Bridges
Connecting youth through nature and adventure
Bridges is a nature-based leadership program for teens ages 13-16. The program combines adventure-based activities with a healthy living curriculum to help young people develop a life kit for the future. Unlike other adventure programs, Bridges offers ongoing opportunities for participants living in Eastern and Western Massachusetts to develop lasting relationships with peers and mentors in their local communities.
Program Description
Bridges is brought together by Heartwood Expeditions and Revolution Martial Fitness (RMF). Our mission is to create opportunities for youth to grow through connection to self, connection to others, and connection to nature. Program leaders Mat Apeseche of Heartwood and Paul Castagno of RMF have decades of combined experience teaching, leading, and mentoring youth. Together they have created the Bridges program, which combines outdoor adventure and a healthy living curriculum to foster individual growth and a positive peer culture.
Most adventure and wilderness therapy programs are a one time experience; participants from various locations come together for a single extended event. In addition, many of these programs are staffed with individuals who have only a few years experience working with youth. Bridges differs on both fronts. We offer ongoing opportunities during the course of the year for youth to build relationships with peers and mentors in nearby and local communities. Bridges staff are experts in their fields; collectively they have backgrounds in education, child and family therapy, mentoring, and various forms of coaching. Unlike most summer youth programs, our groups are individualized and small. We cap our program at 12 students per experience, which allows us to cater curriculum to individual interests and needs.
Our curriculum focuses on both hard and soft skills that fulfill our mission and help participants build a “life kit” for the future. We believe that the most significant life lessons are learned through experience. Some of the hard skills and experiences include wilderness living and survival, hiking, fitness, yoga, meditation, art, and music. All program experiences are oriented towards the learning and practice of soft skills, such as effective communication, resilience, and personal reflection. Communication and community are integral to our program. Daily discussions take place on the challenges facing youth today, such as how to build and maintain healthy relationships, how to create and achieve personal goals, and how to navigate the rapidly changing world around us. To learn more about the positive benefits of nature on health and development click HERE.
Location
Set in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains along the West Branch Mill River, Heartwood Expeditions headquarters is basecamp for all program activities. Our site is home to abundant wildlife, wetlands, and rolling terrain, making it a prime location to learn about and connect more deeply with nature. While most day adventures take place in the Berkshire Mountains of MA, we have also led day and overnight adventures in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Program Leaders
Mathew Apeseche, LICSW
Heartwood Expeditions Founder & Director
Mat Apeseche has been supporting youth and families for over 15 years. His experience ranges from work with marginalized youth as a mentor and therapist, to experience as the clinical director of a therapeutic high school. Currently Mat runs a private therapy practice in western MA and oversees Heartwood Expeditions activities.
Sara Kunz
Certified Meditation and Yoga Teacher & Primitive Survivalist
Sara is a primitive survivalist with years of experience helping youth of all ages move outside their comfort zones. Through her experience as a teacher's aid and youth circus instructor she has empowered young people to embrace community and discover the best of themselves. Sara is excited to foster wellness and resilience through her love for yoga, survival skills, and community work.
Paul Castagno
Revolution Martial Fitness Founder & Director
Paul Castagno Has been training martial arts for over 25 years and has taught thousands of kids over his 20 years operating a successful martial arts school in Natick, MA. He has years of experience mentoring kids of varying ages and helping them navigate the challenges of life with focus, determination, and resilience.