Tiffany W
Assistant Group Lead
Growing up in a small farm town of Good Hope, Illinois, Tiffany spent much of her youth stomping around the woods with her dad, inspecting bugs, nurturing wild animals, and sleeping under the stars at local campgrounds. She remained in her hometown all the way through college. In this time frame, she worked in the Emergency Room while taking classes at Western Illinois University to complete a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition. After graduating from college, Tiffany started to question the piece of paper in her hand saying she was ready to dive into “the real world”. A huge puzzle piece was still missing. Hungry for a world she had not yet explored, she decided to peel away from her comfort zone and accept an internship offer in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in Anchorage, Alaska. Motorcycling across the vast wilderness, hiking, and deeply connecting with her patients, it became apparent that physical and emotional therapeutic success came from more than medicinal treatment and simply following a prescribed regimen. Growth came from persisting through challenges, interpersonal relationships, and being out in nature-exposed to beauty and physical vulnerabilities.
Soon after this internship was completed, Tiffany stumbled upon wilderness therapy and immediately yearned to be a part of this holistic, nontraditional form of support. Going back to grad school for Outdoor Education, she co-instructed a 4 month outdoor leadership expedition-canoeing in Ontario, sea kayaking in Mexico, and backpacking through the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Upon completion, she pursued her passion by joining the staff team at Elements Wilderness Therapy to work with adolescents. Her hope and belief is that the boys will find emotional safety, clarity, and personal growth in an environment detached from the hectic-ness, pressure, and daily stress that society burdens us with.
On Tiffany’s off shifts, she can be found being a social butterfly and adventuring around Moab between large cups of coffee. Recently rock climbing, canyoneering, trail running, and skydiving have been her favorite past times.