We are going to film a 90-day therapy process through observational filming. We will be right there with our diverse group of patients as we capture the remarkable therapeutic journey that they go on at Legacy and Juniper. The film is not for these organizations, we are collaborating with them to show how effective nature based therapy is by simply documenting the process. The film that we create will be a valuable healing tool not just for the patients going through the process, but for the audience.

I was drawn to this project by my own experiences and the barriers I faced when it came to accessing therapeutic support. After a car accident as a teenager, I received treatment for my physical injuries but was never offered support for my emotional scars. Coming from a low income background we simply couldn’t afford therapy. It took over a decade before I had any kind of therapeutic help.

Ultimately, this documentary is about saying that these kinds of barriers are simply not ok. It’s also going to show how the natural world has a significant place in our healing journey. 

As the therapy process follows the Hero’s Journey, the work patients do out in the wild naturally lends itself to filmmaking. Our documentary will involve minimal interventions from the film crew, occasionally we may ask a question for clarification, but the heart of the documentary is the story filled with raw emotion that can be found in our patients' stories.

The scenery is almost like a stage in our film. The landscapes of Utah are synonymous with the ‘strong silent types’ seen in the films of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. Our documentary will reframe this by showing that true strength comes in the form of talking about and talking through your problems. I wish I’d known this when I was 17. 

As anyone who works in this field knows, there is a real urgency to this story and a real need for this film. Mental health is a constant for everyone. It is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It is who we are.

Here is a link to the project website: https://www.goodnproper.com/wilderness 

- Nick Aldridge, www.iamnickaldridge.com