Meet Erin Timmerberg | Program Director, LCDC-I

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Timmerberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from Raleigh, North Carolina and grew up there until the age of 16. My position at Adventure Learning Program and where I am today has a lot to do with my background and the past six years of my life. I was a vibrant kid and had a lot of interests and passions. I was involved in theatre, music, basketball, and academics. Thanks to my grandparents I had a lot of outdoor experiences and was introduced to all things nature and camping. Living in Raleigh I was very close to the beach and only a short drive to the Blue Ridge Mountains. This really shaped how I viewed the world and I was always excited to be outside and go on adventures. A lot of my upbringing was fun, however my home had a lot of problems and was unsafe for me. I had a lot of unresolved trauma that I did not know how to deal with at such a young age. I never felt like I fit in with others and felt like I need to compensate for my somewhat unorthodox family system. I don’t know all the things that led me to drugs and alcohol as a teenager, but I do know that I was feeling pain and when I found these substances it was like a hole being filled in my life. Fast forward to a few years later and I was deep in the grips of addiction. So much happened during those few short years and I won’t go into many details but I will say that in May of 2016 I was a completely different person. I was hurt, and also in the cycle of hurting others. My health was poor, my relationships were broken, and if I did not have the opportunity to move to Texas and get help I would have died very soon.

I had the opportunity to move to Houston, Texas and join a program for adolescents in recovery for substance use disorder. Long story short, I got sober and spent the next two years healing and finding the person I had lost many years ago. I am so grateful, since so many teens do not get this opportunity or second chance. Sobriety, recovery, and support from others led me to achieve my goals. I graduated high school and went to college to study addiction and counseling. So many people helped me in my journey and I wanted so badly to give back to this community that had taken me in. I completed my bachelor’s degree in three years and moved back to Houston after graduation.

That was one year ago. So much has changed in my life and at times it has felt like a roller coaster. But it is crazy to me how everything has worked out. Trusting in the process is hard, and being a kid from a lower class family with drug problems and many other issues is not a great card to be dealt. I think one of the biggest factors for my success is resiliency, and this is exactly what I try to teach to my kids in ALP. Adventure Learning Program is such an amazing organization with an awesome history. Having the opportunity to be the program director and be a part of helping teens who were just like me is really a full circle moment. Getting to blend my love for the outdoors and passion for substance use counseling really is such a dream job for me. I am truly filled with gratitude for my life story so far and know my personal and educational experience has prepared me for this work I am doing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
So I am the program director for Adventure Learning Program (ALP). To give you some context, our program is a unique approach at treating adolescents with substance use disorder and mental health disorders. Houston is well known for our adolescent recovery treatment, and alternative peer groups (APG’s) have been a part of that story for many years. We are basically an after school and weekend support group for these teens, to give them resources, fun, peer support, therapeutic skills, and rewarding experiences to help them in their lives. There are several different programs who are considered APG’s in Houston, however ALP is unique in that we combine therapeutic practices with outdoor, adventure based learning. During the week we do social activities with the teens as well as our therapy groups where we teach vulnerability, meaningful connection, and DBT skills. On the weekends we do many engaging, challenging, and fun outdoor activities. Our core things we take part in are: mountain biking, rock climbing, yoga, and surfing. Since working at ALP I have really reconnected with my love for nature and challenging myself. A lot of what we teach our clients is leaning into discomfort, challenging themselves, and overcoming hard things. As staff, we motivate and support each teen and help them realize their full potential. What is so cool about our program is not only are we participating in hard work by looking inward, we are able to parallel our therapeutic practices with physical activities that build SO MUCH self esteem and confidence in these kids. We live in a society where instant gratification, mass consumption of media, and sedentary lives really harm our mental and physical health. Especially working with teens who have struggled with drugs and alcohol and mental disorders, I have really been able to see the positive impact that ALP has had on their mental health and emotional and physical resiliency.

I know I shared a lot about my personal story earlier, but all those experiences I had have led me to where I am today. It was not easy, but infinitely fulfilling and worth it. I am so grateful to be continuing the legacy of ALP today. Something I am excited about for the future of our program is implementing more wilderness trips and pushing the boundaries for what we will be able to do. Right now we have our spring break camping trip, and then in the summer we go to Buena Vista, CO to backpack in the backcountry for a week. These trips we take are an essential time for our clients to build relationships, have fun, and gain new and exciting experiences in the outdoors. I would really like to extend these adventures to longer than a week at some point, and go even more places. There has been talk of Big Bend for a mountain biking trip, or even Yosemite for a climbing trip. This takes a lot of planning and logistical work obviously, which I am learning more about as I go.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I live in Houston, which is a huge city in southeast Texas. Coming from Raleigh it was a big culture shock to move here, but I have grown to love it especially the people I have met here. The concrete jungle as people would say of this city has a lot of cool and unique things about it. Despite its size, massive highways, and number of people it is actually a fairly green city and has a lot of outdoor activities to pursue (if you’re okay with the humidity and extreme heat). One of my favorite parts of Houston are the number of trails they have inside the city, particularly in Memorial Park. A lot of ALP bike days are here, and the trails are great to learn how to mountain bike. Whether you are walking, biking, or running it has a certain charm to it and a fun way to get outside. One of my favorite parts of Texas I will say is the food! Especially our specialty Tex-Mex dishes and authentic Mexican food. My favorite meal here is probably street tacos or some type of sushi. Houston has some of the best places to eat, and if someone was visiting me I would definitely highlight those two. Another fun aspect to the city here is the art culture and museums. I really love exploring new places, and one of my favorites would have to be the Menil. It is a smaller museum in the city with FREE admittance and they always have new displays and artwork to show. I am very grateful to be a part of ALP, because it has helped me discover so many new things to get active and have fun. Momentum is a bouldering gym we have here which I like. I think somewhere I go multiple times a week would be Black Swan Yoga. This is a donation based hot yoga studio with several locations here and has really helped me grow stronger physically and spiritually (without breaking the bank). There mission, affordability, and the instructors there are all awesome.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Truly, the only reason I have made it this far is from the support and help of others. I have had many people rooting for my success in my life, and I wish I could name them all on here. My family has been one of my strongest advocators and supporters and really helped me turn my life around. They have gave me so much grace, advice, and love. One essential person in my life the past 6 years would have to be Allie Haydon. She has been my mentor since I was 15 years old and now one of my good friends. Allie taught me so much when I was a teenager about recovery, integrity, and success. She encouraged me to go to school and even wrote me one of my recommendation letters. She is a therapist/business owner and someone I look up to immensely. I am so glad she has been such a consistent person in my life, and is always cheering me on and telling me how proud she is of me. She has given me so much of her wisdom and experience in the field of counseling, as well as just in life. I am very grateful to have her as a friend, and continue to learn from her going forward. Thanks Allie!

Instagram: @adventurelearningprogram

Other: Our website is currently being updated, but is www.alphouston.com A lot of it is outdated but once we finish it will be a great resource for more info on our program.