Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild

It pains me to read these reviews seeing how disappointed some people were with this book. Not only was I sent to Aspen when I was only 14, but to be honest the experience has changed my life indefinitely. Not only is the author accurate, but by reading the book, I was able to reconnect to the wilderness. I only hope that one day I will have the ability to go back and work at Aspen and help troubling youth, like the staff there helped me.

We've heard the stories about youth who die in therapeutic wilderness programs. We also hear about young men and women dying during military basic training, in senseless automobile accidents, and from their involvement in various unlawful activities. The negative stories get the public exposure...and persist. How much do we hear about therapeutic wilderness programs that have turned youth around, literally saved their lives? How many stories do we see in the papers about the thousands of fine men and women who complete military basic training with pride and perform so well protecting our country? A very small percentage of students are ever involved in automobile accidents or unlawful activity.There is good news, and we need to listen and spread the word. Gary Ferguson heard about the powerful work done by Aspen Achievement Academy, a highly reputed outdoor program designed to turn around troubled youth. Based in Loa, Utah, several hours south of Salt Lake City, the Academy runs a program that reaches deep inside the young men and women who are sent there--often against their will. These troubled teens have acted out their anger and confusion by doing drugs or alcohol, harming others or themselves, and engaging in other extremely anti-social behaviors. They are sent to Loa by parents at the end of their rope, therapists and counselors, and sometimes legal situations. They don't want to go, yet they are transformed in spite of their initial resistance. A couple of months in the desert and the woods, under the close supervision of trained counselors who care about them produces incredible turnaround results. The young people experience a wide range of insights, surrounded by caring and loving people whose job it is to keep them safe and give them an environment where they can find themselves and grow. Curious, and perhaps a bit suspicions, nature writer Gary Ferguson made arrangements to become trained as a counselor and experience what the teens--and their staff support people--go through every day.Shouting at the Sky is a beautifully crafted story about journeys. Spending time with a girls' group and a boys' group, Ferguson observes, listens, participates, and creates a moving journal of the experience. Readers will share the life-changing shifts of troubled teens, the dedication and stress of staff, and Ferguson's personal transformation as he is influenced by troubled youth practically fighting for their lives.The nature writer comes out-in the flowerly language that feeds the reader's imagination--and in the appreciation of the environments in which the young people function. Sometimes the depth of the writer's ability to use the English language to paint pictures gets in the way of the message, but the message burns its way through. Ferguson learned about human nature in the weeks that he actually spent with the youth and the staff counselors. The stories are often gripping, moving, and heart-warming. I was inspired to keep reading, didn't wa

I was sent to Aspen Achievement Academy shortly after my 17th birthday. At first, I could not imagine what such a program could do for me. It turned out to be the best experience I've ever had. I learned about myself, gained confidence, and made friends who I plan to keep forever. Gary Ferguson is one of those friends. He encourages and supports me. I don't think it's fair to condemn wilderness programs until you have personally experienced them. It was magic for me.

Having recently sent my son off to a therapeutic wilderness program, I was very grateful for the excellent view this book gave me about my son's experience. Other reviewers have criticized this book for being too "Shirley MacLaine" in its description of the program. But my viewpoint is quite different. I saw the same results that the author reported. My son was transformed from an angry, defiant, miserable young man to a strong, trusting teen. We aren't at the end of the journey for my son, but I can't begin to tell you how beneficial the wilderness program was to my son. Although the author's descriptions of his experiences with the troubled teens may sound unbelievable or simply trite, they are undoubtedly true. If you are a parent of a troubled teen, this book will give you an excellent view of an alternative treatment program.