Vertical Playpen

Vertical Playpen


Latest Episodes

Reading Group Dynamics for Facilitators
January 19, 2021

When making your activity agenda it can be helpful to intentionally pick activities that can help you read your group. In this episode we explore what some of these activities are and their benefits. In order to better explore this concept, Phil calls...

Adventure Program Safety and Risk Management Considerations | Bob Ryan
January 05, 2021

Bob Ryan (Director of Safety and Risk Management at Project Adventure) chats with Chris Damboise (Director of Training and Team Development at High 5) about his introduction to the adventure industry, his work with writing standards and his program...

The Challenge Course Certification Process
December 22, 2020

Chris, Lisa and Phil talk about High 5's ACCT certification process including how to prepare, why you might want a certification, what the process looks like, and common pitfalls we see as examiners. Chris also introduces the concept of Education -...

Art and Experiential Education | Adam Ames (Type A)
December 08, 2020

In this episode, Phil and Jim are joined by Adam Ames (Type A) to discuss his experience being trained by Jim, the impact it had on him and the visual art piece that resulted from their experiences. Check out Type A's Team building (Align) here -...

Risk Homeostasis
November 24, 2020

Lisa and Phil discuss the concept of Risk Homeostasis Theory and how it presents itself in adventure programming and challenge course operations. Books referenced in this episode are: Target Risk by Gerald J. S. Wilde - download a free digital copy...

AEE (Association for Experiential Education) | Sherry Bagley
November 10, 2020

Sherry Bagley (AEE Executive Director) discusses her journey to leading AEE, all of the great ways to volunteer for the organization and the future of experiential education. The upcoming AEE International Virtual Conference info can be found here:...

The Experiential Thinking Practitioner
October 27, 2020

Chris, Lisa and Phil discuss a concept that is a large part of High 5 trainings and also features in some of our books; The Thinking Practitioner. It can be applied to both challenge course operation as well as adventure activities and leads to more...

The History of Outdoor Education | Hutch Hutchinson
October 13, 2020

Hutch Hutchinson (Senior Lecturer at Boston University Questrom School of Business) shares his road to working in Experiential Education, his love of the AEE community and the history of Outdoor Education based on his dissertation "Crafting an Outdoor...

Cultural Immersion Experiences | Katherine Conway
September 29, 2020

Katherine Conway (AMIGOS) discusses the importance of experiencing different cultures, conflict resolution strategies and gap year programming. Find more about AMIGOS here: amigosinternational.org

Neurochemicals at Play
September 15, 2020

In this episode Phil discusses the 4 primary neurochemicals that elicit happiness; Endorphins, Dopamine, Serotonin and Oxytocin, as well as activities that you can use with your participants to help participants experience them. Disclaimer: Phil is...

loaded