Jake Harris

Jake first gained exposure to the concept of Adventure as a Therapeutic Intervention in 2008, when he attended an Outward Bound course in Maine. Following that experience, Jake earned a degree in Psychology and Outdoor Leadership at Weber State University in Ogden Utah. After that, he became involved in Therapeutic Wilderness in a professional capacity. Jake started his career as a Field Staff with Second Nature Blue Ridge in Clayton Georgia. In Wilderness, Jake honed his skills working with Adolescents, and developing dedicated, professional Staff Teams. He remained at Blue Ridge as the most Senior Field Staff until November of 2018, at which time he transitioned into a role with a Residential Treatment Center near Asheville, NC. There, Jake developed skills working with at-risk youth populations in a residential setting. Prior to joining Beacon Transitions, Jake worked as the co- Director of Residential Life at Whetstone Academy, where he learned about best practices in working with clients on the Autism Spectrum. Jake is a certified Wilderness First Responder and enjoys working with young adults in both Wilderness and Residential settings. His experience in the field of Mental Health Treatment is centered around streamlining communication between departments, fostering relationships with Clinicians and referring professionals, and facilitating professional development. In that regard, he excels at strength-based mentoring, and empowering teams to function cohesively. Jake lives in Asheville, NC with his partner, their cat KB, and dog Sierra. They enjoy all the natural splendor WNC has to offer