Stepping Out: How Service Trips Transform Teens at Turning Winds

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In this powerful episode of the Turning Winds Podcast, host Kevin Zundl sits down with therapist Sean Carlin and addictions counselor Tara Steven to reflect on one of the program’s most impactful international trips: a week in Greece that pushed teens beyond their comfort zones and into real-world therapeutic growth.

This journey was much more than a cultural experience. Through service projects like preparing meals for the homeless and volunteering at a Ukrainian refugee center, students gained a firsthand understanding of gratitude, resilience, and emotional regulation. They worked through anxiety, overcame fear, and built confidence in ways that are rarely possible within traditional treatment settings.

From navigating social stress and avoiding relapse triggers to gaining perspective on global poverty and the privileges of home, this trip became a pivotal moment for many teens. The episode explores how experiential therapy in unfamiliar environments reinforces clinical goals and supports long-term recovery.

If you are an alumni or a family member of one, and would like to share your story, please reach out to Enoch at [e-mail]. If this conversation resonates with you or offers hope for your family, we invite you to learn more about how Turning Winds can help.

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Keywords: Turning Winds, experiential therapy, international service trip, teen recovery, adolescent residential treatment, therapeutic travel, coping skills, emotional regulation, high-anxiety teens, addiction recovery, therapeutic boarding school, teen mental health, Greek service trip, trauma-informed care, family support, long-term treatment success

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