The 4th GATE Adventure therapy conference already this week! Get to know the keynote speakers!
Cluster news
The 4th GATE Adventure therapy conference will take place this week – form 19.06-22.06 of June with many pre and post conference activities. Meet the keynote speakers!
Alexander Rose
Alexander Rose has been passionate and committed to introducing Adventure and Nature Therapy (ANT) in Spain and Europe since 2008.
He is a Clinical and Health Psychologist, Gestalt psychotherapist, and Sports Scientist, and holds both a master’s in Clinical and Health Psychology and Drug counseling. He currently combines his work as CEO of Terapia Aventura (Spain) and in Germany at the Adventure Therapy Institute (ATI).
Alexander formally introduced Adventure and nature-based therapy in Spain by developing several programs (youth at risk, adults with drug abuse problems, severe mental health problems, cancer survivors, and mental health professionals with burnout) and writing the first academic articles and books.
Honorary member of the International Adventure Therapy Committee and co-founder and former board member of European Adventure Therapy (ATE), he is nowadays mentoring the current formation of the Latin American ANT network and is in the process of writing two more books for our field.
Denise Mitten, PhD
Denise Mitten, PhD, MS (counseling with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling) is internationally recognized for her innovative scholarship in outdoor and environmental pedagogy, ethics, and gender. A widely experienced adventure guide, from SCUBA to mountaineering (Swiss Alps, Himalayas, and USA, including Denali), she has developed ecopsychology, nature-based programs and leadership programs for people recovering from substance misuse, women felons, and economically disadvantaged women and children to strengthen relationships between humans and more-than-human worlds.
Professor Mitten initiated trauma informed leadership highlighting the relevance of social, emotional, and spiritual safety in group dynamics and risk management, first working with women recovering from abuse in the 1980s.
Dr. Mitten also developed an award-winning leadership training and apprenticing program for women, opening the door to outdoor leadership to many women.
Along with over 100 articles and book chapters, books Professor Mitten has authored or edited include Health and natural landscapes: Concepts and applications; Experiential education theory and practice; Maternal thinking: Gifts, the mother’s body, and Earth; and the Palgrave international handbook on women and outdoor learning.
Krists Zeltiņš
Krists Zeltiņš is a man of many facets – a devoted father, caring son, and loving husband. Rooted deeply in his Latvian heritage, he is not only a master of traditional sauna (pirts in latvian) and a practitioner of vibro acoustic massage but also an enthusiast of hot and cold stress techniques. Raised amidst the rustic charm of a 19th-century homestead, he finds solace in the daily embrace of nature, a tradition that spans six generations.
His professional journey mirrors the diversity of the people he encounters. With a wealth of experience in hospitality spanning Latvia, England, and Cyprus, he has engaged with individuals of varied nationalities, races, and mindsets. Through these rich interactions, he has honed the art of communication, recognizing the profound importance of listening and asking the right questions.
Influenced profoundly by his mother, Kristīne Sīle, a prominent figure in Latvian traditional events and one of the strongest Sauna Masters in their community, Krists embarked on a quest to delve deeper into his cultural heritage. Under her guidance and alongside his own experiences, he graduated from “Lielzemenes,” one of Latvia’s premier sauna schools. With this foundation, he wholeheartedly embraced the path of a sauna master, uncovering the sauna’s transformative power as a conduit for nature’s profound healing energies.
Krists Zeltiņš’ life stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication to preserving and sharing the ancient traditions of Latvia. In his journey, the sauna emerges not merely as a place of physical rejuvenation but also as a spiritual sanctuary, bridging humanity to the profound healing forces of the natural world, nurtured by the wisdom and guidance of his mother and nature.
Tickets are still available here, don’t miss out and see you there!
More information about the GATE conference here.