications, medical terminology, and record keeping.
Teresa was drawn into the mental health field after suffering from years of repressed memories. She is a survivor and believes mental health should be brought to the forefront, and destigmatized. There is help out there. Her dream is to travel around the world, live a life to serve others, and have no regrets.
She loves to spend time on the water, soaking in the sun. Finding new trails to explore. Taking photos of plant life, wildlife, waterfalls and creeks.
Teresa loves so many things about Turning Winds. The family atmosphere, the constant positivity, and the willingness to listen and grow. Watching the many graduation ceremonies is one of her favorite things.
Our licensed professional clinicians will work with you and your child to identify problems and develop goals for personal growth. Your child will meet weekly with one of our amazing clinicians, who is dedicated to his or her success. These highly trained and deeply dedicated individuals also lead group therapy and psycho-educational group activities designed to address some of the problems these teens commonly face, including substance abuse
Jared is an experienced therapist who has experience working with individuals who struggle with mental health, substance use, and behavioral issues. He has extensive experience working with families dealing with Adoption/Attachment issues, High Functioning Autism Spectrum, Sexual offending behavior and emerging personality disorders.
Jared earned a Bachelors, and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from Eastern Washington University. He has worked with struggling adolescents and their families for nearly 20 years in a variety of settings, including 12 years at Therapeutic Boarding schools; 2.5 years as a Juvenile Parole/Probation Officer and a couple odd years providing individual and family counseling at a private agency. In addition, he has volunteered with adolescents for over 20 years.
Jared’s approach to working with youth and families is relationship based, with top priority given to helping families re-establish satisfying interpersonal relationships and a harmonious home life. His therapeutic approach is skills based, helping clients gain confidence and knowledge knowing they have the tools to help them reach their goals.
Jared and his wife are individuals who enjoy the outdoors and as they have created their family they name their children and their pets associated with rock bands,mountain biking, and fly fishing. When not at work, Jared and his wife can be found leading their 4 young children into the wilderness hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling, fly fishing, snow skiing and generally enjoying this beautiful earth.
The background Jared has, he has seen individuals at their worst and he believes that when we truly treat people as if they have immeasurable value, they will rise up and act accordingly.
Melody is a talented therapist who works with adolescents who struggle with mental health, substance use, and behavioral issues. Her speciality is working with adolescents who struggle with attachment issues. Melody began working with adolescents over a decade ago in the school setting. Her love for this age group prompted her to earn a teaching certificate. However, through her varied experience within the school district, including counseling, Melody quickly realized her passion was Mental Health. Subsequently, this compelled her to pursue a Master’s degree in clinical counseling at the Townsend Institute of Concordia.
Her most impressive and relevant achievement is that she passed her NCE exam early and with a very high score.
Due to her experience working in a variety of settings, she wanted to be more involved with providing young people the opportunity for more enriched relationships, and higher functioning in society. Melody enjoys using counseling methods that are neuroscience informed with a psychodynamic and client-focused approach. The initial goals include symptom reduction and rapport building, which is conducive to providing the structure for authentic relational experiences while promoting higher levels of functioning.
Outside of work, Melody has volunteered for prevention organizations as well as a variety of youth programs. Though she most enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband of over 30 years, two young adult sons, as well as her extended family.
She also co-owned a Helicopter Logging business for nearly 15 years, and traveled around the Pacific Northwest while homeschooling her children.
Robert is a qualified therapist who utilizes both traditional and non-traditional methods in addressing individual, couples and family issues. He has over 35 years working with adolescents with an approach that addresses specific strength-based activities that facilitate reinforcement of appropriate structure, limits, and expectations. His specialty is working with individuals who have experienced trauma and using the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. As well as speciality working with individuals who struggling with substance use, sex, and electronics.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from CU-Colorado Springs, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from Metro State College in Denver and an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York.
Robert has also written a book, “The Art of Redirection”. He uses the teachings from his book to enable participants to re-learn the necessary skills and concepts of accountability to function on a more respectful level at home, in school, and in the community.Robert also has a parental component that focuses on specific issues as addressed in the above statement. These sessions were designed to piggyback upon and will help by explaining the concepts of structure, limits, and expectations in detail. As one progress through the process, one’s understanding of self-reliance, self-control, and the self-esteem as it applies to their children, will increase. As this process occurs so will one’s understanding of how this applies to oneself, increasing one’s ability to parent their children appropriately.
Robert rides a Harley Davidson Fat Boy, is married to his coworker, Kathy, is the father of four adult children,and a preteen. He is a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Since joining the Turning Winds team he has had the opportunity to see individuals go home after being in treatment and have a successful life while navigating through the ups and downs that life can bring.
Sean is a competent therapist who works with adolescents ranging from mental health, substance use, and behavioral issues. His specialty is working with adolescents who have experienced trauma and using trauma informed care as part of his approach.
Sean earned a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University in Bellevue, Nebraska. He has been trained in Principles of Behavior, as well as a being a trained ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and Fostering Futures presenter.
Sean has worked with troubled teens and their families for over 20 years in a variety of settings; including 8 years as Family Teacher at Boys Town, 5 years as Program Director with CASA, 4 years at Montana Child and Family Services, 4 years as Program Director with the YWCA, and 2 years of individual and family counseling. Sean has also volunteered with adolescents through the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program, as well as serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem for abused and neglected children.
Sean believes that every child has the potential to succeed if given the opportunity. His approach is to help children/adolescents defeat trauma they have experienced in life, overcome their maladaptive behavior patterns, learn to regulate their emotions, and helping to heal the family.
Sean moved to Montana over 8 years ago with his wife and two teenage daughters. He and his family wanted to take advantage of the many outdoor opportunities that are available in the Big Sky state such as camping, hiking, hunting, kayaking, fishing, etc. Sean is also a huge Florida Gator fan … Go Gators! Sean was adopted and at the age of 45 he was able to meet his birth mother.
Sean has had the opportunity to see broken families enter into treatment at Turning Winds and with hard work, perseverance, and healthy changes individuals have been able to return home to their families and live successful lives.
Duke acts as the liaison between the Turning Winds Clinical Team and the patient’s case managers to ensure that each patient receives the treatment needed to help them heal and recover from their mental health challenges. He earned his degrees in Psychology from California Southern University, Carson Newman University, and Johnson University. Duke’s most impressive skills include communication, leadership, and management.
Duke chose to work in the mental health space because of his passion for helping patients receive the very best care possible. Duke’s goals and aspirations include obtaining his doctorate degree in Psychology as well as providing the very best patient care.
When Duke is not advocating for patient care, you can often find him running or working out. Something unique about Duke is that he speaks four languages and he has traveled to over twenty countries. Duke’s profound experiences at Turning Winds are many as he enjoys leading groups and interacting with the patients as often as possible. Seeing kids be kids, laughing, and getting outside of themselves really speaks to his soul.
Cecilia is a talented therapist passionate about working with adolescents in a residential setting. She specializes in helping individuals who are experiencing a wide range of mental health and behavioral challenges. Her area of expertise is working with individuals who have suffered from trauma and attachment wounds by using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Transactional Analysis, and other trauma-informed modalities. Cecilia’s approach is integrative, client-centered, present-focused, relational, and trauma-informed. She aims to help individuals increase their level of awareness, and claim responsibility for and accept the consequences of their actions. Cecilia strives to help individuals generate confidence in their ability to make healthy choices and release negative feelings, emotions, and life patterns.
Kim is a therapist specializing in CBT Attachment Based Theory. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Sociology, Criminal Justice emphasis from the University of Montana and obtained her Masters in Clinical Counseling from Bellevue University. She has approximately 24+ years of experience working with adolescents in this unique and rewarding therapeutic environment.
Having worked in all domains of a therapeutic environment (i.e. night staff, residential staff, case management, administrative,internship and therapist) she has had the unique opportunity in assisting adolescents build their self-esteem and re-learn how to truly love him/herself again.
Having worked over 10 years with adolescents, she made the decision to go back to school and obtain my degree. Interestingly, she states “ I can’t say that I chose to work in the mental health field, it chose me”. She was focused on becoming a probation officer. That is until life directed her into the mental health field. She has found both to be equally rewarding, however, she has learned she would much rather help with the preventative and rehabilitative side of adolescents.
Kim’s primary goal and aspiration is to make a difference in the lives of others, especially those of adolescents. She has learned that the experiences of her childhood and adolescent years were much different than those living in today’s culture. She has watched the difficulty many of our children face today and all they are pressured with, that she aspires to help alleviate some of that burden by being one of many resources to those kiddos.
Having been raised in Montana and have been fortunate to continue raising my son here as well. Hobbies I enjoy include golfing, softball,spending time in the mountains camping and riding ATV’s, as well as water crafts. Spending time with family and friends is equally important and a primary value that guides much of what I do.
Joining the Turning Winds team has been a welcoming experience. Each day I am given the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many talented young people with a team that is supportive and shares the same passion as I do. I look forward to many years of service with Turning Winds Academy.
Adriana is a capable therapist who works with adolescents with co-occurring disorders related to mental health, substance use, and behavioral issues. She graduated from the University of Idaho in 2020, majoring in psychology and sociology with an emphasis in criminology; minored in addictions, business, and Spanish. In April of 2022 she graduated from Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School with her master’s degree in co-occurring disorders.
After exploring different roles in the field of psychology through being an advocate for individuals who experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, working as a therapist serving individuals in the prison population, and thorugh personal experiences she found she enjoyed being an ally.
Adriana would like to continue her education through different training and education programs to increase her knowledge regarding other prevalent issues. She also plans to obtain a certification in equine therapy. At some point in the future she would like to go back to school and obtain her PsyD.
Adriana enjoys hiking, camping, horseback riding, and spending time with her family and friends. She grew up in a bilingual household and enjoys speaking Spanish with her family along with learning more about Mexican culture.
Working at Turning Winds means joining a family. This is a place where staff feel supported and work well together. As a result of this, the staff are able to ensure that the adolescents’ needs are met and they also feel supported.
Turning Winds welcomes a new addition to our clinical team, Paul Zeltner LMFT. Paul started out his career as a Firefighter/Paramedic with the LA County Fire Department. His interest in the counseling field, lead him to enroll in night classes where he eventually obtained a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.
Paul has always been employed in helping services and is excited to continue that tradition here at Turning Winds!
My current role is Therapist. I meet with clients individually to set therapeutic goals, guide, and support them through their process, as well as run clinical groups with all of the kids at Turning Winds. I also provide support and coaching for families with their children during their stay with us.
I obtained my bachelors and masters in social work from Boise State University
Professional Candidate, Wilderness First Responder
My most impressive and relevant achievements are that I studied abroad for 1 year in Croatia. I was president of the College of Southern Idaho’s Diversity Council for 2 years. And I worked as a field instructor in wilderness therapy for 2 years.
I’ve had my fair share of personal struggles that I have had to overcome that have shaped me into the person I am today. I believe that I could have used more support in my life, and I would like to be the support for adolescents struggling with their own lives. When building friendships with others in my life, they would ask for a “Therapy Hangout” when asking to spend time with me. This to me signaled that working in mental health was something that I was capable of doing well and something that I would enjoy doing as a long term career.
Currently the goal is to buy a piece of land to build on and begin the process of homesteading, owning animals and becoming self-sufficient with my partner. Career-wise that continues to be formulated, but the thoughts are there of starting my own mental health retreat that would invite families to partake in outdoor adventures together and work on building relationships with each other through adventure therapy.
I love to go to music festivals, bake, kayak (really most water activities), hike, forage, and collect rocks.
I used to want to be a performer and I took piano lessons for about 9 years, dance for about 12 years, and voice for about 6 years. I have performed in musicals and I also have a soft spot for karaoke.
For me I don’t think there has been one profound Turning Winds experience that has changed my life, as much as it has been the staff in general. I can have a tendency to be guarded with new people, especially coworkers or bosses, struggling with my own anxieties. Interacting with the rest of the staff has made me feel so much more at home, and has given me a space to feel like I can be more of myself without being afraid of repercussions if I am not perfect. The communication and openness has been amazing.
All of our teachers are fully credentialed, and bring extensive training and experience to their roles. During the admissions process, they begin their assessment of your child’s academic needs. They create an individualized academic program for your child that takes into consideration previous transcripts, diagnoses of learning disabilities, personal interests, talents, and other specific needs or accommodations outlined in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Our educators build on your child’s strengths, and through this one-on-one approach, our students experience the satisfaction of academic success, many for the first time. Thanks in large part to the dedication and passion of our educational staff, almost all of our students go on to college after graduation.
Tony is not only a valued teacher within the Turning Winds community, but very loved by the students. In addition to teaching English and history he is also responsible for the involvement of the students in music therapy. He also does a wonderful job working with staff and organizing the graduation ceremonies.
Tony holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Montana, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Oregon in Interdisciplinary Studies (Anthropology, History, Political Science, and International Relations).
Tony has spent the last thirty-eight years teaching history and coaching basketball at Troy High School. He has taught required classes in American Government and American History, and developed an elective history series of nine separate classes, including Holocaust History, Native American History, Black Studies, World Religions, America in World War II, America in Vietnam, Social Movements through Music in the 20th Century, Psychology, and a History of the American Civil War.
He has been employed at Turning Winds for over 9 years. He loves the Students, the Ownership, and Staff!
In 1995, Tony was one of 40 teachers chosen nationwide to meet with Holocaust survivors and leading Holocaust historians at the official Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem, as well as visiting Auschwitz in Poland. Additionally, Tony directed a countless number of dramatic productions at THS, and formed the singing group “Reflection.” In 2009, Tony was inducted into his Alma Mater, Libby High School (MT.) Academic Hall of Fame.
Tony is an avid outdoorsman, one who has hiked 500 of Glacier Park’s 750 miles of trail, enjoys golf, basketball, reading, and music.
Tony also worked for the Naval Intelligence in Morocco for two years, and for the American Embassy in London for an additional two years.
His primary focus, however, has been the students he has encountered over his many years of teaching and Tony tries to live by the motto of Teddy Roosevelt which states, “do the best that you can for as long as you can!”
Cathy Miller is excited to join Turning Winds. Cathy is a science teacher, and she will be applying her twenty years of teaching experience to bring excellence into the academic portion of the Turning Winds Program.
Cathy began teaching after obtaining her Master of Arts in Teaching from Western Oregon University in the year 2000. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, in chemistry. She tried a couple of short-term teaching assignments in chemistry and multi-level science courses before she moved to Ukraine to an International IB school where she taught MYP Science, IB-DP Chemistry and IB-DP Physics. After three years teaching young people from many countries as far east as Pakistan, and as far west as California, Cathy returned to the United States. She has taught in a high school in Puyallup, Washington for the past thirteen years teaching AP Chemistry and AP Physics as well as regular enrollment chemistry and physics. Cathy has always found joy in trying new approaches to teaching and is excited about the challenge of educating in the manner of a one room school house with multiple levels and multiple topics in the same classroom.
Cathy enjoys country living and has grown fond of the Northern Idaho landscape and culture. She loves taking long walks in the countryside, reading and playing bridge.
Patrick is the English Teacher at Turning Winds. Patrick began teaching in 1990 and has over 29 years in education. His areas of interest with teaching English is found in exploring writing and literature.
Patrick holds a Bachelor’s degree in the Social Sciences, with an emphasis in Economics from the University of Montana Western. Along with teaching Patrick has coached Four National Team Championships and 109 college All-Americans. Patrick enjoys spending time with his children and grandchild. He is an Author and enjoys writing, camping, and cross-country skiing.
Anita is one of the highly knowledgeable teachers at Turning Winds. Her focus is helping the students with math and science courses.
She began her college career in Mankato, MN as an anthropologist. She then had to move back to California where she decided to change her major to Biotechnology and she graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a B.S. in Biotechnology major with a molecular cluster, and a minor in Chemistry.
After graduating I worked for 2 years doing research at Loma Linda University in Osteoporosis then furthered my education into Cytogenetics for Quest Diagnostics/Nichols Institute. While going to school and working I volunteered for 8 years at an adult drug and alcohol treatment facility mentoring and going on working missionary trips to Mexico.
She became a single mother while she was in college. She worked and provided for her family and when her son was done with college and became an adult she married and moved to Washington state. She wanted to pursue her dream of teaching math and science at the high school level. Turning Winds allowed her this opportunity to teach and utilize my years of experience working with people overcoming addictions.
When I am not at Turning Winds I enjoy time on my horses packing into the backcountry. I enjoy hunting, hiking, and I am an avid shooter. And finally at home I have a small farm with all the animals, a garden, and my flowers.
She was born at Johnson Air Force Base, Japan and raised in Southern California.
The kids are most certainly what keeps me at Turning Winds. She feels Turning Winds is a wonderful organization that allows her to put not only her mind into the kids but her heart also. She loves that Turning Winds attempts to heal every aspect of the child’s life in order to give them the very best chance at succeeding when they leave.
Howdy! My name is Greg Hall, and I am the new English Teacher/Sheriff in town. Basically, I am teaching English with a strong emphasis on reading, writing and grammar fundamentals. I bring a bachelor’s degree in economics, and a K-9 Elementary degree to our program. In addition, I have a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University, and currently holds a Class 5 license in Special Education.
My two greatest achievements in life are getting to know Jesus Christ personally, and marrying the love of my life, Trish, in 1986. We have eight children, and there is never a dull moment in our home. I have worked with at risk kids for the last 18 years in public education. I have a heart for the “fringe” kids who struggle to find their place in life. Currently, I am earning a degree in biblical counseling, and really enjoy helping people get free from their hurts, habits and hang ups. My plan is to pursue counseling full time when my teaching experiences a vocation is done. Unsure of the timeline on that project. I enjoy lifting weights and going for long walks and learning something new every day. Turning Winds has been growing on me day by day. Very thankful for the privilege to work here!
We take care of your child’s physical health as well as his or her mental health. Our professional chef works with a nutritionist to ensure that your child enjoys a balanced diet based on his or her specific needs. We have a registered nurse on site, and our students receive routine health evaluations and have the opportunity to discuss any concerns they may have with our medical staff.
Veronica is an experienced and excellent international cook. She is in charge of ordering, preparing, and creating delicious meals for the students and staff. She puts her whole heart and love into every meal she prepares.
She started working once she completed high school. There is a family history of cooking in Veronica’s family. Recipes have been passed down and she learned a lot from her mother who worked in several different restaurants. She also has a self sustaining small farm where she raises a variety of livestock.
Veronica came to Turning Winds originally to help out, but over time she paid more attention to the work that is done in this facility, she became attached to the students and found joy in making food that made the students happy. Veronica wants to stay and work at Turning Winds. She wants to continue to improve her cooking skills and make food that can bring back memories to the students.
When she is not preparing yummy meals and pouring over new recipe ideas, Veronica enjoys sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She particularly enjoys making costumes and quilting. Veronica is also someone who enjoys the outdoors that the Northwest offers, particularly fishing.
Veronica was born and raised in Chile and has always had an interest and talent for cooking new and interesting dishes. Veronica has been in the United States for over 15 years. When she first arrived she did not speak English and she self taught herself English. Prior to coming to Turning Winds, she has worked in the school system as an aide and teaching Spanish in a local one-room schoolhouse.
Working at Turning Winds for over six years, she has recognized the struggles the students go through. Her way of helping is asking the students about specific dishes that make them happy. She believes that good food can lead to a happy heart.
Melissa enjoys cooking as she prepares meals for the residents at Turning Winds. Her meals are filled with herbs and spices and have a very aromatic nature. She is happy to greet, cook, and serve with a smile every day that she is at Turning Winds.
Melissa is the mother of two beautiful daughters. She wishes for peace on earth; she loves gardening and cooking. Indonesian is her native language. She loves the experience and connection with the patients at Turning Winds through making quality food.
Karla is an experienced nurse, her primary responsibility is to work closely with the psychiatrists to make sure medications are ordered, and filled correctly for the students.
She attended Flathead Community College, where she graduated with her Associates of Arts and while earning a certificate in practical nursing she also made the Dean’s List twice. Her goal is to get her Registered Nursing degree and will be enrolling in classes in the Fall of 2022.
Karla has raised money for Wings (a local charity) by walking 30 miles twice in the last six years. Karla enjoys crocheting, loves going to the beach and kayaking in the great Northwest. She loves to collect gnomes and ceramic or metal frogs.
Karla is a long time resident of Libby, Montana. She has been married over 30 year and has two sons. Through the loss of her youngest son, she has grown to appreciate and enjoy the simple joys in life. Karla believes that there is a positive in every negative experience and five years after the loss of her son the gift he gave her was the realization of how important it is to love yourself. She still has a longing to nurture and teach the students about self love, and feels Turning Winds is a great place to do that. Being a nurse has allowed her to pursue her passion for caring for others, and more especially, caring for children.
Kimmer is a registered nurse at Turning Winds, working primarily in the clinical department. She assists with the medication management component at Turning Winds to ensure that the patients receive their prescribed medications as directed. She also works closely with the Medical Director and Nurse Practitioner, administers first aid when needed, participates in continuing education and teaching first aid/CPR, and accompanies the students on medical and dental trips, among many other duties.
She attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA right after high school and has a BA in Biology; she then went to UCLA and received her BSN in Nursing, followed with an MS in Nurse Anesthesiology a few years later.
She is a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of Montana, as well as certified as a CPR instructor, a certified NAUI Scuba Instructor, and a certified nurse anesthetist (but currently not licensed to practice).
Kimmer is the mother of two amazing young adults (ages 21 and 23). She also served her country as a Major in the Army Nurse Corps Reserves for 18 years. She is also a recovering alcoholic and her sobriety is the most important aspect of her life.
She has worked with children, and specifically adolescents, for over 40 years, in various environments and jobs, from camp counselor to pediatric nurse anesthetist. She also had a somewhat difficult childhood, living in a broken home with a mom battling addiction. When this opportunity presented itself to her, it seemed as if it was made for her- she feels she has lived her life, gone through the things she has gone through, and has prepared herself for this very season in her life; to work with the students and team at Turning Winds.
Kimmer would like to get licensed to practice anesthesia again so that she can go on short-term mission work with Doctors Without Borders and Samaritan’s Purse, overseas and in the U.S. She loves working with the sick and infirm and giving hope to those who feel hopeless. She is in the process of preparing to build her dream cabin in the woods, and aspires to be the most awesome granny to her children’s future children someday!
She loves anything outdoors! Hiking, camping, backpacking, sailing, canoeing, fishing, hunting, sailing, and scuba diving are all her favorites! She also loves to cook, read, play her guitar, sing, and play cribbage.
Kimmer feels that every day at Turning Winds, there is some small profound experience occurring at any given time that makes her heart happy. Seeing the transformation occur in a student that comes to Turning Winds with zero self-esteem and full of self-loathing, and to graduate the program with his/her leadership, self-confidence and respect for others- nothing is more profound than a soul that has found hope and purpose.
Turning Winds sits near the banks of the South Fork Yaak River, surrounded by majestic mountains and an abundance of nature. The setting seems to displace time. With an aura of serenity, it marks the passage from a world of limitations to one of potential and from a state of alienation to one of belonging.
Here, in our comfortable setting, and with the help of experienced and caring professionals and the support of collegial peers, adolescents learn to believe more in the power of themselves and human connection over the pleasures of possessions. They develop a sincere appreciation for the natural world and gain a meaningful distance from the pace and pretense of today’s world. The young people who come to Turning Winds become part of an extended family whose values of respect, trust, and love facilitate the development of emotional maturity and skills that fuel a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
Turning Winds sits near the banks of the South Fork Yaak River, surrounded by majestic mountains and an abundance of nature. The setting seems to displace time. With an aura of serenity, it marks the passage from a world of limitations to one of potential and from a state of alienation to one of belonging.
Here, in our comfortable setting, and with the help of experienced and caring professionals and the support of collegial peers, adolescents learn to believe more in the power of themselves and human connection over the pleasures of possessions. They develop a sincere appreciation for the natural world and gain a meaningful distance from the pace and pretense of today’s world. The young people who come to Turning Winds become part of an extended family whose values of respect, trust, and love facilitate the development of emotional maturity and skills that fuel a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
If you are a parent of a troubled teen from Jacksonville, FL and he or she is in a mental health crisis, we recommend you look for treatment programs in Jacksonville, FL designated as “out of network” treatment providers. Specifically, we recommend you look for Jacksonville, FL mental health treatment providers that have the ability to
Turning Winds is a premier residential treatment center specializing in a variety of therapeutic intervention strategies (CBT, DBT, behavioral therapy) and life skills development and experiential education for teen boys and girls from Hollywood, FL who may be going through dilemmas such as technology addiction (social media, cell phone), opiate abuse/addiction,
Our mission is to rescue teens from crisis, renew their belief in their own potential and reunite them with their family and a sustainable path of success.
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31733 S Fork Yaak Rd Troy, MT 59935
Phone: 800-845-1380
International: 208-267-1500
Fax: 888-892-4568
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