a quest for the heart

Passages To Recovery is an addiction and substance abuse treatment program set in the pristine wilderness of central Utah. Operating within majestic red rock canyons and high mountain forests, our wilderness treatment program has been designed specifically as a drug rehab for young adults. We employ an innovative dual-diagnostic approach to addiction treatment, addressing alcohol and substance abuse and chemical dependency issues co-occurring with mental health issues via traditional interventions, Twelve Step philosophy, classic wilderness therapy, a full battery of psychological testing with a clinical psychologist and research-based methodology.

In wilderness rehab, you will engage in a life-changing process of backpacking, camping, primitive skills, and sweat lodges during a minimum 35-day expedition through the Utah wilderness, culminating in a Vision Quest. Within the rigors of the expedition, the constant noise and distraction of urban life is left behind and you will discover a physical, emotional and spiritual awakening in which to reconnect with the joy and vitality of living. Our treatment process includes traditional interventions such as a psychiatric evaluation, a bio-psycho-social clinical assessment, individual and group therapy, and chemical dependency and relapse prevention education. Our Field Instructor Team consists of highly skilled wilderness guides, licensed as Substance Abuse Counselors, Emergency Medical Technicians and Wilderness First Responders. Our clinical team is lead by a PhD Psychologist and consists of Master's level Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, traditional Wilderness Field Supervisors and consulting psychiatrists and medical physicians.

At Passages To Recovery, we merge the 12 Step model with the experiential learning milieu of the wilderness environment. We assist you to identify and sort out your fears, emotional pain, destructive patterns of behavior, and positive intentions with support and emotional safety. The experience at Passages To Recovery engenders healthy connections between you and your sense of self, between you and the natural world around you, and between you and your friends, family and loved ones. The interdependence and authenticity fostered by living out of doors with a small nomadic group forms a powerful foundation for our rites of passage ceremonies. This experience of your own personal passage to recovery endures as a compelling and positive touchstone throughout your future.

We frame the wilderness expedition with a welcoming and familiar stay at the MAPS House in Loa, Utah. We provide a humane and ethical social detox, supporting you as you adjust to and accept the realities of being in treatment. This is a period of learning and practicing wilderness skills, replete with time for reflection.

After the wilderness expedition, you will return to the MAPS House for a two-day meeting with your family members, using the tools gained in the wilderness to amend relationships and “clear the wreckage of the past.” Then your family members will go home and you will use your final time at the MAPS House to forge a plan of action for your future, and mentor and teach others. It is a time to practice Recovery, Unity, and Service, strengthening your commitment to a truly new life lived in accord with your heart.